Hello Candy Andy

I know what you're thinking...

2010-09-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

...109 is a shitty bowling score, but it was enough to beat both my dad and the birthday boy! Saturday we went to Firkin and Kegler and played a few games of bowling for Neil's birthday. I lost the first game horribly, but I won the last one by 4 points! :)

Firgin and Kegler is hands down the best bowling alley I've ever been to. Bowling lanes are only the beginning of all of the activities they offer. Personally, I enjoy the large projection TVs in the front of the lanes as well as the red velvety couches to sit on while you wait.

The whole building has an old saloon type-of-feel that I really dig. Yet, all of the gadgets are modern. Everything is automatic in the "Ladies" and "Gents" rooms!

Full service bar and a restaurant always make for good times!

It was nice to see and spend time with my parents. We went on an Orlando afternoon cupcake run to Sweet and Wildside BBQ in Thorton Park for dinner. Bowling, cupcakes, and BBQ...that's a win.

There's always time for TED

2010-09-06T15:08:00.000-07:00

Wow! Has it really been 2 months?? Can you tell I began a new full-time job exactly 2 months ago? I've had next no time off and I've all but lost touch with the wonderful activities I used to enjoy. Painting might have taken a back-seat but TED hasn't. And, with a little luck I'll be able to go to the TED convention coming to Orlando.

A few of the most recent TED videos I've enjoyed are:

Julia Sweeney tells the story of how, with the help of two Mormon missionaries, she began to rethink her beliefs.

Michael Shermer of Skeptic Magazine investigates strange beliefs.

And lastly, Richard Dawkins, Oxford educated professor, explains why it's important to "rocking the boat". I love this man.

Don't open a bottle of soda on a plane

2010-07-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

Weeks ago, I spent some time on the island of Sint Maarten. I saw. I jet-skied. I conquered.

Our view was amazing.

Our suite had a personal patio just off of the pool that looked out onto the Atlantic Ocean. We arrived just after a full moon so by nightfall, the moon peeked through the clouds and reflected on the water in a spooky sort of way. With little to no light pollution bunches of stars were visible and, I shit you not, I saw myself a shooting star!

Photo credit to LeAnn Gray.

Naturally, our trip consist of alot of time in a bathing suit, sand, saltwater, snorkling, jetskiing, Snuba-ing (google it), and great food. I saw Orient Beach and Baie Rouge, the beaches that would become my...

"Most beautiful beach" and my...

"Cat size iguanas that sun on the beach during the day and climb 100ft rock walls in the evening to get home......beach"

On the days that we weren't riding around from beach to beach on a boat named Awesome, snorkeling coral reefs with sea turtles, and shopping in Phillipsburg, we were free to see the sites.

One one such afternoon we happen upon some donkeys.

They were at the bottom of the large hill that I now refer to as 3Knots. From Oyster Bay (our place of residence for the week) one could get a good glimpse of the hill and the rock that read "3KNOTS MAX SPEED."

The view from the top is like standing on top of the world in the middle of almost nowhere. In the distance, St Barts is visible.

Another such afternoon, we found ourselves at Fort Louis, the only military monument on the Island which shouldn't surprise you.....they're French.

The meals never ever failed to please and were always accompanied with an ocean view. Our last dinner in St. Maarten was at Chesterfield's (photo). Order a soda anywhere on the island and it'll cost you $5 a can! Another soda point of caution: When attempting to open a bottle of soda on an airplane, consider the difference in pressure and maybe, just maybe, it wont erupt all over the place, making for a sticky ride in an already cramped seat.

I don't get out much. :)

Calm After The Storm

2010-06-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

We've had some pretty fantastic thunderstorms recently. Typical of Orlando summer afternoons, the clouds open up and unleash lightning and thunder with such fury that it's easy to see why the Greeks believed that Zeus threw thunderbolts when he was POed. After the skies clear, there's a cool stillness. Unless, of course, it's in the afternoon when it's 100 degrees outside. In which case, it feels like it would if u put cold water on a hot pan. And you're sitting in pan.

This last week of my life was overcast with patchy sun. I got bad news, both about a family member, and about a family friend my parents have lived next store to for over 20 years. I was in the middle of working 14 days straight. What started as a routine oil change and the inspection of a 'wobble' turned into $600 worth of new tires and an oil change. Now things have cooled off a bit. The real calm after the storm is going to be the trip to St. Martin. Only 3 more days to go, but it seems like an eternity! ♥CA

Matthew Albanese

2010-06-15T16:13:00.000-07:00

I'm always wowed by Matthew Albanese's landscape photos. They're amazing handcrafted models and you'd never even know it! ♥CA

June 2010

2010-06-06T14:58:00.000-07:00

You might not want to hear this but...we're officially halfway through 2010. Can you believe it?! I look back at my list titled "Do These Before 2011", made the first week of the year and, I must say, I'm pleased with my progress report!

Read 5 books that I already own. (1) The Accidental Buddhist and (2) Mad Kings and Queens: Histories Most Famous Raving Royals

Profit from a creative side-project. I've made 3 paintings for the Etsy.com store I plan on giving a go, but I'm still a good 8 months away from the grand opening.

Create hellocandyandy.com and portfolio with hard copies. Done and done. Due to my (self-imposed) job hunt deadline these projects took top priority. Check me out! www.hellocandyandy.com

Play music again. I got my keyboard from my parents house. The end.

Learn about a graphic design related field. I recently snagged an internship at a local company responsible for graphic design, merchandise design and printing, online stores, and websites.

Rack Up as many of these as possible (Please Circle). (canoeing) jetskiing the fl keys east coast sunrise (hiking) snorkling st. augustine skydiving ford/edison estate south beach (ringling estate) (new major us city) (new museum)

Expect the unexpected. I certainly hadn't planned on BP spilling millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. I spent the first 20 years of my life in Bradenton, Florida, a beachy community on the west coast of Florida. The house I grew up in is a full 7 miles from the gulf coast and it pains me to think that in a matter of weeks the beaches will be smothered in oil. BP has cut corners, been dishonest, and failed at every attempt they've made to fixing their leak (it's been 40+ days in counting). As oil spreads throughout the gulf, irreversible ecological damage is being done and I don't feel that enough people are taking notice. You can watch the oil leak, live, for yourself on CNN's website at almost all hours of the day. BP is supposed to have the trained and educated professionals equip with the knowledge and skill set to know how to stop a leak from one of their oil rigs. If they don't have the solution (and obviously they don't), who will? Worst case scenario, we (Americans? Humanity?) never stop it and it oozes till it can't ooze no more? That's unacceptable.

Sorry to sour the mood. ♥CA

Cocoa Beach on a Tuesday in May

2010-05-04T17:14:00.000-07:00

In my mediocre attempt to gain something of a tan, Neil and I went to Cocoa Beach.

We ate lunch in front of a large (shark inhabited) tank in a bar and grill near the Ron Jon Surf Shop. Going to the beach on the east coast (FL) is always a little unnerving since I'm unable to suspend my thoughts of shark bites...luckily I wasn't wearing my seal garb.

We hit up the Cocoa Beach Pier in search of ice cream. We didn't find what we were looking for...but what we did find was an excellent place to have lunch and overlook the beach next time.

I don't take advantage of it nearly enough, but I am ever so fortunate to live so close to the ocean. ♥CA

My Titanic Experience

2010-04-28T09:05:00.001-07:00

Last week, Neil and I experienced the Titanic Experience. Given the limited amount of actual Titanic artifacts, I'd have to say I most enjoyed the Titanic spaces they recreated. It's the closest any of us will get to seeing how grand both the ship and the idea of Titanic were at the time.

The photo in the shipyard is that of an unfinished, unpolished Titanic before its bells and whistles were installed. The propeller to the right is the same size as the smallest of its 3 propellers.

The Verandah Cafe was meant to resemble a gazebo on the grounds of an English country home. White Star Line's china was impeccable and some o f it was perfectly preserved on the bottom of the ocean floor.

Because of the movie Titanic, we're all know of the 1st class staircase and while it's a knock-out...I prefer the dome.

Jack and Rose were not real passengers on the Titanic and as far as I know, no one got busy in the back of a car in cargo but the ship was used as a carrier. It would have cost you $5,000 to ship your car from England to New York City. That's a fortune!..taking into consideration that a first class ticket would have set you back a mere $50.

The Titanic was the most magnificent ship of the time and it sank to the bottom of the Atlantic in less than three hours. It's tragic....and fascinating. ♥CA

Sunday feel

2010-04-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Today is the last of my days off and even though its Friday, it has that Sunday feel. This week is the last week of the semester. After 20 years in school, I'm done with my (1st) college degree(BFA). What's next? I spent some time with my lady-friend Nancy who introduced me to my new favorite candies...Raffaello. I also spent some time with my man-friend. We went to the Titanic Experience (and I must say, when I went last it was called The Titanic Exhibition and it was a lot better). I got to clean his bachelor pad which, as weird as it might sound, gives me great pleasure. His cat is the culprit..the furball! Hair aside, she's a cat unlike any other. She's as loyal as a dog and just as lovable. She's the kind of cat a boy could love. Yesterday was Earth Day and I planted some cat grass which, according to the package "is a tasty treat for cats."

