The Scorpion Gang of my Dreams

So, I had a pretty awesome dream last night/this morning.  It started with us all standing in a long line down a dimly blue-lit hallway.  Then these gang members pulled out small automatic weapons and started randomly shooting around the people but not hitting anyone...maybe just to scare them.  No one was really phased by it but the gang members were having a fun time.  I somehow recognized them as being members of a gang known as the scorpions.  By this time the line stopped moving but I felt like I had to get out of there...the reason of why is foggy now...but they just kept firing around as I moved my way up passed the halted line. The line was bottle-necked at a doorway with a very short hallway leading straight to another open door to a small room.  Once I pushed pass those people I found that was where the stoppage was occurring.  There were maybe three to four people slightly scattered from the end of the stopped line.  They kind of looked at me as I walked by...I can't remember if it was fear or indifference but I know that the last guy (a topically bald guy in a dark grey suit) had a slight bit of fear in his eyes.  I kept walking thinking I had to get out of there.  As I made it to about the halfway point of the room I felt two pops in the mid-back.  I was shot by some sort of darts.  I wasn't sure the effect those darts would bring so I picked up the pace a bit and rushed into a nearby door.  It was a small bar with a small stage that had someone playing live music.  I felt my back and could feel two prickly barbs sticking out near my spine.  Without hesitation I yelled through the bar if anyone had nails or a tweezers.  A guy with long blonde hair and a darker stubbly beard said that he had both nails and a tweezers.  I said "Good, I need your help pulling these barbs out."  I lifted up my shirt and he started tugging at one of the barbs.  I would occasionally look back at the door I came through to see if anyone was going to follow me in.  The thoughts in my mind were that I still had no idea what effects those barbs were going to cause (because I didn't notice any effects yet) and that this area was really unsafe.  He kept tugging.  That barb was really stuck in there.  I could feel it pulling the skin up like the dart was made with hooks that made it impossible to pull out.    However, if you pull on it hard enough the skin will eventually break.  Then he said "There we go."  I still felt him pulling on the barb but I knew that by his words the skin was finally stretching a bit to make it look like he was making progress in removing the barb.  Then my paranoia hit its peak and I told him that we need to move some where safer.  It was going to be either wait until he can get that first barb out and possibly get ambushed or ignore the possible incoming effects, move to a safer location. and start restart trying to pull the barbs out again.

Then I woke up...

Sane or not insane?

The internet is great for sharing.  It is also great for impressions.  Meaning, that people form an impression of you solely on what you post/say/create online.  Even if they meet you in person, the impression that they gain from such a mass media form will stick with them.  That being said, I am on the fence about sharing some stuff.  On one hand, it would show to a mass majority how mentally insane I am and offer information to many that thought they new me so well.  On the other hand, I like to share too much especially when something hits me in the slightest.  Most of the time I keep it as my own little secret.  Sometimes I share with Katrina.  Sometimes I also share with really close friends in hopes that my lunacy not degrade our friendship and that they are a slight bit understanding.  Maybe writing this post will satisfy me enough to get rid of the urge to share.  I first thought about writing it her since this is still somewhat hidden and private from the majority...but then I thought about sharing it on one of my vlogs...showing the world my insanity.  Eh, maybe I should just talk to Katrina since she already knew about some of my craziness and still agreed to marry me.

Ode To Phantom Hair

Oh phantom hair you do so amaze me
So long and clear and flow-y
Where do you come from how do you grow
These are things I would really like to know
You appear like magic out of thin air
You really do amaze me oh phantom hair

Roller Coaster or Water Slide

Yeah, I think I am just going to step away from Facebook for a little while.  It is just starting to depress me.  It may have something to do with the whole leaving thing...but yeah...pretty much Pinger and G-mail will be the only tabs open until I get to Japan.  I may even try to go quietly into the trip with only using my computer to work on my drawing and painting and avoid social networks until I have had some time to reset these emotions.  Meh, I may do that whole video a day project attempt again.  The thought is that this time the videos will be less vlog driven and more pointless and unedited driven.  Just a video a day with no goal beyond that.  Maybe I will start today. *shrugs*

Over-achievement?