Now that I think about it, it sounds more like a win for the cat than the planet. I'm sorry....she's cute. :)

♥CA

The Loon

2010-04-04T13:29:00.000-07:00

Neil and I spent our Sunday kayaking through Wekiwa Springs State Park in a Loon (160T to be exact!) The weather was gorgeous, the water was cool, and still I managed to get a little sunburnt. For the first half of the trip the water was so clear that I was able to see straight to the bottom! Never before had I been in water that clear. Yes, I know that's punishable by death since I am a Floridian. Even though the water is awfully enticing, I wouldn't suggest swimming since we happened across a gator sunbathing on a log.

I will return. And I will become a master Looner. ♥CA

New Beginnings

2010-04-02T16:11:00.000-07:00

It's the beginning of April and...

my moms surgery went better than I anticipated and everything should be much better than before.....i have an amazing partner(-in-crime).....i took photos of a redheaded woodpecker who's made his home in a massive tree in my parents backyard.....after driving back and forth from Bradenton to Sarasota, I appreciate the gulf views that Orlando doesn't have.....i accidentally knelt in a pile of cat poop this morning.....today might be the first time I've ever really been alone with my grandma and actually talked to her......I successfully made a handsome logo for a construction company in Tampa. Check them out!.....the McDonald's Monopoly radio commercial said ''please play responsibly" and I wondered how someone can play McDonald's Monopoly irresponsibility. ♥CA

The Big (little) Pay Off

2010-03-28T16:44:00.000-07:00

All of these duck egg mishaps have paid off! Today both before I went to work and after I got home this little fellow was at my door!

In honor of my Lord of the Rings marathon these past two evenings, I have named him Samwise Gamgee, but you can call him Sam.

I love him. ♥CA

O Mother!

2010-03-27T09:03:00.000-07:00

Spring is in the air and it seems like motherhood is everywhere. Bloggers have slideshows of growing bellies and monthly updates of growing newborns, Facebookers post photos of playdates and birthdays, and single contemplate their own motherhood and the how exactly their own mothers pulled it off.

Earlier this morning I found myself in Super Target cruising the nut selection (Blue Diamond makes these awesome BBQ flavored almonds. They taste as good as BBQ chips, no lie!) when I heard a woman an aisle or two over telling her children to shut up...."Shut up or I'll (insert: F word)-ing hit you."

I believe that parents should be able to raise their children as they see fit. In addition, however the parent should choose to discipline their children is their own business. There is, of course, the exception of the middle aged woman who yells profanities and threats at her crying children like she is a child.

Eventually, she made her way into my aisle where she got face-to-face with the toddler that cried 'mommy' and told him, "I-don't-care-anymore. Shut. Up." I watched other customers glance at her as she walked by. I knew there was no way that I was the only one that wanted to say a few of my own profanities to this lady, yet all of us said nothing. Was it really none of our business or were we all just avoiding a confrontation that could have ruined our Saturday? Either way, she's made me feel rotten.

My mother couldn't be further from the awful Target woman, and I certainly do take that for granted. My mother is overly loving, if anything. Next week I'll make my way back home to be there for a major surgery she's having and I'm not looking forward to it. I need to find a way to make something positive of the time that I'm there, if at all possible.

Enough doom and gloom for now. It's time to spend the remainder of this logo-making day in front of my bedroom window enjoying the perfect combination of sun and breeze. ♥CA

I am sans mirror

2010-03-20T11:35:00.000-07:00

Rant: I've lived in my current apartment for a mere 6 months and I've had my car tampered with on 2 occasion (Halloween was the 1st). Last night someone thought it a good idea to take my drivers side mirror. No, not the whole thing.....JUST the mirror. GRR! It really does take a special kind of person to take something that is CLEARLY not theirs while the owner sleeps 100 ft away with her bedroom window open. And by person, I mean asshole.

Solution: Having made the decision to move (yet again) away from this less-than-desirable situation in August, I turned this unfortunate event into motivation to go through my things and trash that which I do not use...more importantly, that which I do not want to move! Even if I still have to brave another 6 months it always feels sooo goood when everything is clean and organized.

Rave: I saw Alice in Wonderland this week and enjoyed it. I'm not sure why it's gotten such bad reviews. If you like Tim Burton then you'll be fine. Anyone who expects a bright, true-to-Disney Alice in Wonderland will surely be disappointed. My only complaint lies in the soundtrack. Tim Burton is notorious for using his 2 favorite boy-crushes (Johnny Depp and Danny Elfman) which is lovely if they mix it up and keep things new and different. I'm convinced that if you play the Alice in Wonderland soundtrack backwards you'd find that it's the score to Edward Scissorhands! ....Ok, not really...but close enough!

Rant: A duck laid eggs in the bushes in front of my home, only she wasn't very careful and 3 eggs rolls out of the nest, down the branches, and out of the bushes. She had no idea, there was no way for her to get them back into the nest, and I was heart broken. This is failed duckling attempt #2.

(A possum-style) Solution: Moments later, I saw a possum in the bushes and told him to go and eat the eggs. Hours later, I busted him chowing down (what a good listener). I'd much rather have had ducklings, but at least they didn't go to waste.

Rave: I'm following Nancy's lead and making my own Etsy shop! There's a lot to think about but I'm verrrry excited about it. I just hope I can pull it off.

♥CA

Fan-tastic

2010-03-10T09:23:00.000-08:00

It's noon, it's beautiful outside (73 and sunny), and I haven't a thing I must do. Feels spectacular. All of my errands and chores are done. I went to get my passport. Quick and painless...Thank you Orlando Post Office. And I took some photos and played with Photoshop.

When Neil and I went to Ringling, I purchased a fancy wooden fan in the gift shop for less than $10. You're guaranteed to find neat things in museum gift shops! Mabel Ringling had a small collection of fans as well. One of which is on the top of a desk in one of the photos I posted. When I bought it, I swore I'd take some photos with it and today I finally got around to it. I'd like to know why ladies don't carry fans anymore. It's perfectly practical especially in Florida.

Tonight I'm looking forward to having dinner with a handful of people that I really really like...getting these people in the same place at the same time is so rare that it feels like it's my birthday! And until then, I'll spend time putting minute changes into a still unfinished, ever time consuming watercolor painting.

♥CA

The Yellow Dress

2010-03-03T14:58:00.000-08:00

At the beginning of February I told myself to draw more and I've managed to do just that! I love the decorative details and the geometry and/or shape of victorian era homes so I drew a couple of those. I then chose my favorite and, both systematically and unintentionally ruined it by going a little heavy with a rapidography. Interest lost, I turned my sights on another project.

The idea is just to try a couple of illustrations using the same character. In an unrelated session of pointless internet surfing, I happened across this dress on Modcloth and decided to use it. This time I'm trying something less geometric and rigid. Contour line is a large part of the drawing curriculum at UCF. I enjoy strong line quality, but I don't want to sacrifice color. So, I'm going to try and integrate both (line and color). Let's refrain from getting carried away with black pen this time, shall we? :)

♥CA

Secret Sharing

2010-03-02T06:51:00.000-08:00

things you didn't know

I was incredibly shy when I was a child. Up until middle school when my family went to a restaurant I'd whisper what I wanted to order in my moms ear and she'd rely the message to the waiter/waitress.

When I was a senior in high school (2001), I was in the Macy's Thanksgivings Day Parade. It was the single best, most eye-opening experience of my life (so far!)

I have a contractors license for pool servicing.

I am equally as serious about moving to New Zealand as I am about living out the rest of my days in a treehouse. Say I wont.

I get along better with boys.

A few years ago I had a seizure.

I sneeze when I tweeze my eyebrows.

I enjoy and require boatloads of attention. Whether or not it's legit...I blame this on my having been an only child and the youngest in my family. In my youth I threatened to run away from home if my parents had another child. How rotten!

♥CA

Rants and Raves

2010-02-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Rant | I don't watch TV. I don't own a TV. And I don't want a TV. Cable television has become (1) an open forum for unintelligent, uneducated individuals to pass their theories and lies off as facts (2) an information crutch for those who can't seem to reference more than one source, blindly believe what they're told, and (somehow) think that because it's on TV it must be true (3) a poor excuse for news broadcasting and journalism.

My Solution: Real Radio 104.1: The Monsters are hilarious (7-11am). The Phillips Phile (3-7pm) is extremely popular, more on the political side, and for a more mindful audience. And SBK Live (7-11) has more of a youthful, nightime spirit about it...equally hilarious to the Monsters. Current TV has excellent journalism segments, international viewer created content, and entertaining ways of shaking up news, pop culture, and media crazes. Hands down my favorite show is infoMania; Brett Erlich's Viral Video Film School will never get old.

Rave | For a month now I've been living the low-carb lifestyle. I was Carb Queen: Lover of all breads. The most delicious things that man has ever created involve carbs and sugars, you can quote me on that. While the numbers on the scale aren't dropping as quickly as I'd hoped, I certainly do notice a difference in the way that my clothes fit. I like knowing that I'm putting better foods in my body, and more importantly, I no longer see eating as a time-wasting burden for survival. lol I enjoy finding new options (like Nancy's taco salad) and doing my best to create them. Mild success has fueled my motivation.

Rant | About a month ago I finally started recycling (shame on me for taking so long). I live in a city of over 3 million people and there's not a drop-off recycling bin in my area, nor does the apartment complex I live in provide recycling pick up. "We're working on it." is what I was told when I inquired. No specifics, just workin' on it. Right. When will people get with the program? Am I allowed to complain about this if I just started? Even if you (choose to ignore the facts and) think that global warming/climate change is bogus...taking care of the planet and its natural resources is still an extremely good idea.

My Solution: I was talking to a customer at work about my 'recycling situation' who turned out to be a recycling man(proper term?) for UCF. He informed me that I could drop off my recycling at their facility on campus. Not the most convenient solution, but not quiet inconvenient enough to stop trying to help.

Rave | This week I'll be getting a passport for the first time. Makes me feel all...grown up! I barely get to leave the state...how in the world am I managing to leave the country?! I've been invited by a fine specimen of a man to go on a trip. :) Destination: St Martin. I know I'm a Floridian n all, but I've never even been to the Keys! I've never seen any place like St Martin before and I'm trying my best to suppress the excitement until it feels more official.

Rant | Listening to the Phillips Phile this afternoon I found out that (according to a witness) a trainer at Sea World has been killed by one of the whales while she was explaining the show to the audience. Or (according to Sea World) a trainer slipped an fell into the tank. No one deserves to experience that...trainer, audience, and animal. It's tragic for the trainer, horrifying for the audience and the animal gets a bad wrap having never been asked if he wanted to be in showbiz. Regardless of the details...education, rehabilitation and conservation of species is acceptable while using animals purely for entertainment is not. The whale didn't do anything that whales don't do.

Solution: uncertain. Boycott circuses and places like Sea World? Write angry letters to organizations that use animals for just for revenue? I dare say, yet another case of (certain) human beings and their overactive sense of entitlement? So, you think we own the planet and everything on it? Fine. Take better care of your belongings.

♥CA

Maison Leoty knows corsets.

2010-02-20T17:06:00.000-08:00

I spend as much time at my desk as most folks spend on the couch...even in their bed! So, When a great piece in my (Metropolitan Museum of Art) daily image calendar falls on a weekend, I feel like getting to keep it on my desk for one additional day of viewing pleasure is a treat!

[source]

This weekends image is that of a 1891 French made silk corset. As uncomfortable as it looks, there's a part of me (however small) that wishes we still had to strap ourselves into these things.

Soft Songs for Sickos

2010-02-18T12:40:00.001-08:00

I'm at home and completely sick. The pressure (and snot!) in my head wont go away thus any and all loud, distracting sounds make me want to crawl into a hole.

Here are some soft songs for sickos like myself.

February

2010-02-05T13:24:00.000-08:00

Some say February is the month for love. They might be right, but I say this February is the month to get things done! I've decided to dump my last attempt at an online portfolio and start anew. My self-imposed deadline is April 1. I plan on finishing The Accidental Buddhist too. And maybe, just maybe I learn to calm down, breathe, and just sit. Perhaps along with my newfangled recycling system, I'll start to meditate...or find enlightenment.......or something. lol In addition, I'm going to try and draw more. Practice makes perfect, right?

I finally saw 9 and I really enjoyed it. I wish I would have seen it in the theater. I love the look of it....apocalyptic, dirty, and mechanical. I also saw The Hurt Locker which apparently has done rather well, but I wasn't completely smitten with it. I definitely think it's worth watching for a glimpse into what life as a soldier in Iraq might be like. It's certainly is a war movie, and it was directed by a female. Interesting. I watched Fantastic Mr. Fox as well...and no, the movie itself didn't rock my socks but the soundtrack does! In addition, I respect the patience involved in making a stop-motion film. I must confess: I've been wasting the most time re-watching the entire series of Sex and the City. It's suuuch a good show!

Instead of watching the SuperBowl this evening I watched Obama at the GOP conference a week ago....talk about entertainment!

Ringling Mansion

2010-01-31T10:06:00.000-08:00

This weekend I went home to Bradenton to surprise my mom for her 50th birthday (if she read my blog I'd be in trouble for that!). I'd been to the Ringling Estate a trillion times, but I'd never done the complete tour of their mansion..until Saturday that is. You've heard the name Ringling before. Yes, businessman John Ringling from The Ringling Brothers circus was the owner of all that you see. He was the 13th richest man in the world at the time. Impressed? You aint seen nothing yet.

This photo was actually taken the last time I went. The sun was shining and it was a gorgeous day...which was not the case this time.

The most impressive part of the ballroom is its painted ceiling which displays dances from all of the major nations.

The organ you see in the back of the main room has a few thousand pipes that weave throughout the house...for their listening pleasure of course!

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls...you are looking at the first residential elevator.

My favorite guest room has 2 Chinese pillows that...instead of being embroidered use a Chinese technique that involves pulling threads out instead of stitching them in. Say what?!

Ahhh....so pretty. The vanity in the guest room that I love.

The game room is the best room in the house! The ceiling was painted by Willy Pogany who painted the ceiling in the ballroom as well. It features turing circus and festival characters. The shape of the ceiling, the pillars, and the yellow tent overhang around the perimeter mimic being under the big top. What do you expect? The man created the circus!

The top terrace of the home offers a great view of the ocean and Longboat Key. Ringling knew this area would be a hot spot so he purchased the whole lot! I wonder if he ever thought people would be shopping in St Armands Circle, renting timeshares on the key, and taking tours of his home. My guess is no.

Picnic at the park

2010-01-27T13:26:00.000-08:00

Today Nancy and I had a pic-a-nic at Blanchard Park...def something I could do regularly!

It was (maybe 'It is'? I mean it's only 5pm) a beautiful day. We enjoyed lunch and conversation in a sunny mid-60 degree day. Alligators, swing sets and vultures...whata park! The landscape is typical of Florida...and by typical I mean swamp-like. There's not much about Orlando that screams 'natural environment' from it's cluster of theme parks on I-4 to our lesser version of downtown to the blocks and blocks of subdivisions of houses without yards.

I should take advantage of this more often.

Bert lives.

2010-01-23T06:45:00.000-08:00

Sure, it's not 6 million gallon tank with 4 whale sharks but it is my 20 gallon fish tank and my angel fish, Bert! You might remember him from Fishy Business. He's such a big boy now! I'm a proud pet owner...even if it is just a fish. I tried the dog thing with when I was 20 and it didn't quite work out. I needed a low-maintenance pet that's accepted by all landlords. ::ENTERS FISH::

Now that I've upgraded from a 10 to a 20 gallon tank, I'd like to try and put something else in the tank but frankly, I'm afraid that he'll kill it. Don't let his little face fool you...he's a jerk. And i love him.

Orlando | Jan 22 2010 | 6:30pm

2010-01-22T15:30:00.000-08:00

No color editing needed. Just looking out a dirty 2nd floor bedroom window.

Atlanta's got ♥

2010-01-22T14:07:00.000-08:00

My last day in Georgia included a trip to Stone Mountain. Basically, it's a pile of cooled magma that, over millions of years, has begun to surface...and it's getting larger! This is the view atop the mountain. If you look closely you can see Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead in the distance.

I think with every new place one goes they pick up something and take it with them. In the case of Atlanta..No, nothing mind-blowing happened...but somehow I feel changed. I thought I'd signed up for a trip to the city, complete with all of the usual hustle and bustle of major city streets, crammed pubic transportation, and mobs of game-faced city dwellers at every intersection.

What I got was a beautifully relaxing lake view, pleasantly cool temperatures...

...a quaint suburb in the heart of Atlanta, and great southern hospitality.

I returned home with a renewed sense of motivation, an urge to do what's best for me (both mind and body), and cheerful thoughts of what the future might bring.

Georgia Aquarium

2010-01-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting the Georgia Aquarium. It is, hands down, the best aquarium. Last year I went to Mote Marine Aquarium and the GA Aquarium blows it out of the water!

These little eel things were so cute! There were dozens of them half-burrowed, half-exposed swaying in the movement of the water.

These Japanese crabs are HUGE. I kid you not...the center of their body is (easily) as large as a basketball and their leg span can be as much as 13 ft!!! Think of them like a very very large underwater spider. ::shudders::

The Jellies are always interesting. It always puzzles me that they're able to move, digest, reproduce (ect) and you can see right through them!...It's just strange.

Saved the best for last: The tank you see here is over 6 MILLION GALLONS! It contains 4 whale sharks as well as 2 large manta rays. I was lucky enough to catch the largest ray doing what appears to be a fun little underwater backflip.

Two thumbs up for the Georgia Aquarium.

Au Revoir Lake Lanier

2010-01-16T06:35:00.000-08:00

Today I leave Lake Lanier to spend 3 days in Atlanta. These first days have went by so quickly...I'll be back in Orlando before I know it! :(

Amicalola Falls

2010-01-14T17:05:00.000-08:00

A day at Amicalola Falls might start like this:

Once you passed the smaller icey streams, you'd run into the bottom of the falls.

After many many steps and 2500 feet up you're at the top.

If you ever go to Amicalola Falls I highly recommend visiting the lodge at the top. We ate a meal in the restaurant and enjoyed the view. The walk down is muuuuch much better than the walk to the top. Promise.

Lake Lanier

2010-01-13T18:21:00.000-08:00

Lake Lanier 1.13.2010

This morning at around 6am, Neil and I arrived at his dads house on Lake Lanier. I'd been up since around 7 the morning before and worked the whole day so I was so very tired. I didn't get out of bed until around 1 in the afternoon which made it a short day, but I did go out on the lake.

It was somewhere in the 40s and we decided to take the boat out in the evening. I saw the lake, its islands and beaches (yes, beaches on a lake). On our way back in the sun was setting which made the water look amazing, but made the air even colder.

Tomorrow we shall go to the falls. It'd be nice if it were spring and the trees were leafy and green, but I'll take skeleton trees and waterfalls any day!

ATL Forecast

2010-01-11T18:44:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow night Neil and I leave for Atlanta. We'll drive nonstop and wont get there until around 5am. I'm going to try and stay awake and alert for his sake....but there's no guarantees. I'm like a small child when I'm riding in the car for an extended period of time. ZzZzzZzzz

The weather will be excellent and the sunny days will be spent outdoors. I hope to take a lot of photos. And as much as I'd like to say (and think) that I'm going to relax and chill out...deep down I'd like to take the time to really figure some things out and start anew when I get back.

Getting to sleep tonight will be comparable to getting a 7 year old to sleep on Christmas Eve. Here's to 10hrs of work tomorrow and 8hrs on the road!

Flip-style clock screensaver

2010-01-08T18:38:00.000-08:00

Blog hoppin' this evening, I happened across this screen saver

and I HAD to have it!

Get it [here].

Hamza and the Mohawk kid

2010-01-08T06:32:00.000-08:00

Nancy and I couldn't take pics today because of the weather, but this morning I couldn't help it. I was up by 8:30. Finished small chores by 9. It's now 9:36 and I've managed to take and edit this photo of my boys. You might recognize Hamza from the portrait Nancy did of me!

I had ice on my windshield yesterday! It may seem like nothing to most, but...in my 9 year of driving this is the first time that I've had ice on my windshield so thick that a credit card was no use. These things don't happen in Florida. It's been nice and chilly here for weeks now. I thank the weather gods.

Atlanta is in 5 days and even though the weather now says it's not going to snow I'm still just as excited about going. I have a trillion things to do before then. How is it that even just getting ready to go on a trip is fun and exciting?

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

To bring in 2010, I share with you this photo of George Mason (and family). There's no date on the photo that I found but the outfits are amazing! It's a shame these are only relatives by marriage.

Instead of a resolution this year, I've decided to make a small list of (reachable) goals. I've pinned it up on my board so that it's staring me in the face! We'll see how that works out.

Kennedy Space Center

2009-12-31T15:48:00.000-08:00

This week my parents came up to go to Kennedy Space Center. The last time I'd been was when I was in 4th grade. This time certainly was a different experience than before. It's hard enough for an adult to (try and) comprehend the size and scale of our solar system and surrounding space.

The tour takes you alongside the building used to assemble the shuttle (rockets!) Endeavor has a February launch. It's a damn shame they didn't open up those massive gray doors so I could see the beast.

Old school control room. In the words of the great Neil "the tracking board looks like a Light Brite."

The underside of Apollo 11. Imagine very very large flames shooting outta there.

Inside the Apollo 11 complex.

Apollo 11 capsule. Look at the inside of that door!

Georgia on my Mind

2009-12-26T13:32:00.000-08:00

Due to lot availability I regret to inform myself that I will NOT be going camping for New Years Eve. Sad, but true.

The not-so-sad news is that in spite of New Years Eve, I will be going to Atlanta for a week in January. Hooray for going to a new place! I can't stop thinking about it and wont be able to stop thinking about it until the day we leave. I'm of the understanding that I will not only get to go hiking around waterfalls (and possibly camping) but that I will also spend time in the city. Could a vacation be more of a win? I certainly think not.

A photo of the parents at my aunt Tina's (first) marriage/wedding.

I think it's funny that (1) at one point in my dads life he seriously thought that outfit was HOT and that (2) my mom and I look so much alike (yet again).

Christmas in Bradenton

2009-12-24T15:12:00.000-08:00

Feeling a little more Christmasy today......as I should! It's Christmas Eve and I'm back home. Surprisingly, it's not a trillion degrees outside which makes things soooo much better. I spent most of the day going through some of my old things. Got myself a handful of lovely family photos, I did!

I go home tomorrow afternoon, and even though I'd much rather be in my own bed, it feels like these days have went very quickly. I can't believe Christmas is already here and will be (already) gone in one days time. It looks like the weather will be chilly enough on New Years and I look forward to camping. It's been ages since I've been and I'm VERY EXCITED about bringing in the new year in the woods.

Bring it 2010.

There you have it!

2009-12-20T07:12:00.000-08:00

It will be around 70 degress for Christmas. I changed my weather widget to Bradenton just to get a glimpse of the weather and I'm not exactly thrilled. Orlando will be 75 on Friday so at least I'll be in the colder of my two 'places'. Damn you, Florida. Damn you.

While we're on my dashboard on this fine Sunday morning...let's look at the other widgets, shall we?

The calendar is obvious. The weather widget shows us how sucky our Christmas weather will be. The UCF cam widget allows me to look on campus for pretty much no other reason than to watch people. In my defense, I DO go to the school and we do have a pretty sweet campus. The panda cam is the prize winner of my dashboard. That baby panda makes me smile all day long...he's growing up so quickly. When I first got PF* he used to not even move from their home and now he walks all over the place! The calculator is a calculator. The sloth cam widget allows me to look into a handful of different places of the world....and Oh! What do ya know....New York got SNOW! Stac is like tetris but better. And the only reason I still have that memory game widget is because the first (and only) time Neil played it he got the best score and now, I'd rather die than delete it without replacing his score.

* Illness referred to as Panda Fever. Most commonly found in females.

I heart Christmas

2009-12-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a real Christmas tree in many many moons....we're talkin' over 10+ years here! It's under-decorated, I know...but that's what happens when I was forced to purged allll of my holiday decor when I moved out of my own place. Twinkly lights and 3000 strands of tinsel work for me...at night it sparkles

and I love it.

Next week is Christmas and I'll be heading back to Bradenton for a few days. I wish I could say that it actually feels like Christmas (aside from the tree) but the truth is...it's very hard to feel Christmasy when the weather is 85! Today is 73 and overcast...which is better, but it's certainly no winter wonderland.

Amy: In a previous post you identified one item that I did not mention on my desk. That item is the reindeer headband that I'm wearing. The reason for excluding it, of course, was because I wanted to take pictures in it. I'm actually surprised you even noticed that I left something out.

Paying homage to Frank Miller

2009-12-12T07:12:00.000-08:00

School is over. I fought that alligator and I won! No more traditional college classes for meeeee. One independent study is all that stands between me and the 'real world.' I'm kind of excited.

This was my first go at a high-contrast comic book style. I'd like to redo it....or just do more black and white underwater scenes. I think it's looks pretty neat!

Whatever shall I do with all of my free time? I've decided to make a list of all of the time I'd like to accomplish before 2011. Perhaps that'll light a small fire underneath me. I bet I could get a lot done in 365 days if I put my mind to it.

Hooray for pointclickhome.com!

2009-11-25T05:06:00.000-08:00

It's official...A card of mine (designed for l2 Design Collective) is featured in an article on pointclickhome.com titled Season's Best Holiday Cards. Check out the slide show!

Noatak Eskimo

2009-11-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

I'm done. No. Let's not say I'm done...let's just say that I'm keeping my hands off of it. I keep putting hrs into it here and there. Enough is enough.

roughly 3 weeks left of class and I have 3 assignments left. Eek! please please please let the weather be cooler on New Years Eve so I can go camping! automobiles = expensive. Mine set me back $1,000 this week. Thank you 'fan clutch.' art basel miami beach is in 2 weeks, and as much as I'd like to go..i think my new fan may be in place of an art trip. someone is interested in using my L2 card in an article about holiday cards....exciting! 3 days off in a row for Thanksgiving. This is unheard of. be sure to watch the Macy's Parade on Thanksgiving morning. Aside from the stuffing and rolls it's the best part of Thanksgiving and (hands down) one of the best experiences of my life!

I love i

2009-11-17T04:30:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of Donald Mason, my grandpa, sometime after his 1953 Navy Training Class. I asked my aunt for any photos she might have of him in his uniform and this is what she sent me. I love it. It's a good photo for the time and I dig the car! I attempted to figure out the arm signals he's making and, assuming he was referencing the Navy flagging alphabet, it stands for the letter i. Even though he never saw war, there's no doubt he would have had a story or two to share. I regret not talking to him more when he was alive.

Sarasota Medieval Fair

2009-11-16T07:56:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Neil and I went to the Sarasota Medieval Fair and had a great time! I love all things Medieval so I was on Cloud 9. It'd been a good 10 years since I'd been and wasn't sure if it be of the same calibre that it was so long ago. Other than wanting it to be larger, I was satisfied! I saw...

...Enchanted Fairies...

...A Combat Chess Match...

...Knights on Horseback...

...and a Jousting Match!

I satisfied my urge for a $7 turkey leg and only ate $2.50 worth of it (it was delicious, just too much). I enjoyed a raspberry rock candy while I watched the joust. And I left holding a funnel cake...no fair experience is complete without one. I fully intending on going again next year..maybe, just maybe I'll have the balls to dress up!

On My Desk

2009-11-11T18:10:00.000-08:00

I spend 92% of my home time in this space.

This space contains things and ideas that I love.

This is where the magic happens (left to right):

1. Mannequin striking a pose.

2. Penguin finger puppet.

3. Man-on-toilet tape dispenser.

4. Obama.

5. "Sorry darling, good girls don't swallow" print by Nancy D.

6. Macintosh Apple.

7. Atheist 'A' pin.

8. Small photo Nancy gave me from an Etsy purchase.

9. Favorite photo of my dad and I.

10. Sticker for the Human Rights Campaign.

11. Frida Kahlo.

12. Small print from a photo project years ago.

13. Baby gorilla linocut print.

14. Gustav Klimt's The Kiss.

15. Henry VIII.

16. Cuttest little elephant on the planet.

17. Chinese take-out box.

18. A doll Nancy got me in Mexico. Her name is Frida.

19. A doofy looking bird thing that my parents got me when I was a child as a consolation prize for shipping me off to my grandparents in Michigan while they went to the Keys.

Wekiwa Springs State Park

2009-11-08T10:18:00.000-08:00

I had no idea that I lived so close to such loveliness!

Today I went to Wekiwa Springs State Park to walk to trails and check out the campgrounds with Neil. Only about 40 minutes away, the park has canoeing, kayaking, swimming, hiking, camping, biking....well, it has everything a state park should have I suppose! ha ha

Armed with temperatures in the low 80s and a very desirable breeze, we took to a couple of the trails. Along the way we saw a pair of what can only be described as large crane-turkey...species...bird...thingys.

I also happened across a rattle snake...yes, a rattle snake. I just sat there. Im not going to lie, it scared the shit outta me when I first saw it. Good thing my camera has an excellent zoom...I had no intention of getting close to it.

I fully intend on going camping here on New Years Eve....weather permitting. ::crosses fingers::

Who takes a cup holder, anyways?

2009-11-06T12:23:00.000-08:00

Im just about done with the watercolor illustrations of Edward Curtis's photos. I'm going to give it a couple more hrs (tops!) and call it a day! I'd like to try and do another one...maybe next time of my grandpa in his navy uniform.

Today, a man went into his formers place of employment downtown and shot a handful of people. He was released from that job 2 years ago and since he has had economic woes. When does one persons life get so bad that completely destroying others lives seems like a good option? Yesterday, there was a shooting at Fort Hood, TX. At least 11 were killed. As humans, we are programmed to know that doing that which harms the species (other humans) is a 'no-no' and is (in most cases) considered universally bad. Do you think these killers 'protect the species' light is off? Or do you think it's just pure evil?

I'm so very glad we've had nice weather the past couple of days. All of the windows are open in the apartment so I can feel the cool air. It's 5:31pm. Dinner time. I smell bacon.

I must extend a 'job well done' to whoever got into my car on Halloween and took the only things in my life that matter......2+ year old mixed CDs, my rubber cup holder, and the change in it. lame.

Drum Set

2009-11-03T06:57:00.000-08:00

Fun for all ages.

1 Novembre

2009-10-31T15:11:00.000-07:00

a few of my favorite things

college football games - Nov 1 @ 8:15pm on ESPN.

when people share music - music is personal.

movies that are visually unique - allows me to get lost in someone elses mind for a change.

overcast days - gets the Florida sun off my back.

the inspiration of a friend - no better person to be with on such an adventure

clean sheets - I want to take a nap. It's only 12:30pm.

O Happy Day

2009-10-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

[Many-a-reason to be happy...here are 10 of them]

1. It's Friday.

2. While I will, indeed, be at UCF one additional semester...I will be doing an independent study with Chuck Abraham (my current illustration professor) and we will concentrate on portfolio and self promotion.

3. My (first) linocut project was due today and it came out pretty good...^ baby gorilla print.

4. The apartment is spotless.....even the fishtank.

5. I have excellent friends.

6. Health stressors have been suspended.

7. I'm excited about starting a watercolor illustration paying homage to photos taken by Edward Curtis.

8. My fridge is full of goodies (rare occasion).

9. I will get to see Eisley next month. They're my favorite.

10. I have excellent friends. :OD

In other news

2009-10-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

Since I feel like my art education has been less than adequate, I've began reading The Designer's Guide to Business and Careers. With a little luck it'll be the professor that I never had.

(Buy me on Amazon)

In other news:

- I will not (repeat) will NOT be graduating in December. Much like this last semester, I need one more class. Unlike last semester, my records have went through at least 2 advisors hands without so much as a word until now...2 months before graduation.

- For Nancy's 27th birthday we went to the Millenia Mall, had lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (yum yum!), and saw Where the Wild Things Are. The movie looked amazing, in true Spike Jonze fashion (I heart The Fall).

- Paranormal Activity (movie) was an excellent film! I love the originality and how the execution is from the 1st hand perspective.

- I finally finished Godless by Dan Barker. I am now quite interested in Humanism and being an activist for the things that I believe in. The free-thought community seems so small...however shall I find a place to belong?

-My (Richard Dawkins) scarlet 'A' should be here in a week!

- Orlando had 2 days with temperatures in the 60s and it was ridiculously nice. Everyone who complains about the cold/winter/snow needs to experience a 90 degree Christmas in shorts and flipflips...then we'll talk.

- Nancy and I are due for a creative photo shoot. Pics coming soon!

Panda Cam

2009-09-30T07:27:00.000-07:00

On my dashboard (a mac feature) I have a live stream from Panda Cam at the San Diego Zoo (as well as 2 other web cams). Recently, mama must have had a little one because the most adorable creature is alllllways sleep in their little home. I love watching them.

Animal or not, you can tell that mama loves her baby..based solely on how she handles it and interacts with it.

The Devil's Dictionary

2009-09-28T15:39:00.000-07:00

Our current project required me to do a bit of research about my subject, Mr. Ambrose Bierce. I began reading The Devil's Dictionary, a revised 'bitter Bierce' version of our favorite word-defining tool the dictionary. If you like satire..you'll love this. It's hilarious! A few of my faves:

AGE, n. That period of life in which we compound for the vices that

we still cherish by reviling those that we have no longer the

enterprise to commit.

CHRISTIAN, n. One who believes that the New Testament is a divinely

inspired book admirably suited to the spiritual needs of his neighbor.

One who follows the teachings of Christ in so far as they are not

inconsistent with a life of sin.

CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamored of existing evils, as

distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with

others.

CURIOSITY, n. An objectionable quality of the female mind. The

desire to know whether or not a woman is cursed with curiosity is one

of the most active and insatiable passions of the masculine soul.

ECONOMY, n. Purchasing the barrel of whiskey that you do not need for

the price of the cow that you cannot afford.

FUTURE, n. That period of time in which our affairs prosper, our

friends are true and our happiness is assured.

HERS, pron. His.

KORAN, n. A book which the Mohammedans foolishly believe to have been

written by divine inspiration, but which Christians know to be a

wicked imposture, contradictory to the Holy Scriptures.

MOUTH, n. In man, the gateway to the soul; in woman, the outlet of

the heart.

NIRVANA, n. In the Buddhist religion, a state of pleasurable

annihilation awarded to the wise, particularly to those wise enough to

understand it.

OCEAN, n. A body of water occupying about two-thirds of a world made

for man -- who has no gills.

YESTERDAY, n. The infancy of youth, the youth of manhood, the entire

past of age.

I'm extremely happy with the uniform so far..so much, in fact, that I'm terrified to make another mark. The more days that pass the more pressure I feel. I need to stop being a baby and just finish it!

A little bit of Orlando

2009-09-21T15:41:00.001-07:00

Apparently, not many (including myself at one point in time) know that Orlando is not just Disney. Most are only aware of the amusement park area (Disney, Universal, and I-drive) which really isn't even half of it! Once you get past the madness that is Disney...you'll hit downtown...yes, Orlando has a downtown and a few buildings to go with it.

The only thing worse than the distance between me and the buildings is the fact that that massive line of cars all the way to the left is the lane I eventually had to merge with. :O<
Saturday evening I went to UCF's second home game of this season against Buffalo. Our stadium is only a few years old and experiencing a game in the student section is one-of-a-kind. Unfortunately, not many care about our football team regardless of how well we do. $55 million dollars later and they can't even give the tickets away (to students)...t'is a shame. Don't be deceived..this was pre-game so there aren't many yet. I make it my personal goal to be load enough to compensate for the hundreds that aren't in attendance. I love my Knights and always will.

Lily and the Park

2009-09-16T14:02:00.000-07:00

Today, Nancy and I took Lily to a dog park in Winter Park. There were handfuls of cute dogs....::whines:: It makes me want ooooone. We watched them run about and play in the lake. That is, of course, until a I caught the eye of one of the dogs in the water and he ran at me full speed...wet and muddy. All I could do was brace for impact.

I enjoyed walking through the woods. I love the trees and have always liked exploring (is there anyone that doesn't?). As a child, my parents and I would go camping with the family next door every year or so. Camping or not, my friend and I always played indians in the woods or Swiss Family Robinson in the trees. The woods are still so much fun to me. You'd think I'd have grown out of it by now. If Nancy were ok with it, I'd like to go back in costume and bring a canoe for the lake.

.......you think I'm kidding? If only there were a campground with teepees that you can rent..now THAT'D be fun! I digress...

Minus the close K9 encounter I had a good time at the park. I need to get myself a dog to take there and train it to 'accidentally' run...wet and muddy...into and nice gentleman.

Cross hatching for the win!

2009-09-12T04:17:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago I began my illustration class....my last class as an undergraduate. Our first project was to choose a suspense/horror writer on a list and illustrate him using hatching/cross-hatching and a crow quill pen. Sadly, it was my first time EVER using a quill pen and the cross-hatching method....and I must say, I'm completely pleased with the results!

Enter: Illustration of Ambrose Bierce

In other news...

i'm still considering joining an online dating site. i got my sample of Globe Trekkers, but for copywrite reasons, can't post pics of it. there's a mama (muscovy) duck with a nest and at least 6 eggs in the hedge in front of our building...i intend on getting photos when I can get close enough. i have a new, overwhelming craving for the Hummus House. we're 2/3 of the way through hurricane season and haven't heard so much as a peep from a storm...my parents are no more than 25ft above sea level...i'm thankful. i don't understand why people protest taxes and not war. i think it's funny when a football player makes a big play and rejoices in a semi-spastic manner, letting out a roar in true 'I AM A MAN!' fashion. i can't believe it's been 8 years since the World Trade Towers were hit...i don't think it'll ever sink in. i need to go on a mini-trip...perhaps St Augustine...perhaps to Thomas Edison's house down south. i leave you with this...i love this song, even if it's about a rat.

Sunshine Skyway

2009-09-02T14:33:00.000-07:00

On my way back to Orlando from my Grandma's in Palmetto a couple of weeks ago, I happened to go the wrong way in the correct direction...I have a way with things. My journey took me over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Tampa Bay. I've been over this bridge a handful of times, only twice was I driving, and it's still pretty exciting.

I know people have bungee jumped off of it and just plain jumped off of it (death wish). I know that in 1980 a freighter collided with the bridge and 35 were killed.

Respect the bridge.

It never gets old.

Night Launch

2009-08-29T17:19:00.000-07:00

Assuming I still had enough juice, I didn't bother charging the battery to my camera before I went to my first night shuttle launch. This resulted in a short video that ended without my permission. Crappy video or not, the night launch was amazing.

I should have zoomed in before recording...then maybe it would have been more than a very large fireball and it's glow.

For current STS-128 mission news: NASA

The Aquarium

2009-08-23T20:03:00.000-07:00

Today was my last day in Bradenton visiting the family. We went to Mote Marine Aquarium in Sarasota...about a half hour away from my parents. It's actually the only aquarium I've been to aside from SeaWorld.

What makes a seahorse so cute? Is it their size? The curled tail? The nose?

An awesome lobster.

The sharks are always a crowd pleaser.

"...and the sea cucumber turns to the mollusk and says,

'With fronds like these, who needs anemones?'"

I mighta scared him off.

The Sunshine (Rain and Lightening) State

2009-08-20T17:52:00.001-07:00

The new place has good view. No, it's no beach view, nor does it offer me the opportunity to see forest and small woodland creatures...but it does allow me to spy on the people 'over the hedge' (which I thought I would be excited to do, but I'm not). The new view offers an excellent view of the Florida sky...you can also see how freakin' flat Florida is. Aside from the terrain, the afternoon has temperatures in the 90s, sunshine, and humidity...then the rain moves in, it completely pours for 45 minutes, then returns to sunshine....only this time it's super steamy outside. That's what happens when you put water on something hot.

Tonight there was no rain, but there was a lightening show. I was impressed.

Background Song Courtesy of Roommate was playing Guitar Hero. The money shot is at 32 seconds.

The Bohemian Gemini

2009-08-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

With nothing else to do with my time right now, I pulled out Bohemian Manifesto: A field guide to living on the edge, a book I bought quite some time ago because it sounded neat and I liked the illustrations.

In it I rediscovered my Bohemian horoscope. Even though I'm not Bohemian (and I don't live on the edge much, if at all) the gemini horoscope didn't let me down. Oddly enough 98% of all Gemini horoscopes ever written seem to be a fairly accurate description of me....do horoscopes only seem true because we want them to be true? I'm not sure.

I mean...it's not like they always say the nicest, most admirable things:

Wanderlust supreme. Mind games. Multitalented. Gemini Bohemians can't bear being pinned down to one thing. They could direct, cast, write and act in their own film, not as a control issue but simply because they can. The sound track, too? Quite possibly. They may study one thing, but even if they stick to it, they'll dabble in other universes and magically combine seemingly disparate elements.

They are the most spiritually restless, seeking universal consciousness and perfection in alternative religions and foreign geography. It was Gemini Allen Ginsberg who helped popularize the mediative Sanskrit word om in the United States.

...They are able to transulate the cryptic, the detailed and the personal into a universal language. They may also be cryptic and personal, leaving you a note on your hotel that reads: Aussi loin que le vent le dit. Good luck.

Their speciality is communication. Geminis have many strange ideas to convey through theater, video art, songs, philosophy, prose, poems or images. Even when they are not writers, you will feel a strange compulsion to save all their letters, or even their emails. They are very seductive, the most flirtatious of all Bohemians. Ever curious, they are the ones most likely to read up on tantric sex. Sleeping with a Gemini is like having a menage a trois.

.....get it?....The sign for gemini is the twins...menage a trois. lol hey, I thought it was clever.

My Space

2009-08-13T17:30:00.000-07:00

It's alot of white, isn't it? Can't say it's not clean!

I'm finally moved into my new place and all settled.

The suitcase was my great grandmothers.

I reeeeally wish I knew more about it...I should take it on Antique's Roadshow.

I'm looking forward to:

learning how to use a tablet

reuniting with family next weekend

receiving my copy of Globe Trekkers

I'm seriously considering:

skydiving before I'm 26

exploring a dating site

experiencing the Holy Land Experience (for free)

I'd rather listen to Hootie and the Blowfish for 12hrs on repeat than:

work this Saturday

run in circles with yet another UCF faculty member

worry about a sick family friend

waste the next year doing nothing with my life

A (couple) million dollars view

2009-07-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

I don't even remember where I found this, but I want it.

It's Tuesday but it feels like Thursday.

2009-07-13T22:00:00.000-07:00

This morning on my way to work, taking the usual mundane commute I happened across a homeless man whose black ball cap was covered in a money sign patterned fabric...complete with 2" blinging money sign made of rhinestones in the front.

Do you think it was a cruel gift.....giving the homeless man a $ hat? Or...Do you think that the homeless man thinks it's as funny as I do, so he bought it? Either way, it's a little difficult to take him seriously when he's asking for money.

I'm moving again. Le sigh.

Yes, a mere 7 months into my Craiglist roommate adventure and I've decided I need to move on. For reasons of finances and my sanity, I've decided it best to try my luck living with a friend that I've had for a couple of years..he had me at 'Milkshake Mondays'. Of course there are things I'm going to have to get used to (like the weight I'm going to gain from Milkshake Mondays) but there's always something exciting about change. Anything can happen, and that's kinda the fun part.

Public Enemies

2009-07-04T16:09:00.000-07:00

During the entire movie all I could think about was how it all ends. I won't give it away. Promise. When I went to Chicago in March of 2008 I happened to go on a 'mobster tour.' They showed us the places that all of the worst (gang) violence went down...including the Biograph and related alley. Yes, Dillinger was a criminal, but there's something the movie does that makes me like him. Wonder if I would have liked the real guy. Crime was different back then...didn't seem quite as heartless or maybe just not as frequent. Gotta love the 30s.

It tastes like freedom.

2009-06-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

My summer class has ended and now all I have to worry about is working until fall semester starts. No adventures planned for the next couple of months...I need to purchase a tablet before September for my illustration class and I've got my sights set on this one. I'm excited. I've never worked with a tablet before, or in Painter so it shall be an experience! All it can do is help me, right? Until then...I need to scrap together a suitable portfolio and work on setting my site up (still).

I saw Up recently. Good movie. Can't say that it was as cute as Wall-E, but it did bring a tear to my eye. I also watched The English Patient. I'm not sure why no one had ever urged me to watch this film, but it's right up my ally! Love stories during times of war always get to me...they're always so sad. I saw Taking Pelham 123 a week or so ago as well...also good. I tip my hat to Mr. Travolta....he knows how to turn on the badass.

I leave you with My Milk Toof, one of the cutest blogs I've ever seen. Everyone thank Nancy, without her I would have never know about it.

Miami Beach Birthday

2009-06-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

Over a week ago I celebrated my birthday on Miami Beach...an excellent way to celebrate a birthday if I do say so myself! We stayed at the Deauville.

Nancy and I got to cuddle!

Our view!

The birthday package we got included a cake and some bubbly!

Nancy and I.

Scarlett and I before our night in South Beach.

Beach view on the left. City view on the right.

**I'm in French class right now and should be paying attention. But, if you're professor doesn't speak a lick of English and you can't understand anything she says, does it really matter if you pay attention?

Mini Me

2009-06-07T20:50:00.000-07:00

For my birthday, Nancy gave me a little portrait. I don't think she knows how to draw anything that isn't incredibly adorable and sometimes quite clever. From my A-symmetrical haircut to the elephant I'm holding, all of the details are spot on! I heart my Nancy!

"The economy" (as they say) has finally caught up with my family. It's a bit scary...that whole "How am I going to fix this gaping hole in my finances?" thought process. There's no doubt in my mind that my parent will make it through...we always do. I just hate that they're going on 50 y/o and they have to worry about finding work or resort to manual labor for an income.

I live in Orlando and the Orlando Magic are in the playoffs. Unfortunately, we've lost the 1st two games, but the town has gone nutty for the Magic. I wish people were that excited about UCF football! Hopefully the Magic to better when they come home this week. ::crosses fingers::

Miami Beach Birthday

2009-06-01T13:22:00.000-07:00

lol. Nancy is spooked.

It looks like the background is spinning and we barely drank!

This past weekend, I spent my birthday at the Deauville Resort on Miami Beach. I had a good time...ate chocolate cake, saw a man wearing what can only be described as a penis pouch, broke my sunglasses, ate more chocolate cake, walked by Miami Ink, saw enough T and A to last me a lifetime, enters: chocolate cake, made it into Mansion (club) for free, ate some very tasty food (just not enough of it), discovered the windshield-bug-cleaner-offer solution at the service plazas on the Florida Turnpike, and was told that people normally poop after they drink hot coffee...which I did not know.

I'll post pics once I have my pick of the litter.

Better late than never

2009-05-28T12:44:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the painting for the day on my wonderful little desk calendar was that of Henry VIII. Three days later and it would have been the painting for MY birthday...it would have been a sign I tell you! A sign for what, I dunno...but I love love love the Tudors!

Someone should tell Obama that pointing at the King will get him in serious trouble. Doesn't it look like Obama's pointing and saying "ahh...that guy," while the tape holder is saying 'oh shit!'

Frida, a doll Nancy brough me back from Mexico, is behind Obama. And the mannequin is holding a print that Nancy purchased off of Etsy.

We're going to Miami this weekend and I'm turning a year older. Ahhh...that much closer to 30. So many things to do...so many things to do....

Masters of the Treadmill

2009-05-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

Rummaging through a thing or two, I happened to rediscover this. It's so much fun!...

Miami > French II

2009-05-18T20:23:00.000-07:00

My summer class started today. I'm not happy about being back in school, though I AM happy about only having 2 classes left. There are 3...yes, three...Candice's in my class. It's bazaar. This picture is of one of the two pools on campus. It actually makes UCF look nice! lol UCF is probably an excellent school if you're into engineering and the like..but UCF is not the place for art. Whatever the case, I've been to this pool and it's pretty darn nice. Enroll and pay $100 a credit hr and all of this can be yooours!

In other news, Nancy, 'the sisters' (Scarlett and Amanda), and myself will be making a weekend trip to South Beach for my birthday! I'm very excited about this! It was only 5 months ago that Nancy and I went to Art Basel and SWORE we'd go back. This time it's for the beach, sights, and drinks! For the record, I think a Cabana Boy should come with the birthday package that the hotel offers...more to come!

I love trees. I, too, like houses.

2009-05-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

I'm not exactly sure why I think the greatest day of my life would be the day I buy a tree house. Maybe it stems from my deep-rooted want for a treehouse as a child. ha ha A dream which dad crushed early on. Perhaps it was from countless hours spent playing Swiss Family Robinson and Robin Hood in the next-door neighbors tree...stringing up pulleys to hoist our goods into our home.

I'd like to live in a decent sized tree house for the rest of my days. I dare say...I find that to be an excellent goal!

Maravu Plantation and Beach Resort, Fiji.

Green Magic Nature Resort, India.

In my treehouse image-hunt I stumbled upon Blue Forest, a company who specializes in treehouses and eco-lodges. I know "eco" makes it sound like I'm one of those that's going green. And while that is a very appealing aspect of such a home, I'm more interesting in living in and amongst the trees.

I am a little concerned with how groceries and furniture get into the house.

You'd never know that it's in a tree.

Swiss Family Robinson style.

The most magical place on Earth

2009-05-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

Quite possibly the only bad thing about Disney is that it's so amazing that people flock to it in such large numbers that any given shot you snap while inside the park is sure to have at least 197 people in it. I did my best to get spaces without people but you can't win all of the time.

Our day started at the Grand Floridian. This resort is beautiful. I posted videos of it in Ol South.

Jon got all of us into the parks for free. I saved $53 (that's a ticket to Disney with my student discount). After trying Mission Space and Test Track, we decided to walk around the world. First let me say that while considering waiting 70 minutes to get onto Test Track two of the employees asked us to follow them. All 4 of us were given a behind-the-scenes tour of the ride. We we shown concept art and the actual ride as it's designed. We were taken to the front of the line and rode the ride with the 2 employees. After we were done the held our car, hoped out, and let us ride it again. What wonderful people! That whole magical place thing...it's true.

This is Paris. There was a man balancing on 5+ or so stacked chairs so there was a large crowd. I was told the Eiffel Tower is 1/3 scale of the actual tower.

Aren't the tiles nice? This is Morocco. I'm a fan of this area...most of the design is ornamental and I enjoy that.

Ahhh, Japan, where I had my first shot of Saki. Call me crazy, but it tastes just like other liquor to me.

yes.

Bravo! We're in Italy. Jon, Sara, and Jon's roommate are in this photo. They went to watch the juggling man. I avoided the crowd.

In China I had the most amazing drink: a mango gingerita. Of course it was $7.99 for the cup of ginger infused mango-smoothy-alcoholic beveragey-goodness.

I'd pay $10 if I could have one right now.

After traveling around the world, we went back to the Grand Floridian and had a few drinks. We decided we'd go and see the fireworks at Magic Kingdom. Disney has, hands down, the best fireworks display I've ever seen in all 25 firework-loving years of my life.

Unfortunately, I was an idiot and kept changing the orientation of the video(s) not thinking that it doesn't work the same as taking photos. I had the best view of the castle and the fireworks are right behind it...I had the view....and I ruined the videos. Moron. Maybe sometime I'll post em for the hell of it...I dunno. Here's a photo before the display started. I dare you to find one female that doesn't love Cinderella's Castle. Dare you.

May 11th 2009

2009-05-11T14:30:00.000-07:00

Today I watched the shuttle Atlantis lift off. We found a nice spot on the beach in Cape Canaveral with toooons of others (as you can see). We were actually looking in the wrong direction at first..whoops! You can BARELY hear it....but the shuttle is going so fast that the sky rumbles. I'm within 10 minutes of the launch pad, and I know I said this before but it amazes me that you can see the shuttle in the sky in Bradenton which is 3hrs south west of Cape Canaveral. Awesome.

The Ol South

2009-05-08T19:05:00.000-07:00

My friend, Jon, works at The Grand Floridian (one of the Disney resorts) and decided that he wanted to treat his roommate, Sara, and I to a day at the parks. I had the BEST TIME...I really did. While I wait for the rest of the photos from Sara you can feast your eyes on all of this Victorian loveliness. The outside is wonderful...but only Disney has the means to drive the experience home. The lobby is just as beautiful and there's entertainment! I love love loved the band.

Aside from the band there was a man downstairs playing Nature Boy on the piano....more pics to come!

Shuttle Atlantis

2009-05-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

Wednesday my parents came up from Bradenton and I took them to the Canaveral National Seashore. As I said before, the beach is very close to NASA and the launch pads. There is a launch Monday at 2 that Dex and I are going to try and go to, but in the meantime here's the photo from Monday. I'm not sure if the shuttle is the one in the foreground or in the distance. Whatever the case...it fascinates me.

I leave you with a quote that I saw in the November 2008 issue of Communication Arts:

"Those who ask for help at the eleventh hour,

die at 10:59."

Finally...

2009-05-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

I'm happy with my letters.

Milk/Tyson

2009-04-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

This week I watched the movies Milk and Tyson.

I'm not sure how I'd never heard about Harvey Milk and his story. I think it's a story that everyone should know. Watch the movie. (Don't like Sean Penn?) Google: Harvey Milk. Find out about him. As for the movie..I liked certain aspects of the filming. On more than one occasion, they filmed the reflection of the scene on an object. They mixed actual footage with the film which has a great way of enriching the story. I was more in awe of situations presented in the move, than I was Sean Penn, but o well. It's still a must-see.

I always thought Tyson was crazy. When I was younger my parents would go over to their friends house to watch the PPV Tyson fights while I played with their friends children. I thought I'd watch the documentary and see how exactly he tried to justify his actions. Throughout the beginning of the movie, I began to like Tyson. I had no idea how much he'd put into the sport and what a great athlete he was. A third of the way into the movie, he said something that brought me right back to my original view of him, but with a more respectful eye.

Tyson is a great man, but a not-so-good person. He's done great things for boxing. Eventhough I was young, I'm glad that he was around in my lifetime...but the man has/had mental issues and will lose control. I'm not saying people don't change...it actually looks like he may be alright now. He speaks about his past so matter-of-factly. I love it. He does so much as tell you about an STD he had during one of his fights! Whether or not you like him, I think it's good to know where he's come from and what he's done.

Done for the Spring

2009-04-28T19:47:00.000-07:00

Spring semester has just ended and the weight has been lifted. My last graphic design class just ended and I'm proud of the things that I worked on this semester. I created my site and made 7 Illuminated letters. The site should/will be up and running before the end of May. Also, I'd like to do the remaining 2 letters that I wasn't able finish. Until then...here's the most reason happily finished letter.

Gates vs Jobs

2009-04-20T20:54:00.000-07:00

While at a friends house this afternoon, I saw this video.

Mac users can appreciate evil Mighty Finder.

Why do I love this?

2009-04-18T20:15:00.000-07:00

So easily entertained, I am.

Symphony Under the Stars

2009-04-16T18:54:00.000-07:00

Tonight Dex, Sara (another art-kid), and I went to Symphony Under the Stars at UCF. The UCF symphony played a few of their own jazz arrangements in front of the Reflection Pond on campus while the audience was encouraged to bring a blanket, sit on the lawn, and enjoy the music...and that we did.

I apologize from the turd in front of me that kept throwing his water bottle up and down. In the very beginning of the video you can hear me say 'Oh my God' in annoyance. :OD

GE Building

2009-04-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

My lousey attempt at trying to place two photos together of the GE Building at 30 Rock. It really was the only way I could get all of the building and it's only 70 floors.

Push.

2009-04-08T18:01:00.000-07:00

Today, as a 'field trip' for a student club, I was able to tour the Orlando design studio Push. Their space is pretty sweet. Their work is amazing. The atmosphere and the mantra really do give me this good feeling. On the tour, a classmate turned to me and said 'That's what I don't want....cubicals.' I understand that it's a business and I'm willing to treat it as such. Chris Robb, our guide, Creative Officer and Partner, and UCF graduate believes that the low walls, and groupings of people really lead itself to the creativity and easy at which they can communicate with one another. I agree.

I urge you to Meet Push yourself.

Day and Night in Chinatown

2009-04-07T12:21:00.000-07:00

Thank's to Dex's family, I had the pleasure of dining at a Chinese resturant in Chinatown that Anthony Bourdain had visited on his show. I tried a handful of different things that I never would have tried had I been on my own (Who am I kidding? I never wouldn't have even bothered going into the place on my own).

I failed to mention that earlier in the week, Dex and I visited another Travel Channel find, Katz Deli. The atmosphere was amazing. The 'sandwich man' cussed at fellow co-workers and sang when he cut the meat. Apparently, a few tables down from where we sat was where 'Harry Met Sally'. The food was a little pricey, but it was tasty!

Sweet designs

2009-04-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

The beginnings of my online portfolio. By May 2009 I should have it up and running @ www.candy-coatedpixels.com

Day 5 in Pictures: Central Park

2009-04-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

The view out another window of an apartment I stayed in on my trip.

The place on the corner is Mike's Pizza. We went there twice...good times. The tall, thin building in the distance was fondly referred to as 'the pods' since the spaces are grouped together in glass units.

Central Park. Since I didn't make it there in 2001, it was high on my list of priorities.

The boathouse.

Rent a boat and paddle around the park.

Belvedere Castle. Built in 1869.

The view from the top was great.

I was told that sometimes free tickets are given out for seats to this theatre and a play in the park.

Put that on my bucket list.

The trip was amazing. I wish I could say that I've finally seen it all, but I'd be lying. I guess every time I go to New York, I'll come home with have a new list of things I'd like to see and give myself and excuse to go back.

Day 4 in Pictures: The Met

2009-03-30T19:09:00.001-07:00

The most striking painting I think I've seen.

I don't know how I didn't look at the artist. Look at their skin, the lighting...amazing.

I like history more than I should.

This made the trip well worth it.

My favorite of all the sculptures.

Dendur Temple. 15 BC. It's serious.

oh, Florida. I guess it's not ALL bad.

2009-03-24T19:41:00.001-07:00

Today Dex and I went to the beach. The temperature of the water was what I'd consider 'freezing' but it was nice out all the same. Currently, my favorite beach on the East Coast of Florida is Canaveral National Seashore.

It's extremely close to NASA and the launch pad. It's a shame the park closes a few days prior at launches...this would be an excellent spot to watch a shuttle launch.

Day 3 in Pictures: American Museum of Natural History

2009-03-23T04:44:00.001-07:00

Thursday morning. Nice weather.

Cold and sunny...that's where it's at.

Inside St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Not thinking, we showed up at noon in the middle of mass. I didn't go any further inside than this. Thankfully, I got to see everything when I came in 2001.

Columbus Circle.

Aren't they just darling?

Museum of Natural History.

That's a big fish.

The guy from the movie Ice Age.

Naughty.

Day 2 in Pictures

2009-03-19T09:48:00.000-07:00

Any indication of how the weather was on Wednesday? I think so.

Better to be cold than to be sweating to death.

The United Nations building.

The inscription on the wall behind me reads:

THEY SHALL BEAT THEIR SWORDS INTO PLOWSHARES.

AND THEIR SPEARS INTO PRUNING HOOKS:

NATION SHALL NOT LIFE UP SWORDS AGAINST NATION,

NEITHER SHALL THEY LEARN WAR ANY MORE. -ISAIAH

The closest I'll ever get to anything Tudor.

Grand Central Station.

The most amazing public library I've ever seen.

For the most part we avoided Times Square to avoid the masses.

Rockefeller Center.

The view that night.

Day 1 in Pictures

2009-03-17T13:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, I take pictures out of airplanes.

Tiny Downtown Orlando is the mass of buildings almost in the center.

A few minutes before this we were at 38,000ft. Awesome.

Thus begins the tour of the Financial District.

The roommate and I at the Pier.

Had they still been here, the World Trade Center buildings would have been in this shot.

For progress on the World Trade Center . click .

Temperature 74 degrees. Humidity 73 percent. Welcome Home.

2009-03-15T23:05:00.000-07:00

Got into Orlando around 10pm.

Current time is 2:30am.

I have to get up for school at 6:30am.

I should be sleeping.

My OCD-ness wont let me go to bed until I've put my things away and cleaned up. While I wait on my last load of laundry, I've decided to post a little something. I took many-a-photo in the New York, but haven't the time to resize and post so I'll start we 2 small videos.

Bethesda Fountain + Terrace (Central Park)

View from Belvedere Castle (Central Park)

T - 10.5hours

2009-03-09T20:02:00.000-07:00

Photo . http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegk/2591226758/

In t minus 10.5 hours time I'll be boarding a plane to NYC. I'm excited. I could ramble on and on about how I can't wait, how I hope my plane doesn't crash, or how I love the feeling of new places, but I wont.

Start spreading the news. I'm leaving today.

New York State of Mind

2009-02-24T12:19:00.000-08:00

I am extremely pleased to report that I will be going to NYC in two weeks! The dynamic duo strikes again! Dex and I are going for Spring Break. Yesterday, the idea had hatched and began to manifest itself....and now it's officially official. Thanks to him, and his family's New York apartment, the trip will be boatloads cheaper than it would have been had I tried to plan it on my own. On top of that I'll have my very own guide (Dex was born in NY and up until a few years ago, he used to live there).

The last and only time I was in New York was November 2001 to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. It was my first time in a major city, I was IN the parade, and it was a month after September 11th. It truly was an AWEsome experience. I was 17 at the time and wasn't allowed to wander from the pack of 400+ cheerleaders with bright red coats! (Can't get lost with a coat like that) It's been a good 7 years and I'm completely excited to be going back and see alllll of the things I didn't get to see before. I kicked myself in the ass for not taking more pics last time and will not make that mistake again!

I can't wait.

Animal Kingdom

2009-02-16T18:29:00.000-08:00

The roommate and I went to Disney's Animal Kingdom yesterday.

It's got to be a sin to be a Floridian and have never been.

Probably my favorite part of the trip was this guy. Aside from his uber-masculine/100% Testosterone/"I'm the MAN" appearance, him and I shared a moment. ha ha! When we talked up he was facing us while he had his picture taken by the others there. I finally got my turn.

I looked at him a bit. He looked at me a bit. I took a pic (pic 1), and when I was done, I went over to the side of the viewing area (pic 2). Maybe it was the color that I wore or maybe it's my shear awesomeness...whatever it was, he then turned and faced me again (pic 3). Dex waved at him (only person there waving at the thing lol) so naturally he kept looking at us.

I always wonder what they're thinking.

The biggest spider I've ever seen in my life.

Just to give u an idea of the scale,

this guys opisthosoma (short for 'big spider butt')

is easily as big as a golf ball, if not bigger.

If I tried stepping on this spider to squash 'em

my shoe would barely cover his body.

Everest is (obviously) the best ride there.

Take a train to the top of the mountain to find the track destroyed.

No choice but to go back the way that you came, right?

Let's play 'Count the Gator'

Details of the ruins in what they call Asia, but looks to be more middle eastern to me.

The queue for the ride Everest had details that only Disney can deliver.

Ma chambre

2009-02-15T13:35:00.000-08:00

It's almost officially been two months since I've been in the new place. I really can't complain. The room is excellent in every way (big, bright, and the master). The location is spectacular so I'll gladly deal with the traffic. The roommate situation is definitely a stressor. I realize now, more than ever, how much I actually enjoyed my own space.

I've been in a bit of a rut lately. Seems like too many things were going crazy at once. I think things have settled now and my biggest worries are the semester project I need to come up with and the fact that in just a few months I'll be graduating and need to find a real job. There's really not a worse time to be graduating and it's scaring me a bit. All of the family (and by ALL I mean all 10 of us lol) will be down in August to celebrate my graduation.

I've got it in my mind that I'll be going to Miami for my birthday and now I can't get it out. Miami made quiet an impression me...the first place in FL that I've actually taken a liking to. It's a damn shame that it's always 10 degrees hotter than the rest of the state which is already on fire. ha ha

In better news, I've purchased www.candy-coatedpixels.com and SHOULD have something on it by May so check back! It's miiiiine....allll miiiine! I'll post some recent work when it's finally finished. Will it ever end?

L2 Design Collective

2009-02-06T19:17:00.000-08:00

Well well well....the cards that I designed for Lure are officially on the L2 site in the Holidays section. Seeing my work on their site and available for purchase makes me incredibly happy. Check them out!

Partridge in a pear tree

and

On the first day

Perhaps my only illustrative work

2009-02-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

Project | Personal CD cover.

Cover Detail.