I am not not sure if this counts as over-achievement but I have a good feeling it is.  While working on a comic strip related to the Greg and Ace cartoon series that I am working on, I decided that it would be a great idea to make a 3D model of their apartment...for congruity's sake of course.  It is really starting to look pretty good.  I basically had the one cartoon that is started and the comic strip that is also started to give a lead to what their apartment looks like.  I just basically mashed the two ideas together and matched up where furniture was in one in accordance to the other and came up with a basic floor plan. 

Now all viewpoints from inside the apartment...or outside *wink wink* while always have the correct view of the apartment furnishings, walls, etc.  I don't know if I am pleased with myself yet.  I like that all my "skills" lead to each other but it can seem like a lot of extra work.  I also started using myself as a model for Ace.  Not sure yet who I want to model Greg after...but I have a couple ideas.  I like the idea of using real people as models for this series.  Definitely helps compensate for my current low-level drawing skills.

Break from Packing

Well, taking a break from packing and organizing.  I felt really hungry since I had a double dose of ravioli for an early supper.  Going to be a long night.  I figured that I better finish off this bottle of wine and go try to regain my skills in Halo since Call of Duty messed my Halo skills all up.

Also, I found another good use for my model of the apartment.  I am able to organize it into the storage area virtually.  If I had created every single material item I could have even figured out how many boxes I would have needed and then could pack said boxes into storage unit.  I think that when we get back and buy/build a house that I am going to have so much virtual fun. :)

People from your Homestate

I always find it weird when an artist that I like is from Minnesota...let alone a town that I know people from.  I recently discovered that Sam Gorski, a co-owner of Corridor Digital, is from Stillwater, MN and was filming their recent pilot in Minnesota.  Corridor Digital is a group of two main guys that make short films for YouTube as well as work on video effects for some films as part of a VFX team.  They have also worked closely with Freddie Wong, someone that I know William really respects.  I guess most of all I just find it weird when you get to know someone so much by watching their videos and discover that they grew up so close to you that you may have even passed by each other...yet they know nothing of you.  *shrugs* I guess that is why people feel so awkward when running into a vlogger too.  You know them but they don't know you.  I mean, what do you talk about in situations like that?

Hearing Thy Own Wisdom

Quite often I tell people to set goals and then base decisions upon how it helps to reach that goal.  Does it help, hinder, or do nothing and thus is it something that should be done?

With this in mind I am balancing a decision on whether to purchase a bamboo tablet for animating or a costume for the Warrior Dash.  The bamboo tablet will help me reach my goal of making five animations this year.  The costume will just help me look awesome during the Warrior Dash.  Granted, I am sure I can put together a much cheaper and less awesome costume for the dash.  Also, the tablet would be about 20$ cheaper.

Le sigh, I think I am going to use my own words and buy the tablet instead of the costume even though I really want both.

Sooooore

I have realized that now is a bad time to start a new heavy duty workout regiment.  On Thursday I started a new hardcore full-body workout plan at my gym.  It went well and I was pretty sore but then the next day I got a job through the temp service that was extremely physically intensive.  I my biceps are paying for it today.  I have to keep stretching them because they are so sore that they won't rest comfortably in the normal extended position.  I think I mainly need someone to give me a good full-body massage to break up all of these fluids in the muscles.  Yeah, probably going to hold off on the workout plan until I find a less intensive temp job.

Workout Log Complete

Boom!  Step one and two of getting into shape are complete.  I scoped out the gym for the equipment available and then made a workout log book to track my progress.  Tomorrow it all begins.  Now if only I could get a job so I can feed the beast that will become my hunger.

May I?

I think May is becoming one of my most disliked months.  This dislike arises not from the weather or any of the other reasons people associate with the dislike of Spring.  In fact, I love the weather, the smell of the trees blossoming, and the idea of a rebirth of nature in general.  The reason this month is becoming my least favorite is because every single year this month takes me back to my past and I this causes me to wonder how she is doing and check up on her.  It also makes me think about where I went wrong and how I sacrificed so much of my potential to be with her and support her as much as I could.  If it wasn't for my sacrifices I probably would have graduated with the initial major that I fell in love with (electrical computer engineering) and completed that minor in military science or possible theatre arts.  The funny part is that those sacrifices I made are most likely a large part in the reason it didn't work out. 

I chose a major (ending with Theatre Arts) that would be less time consuming on my part so I could be there for her since she had a super heavy load.  Her parents saw this as me not having a future and were constantly pushing for her to break up with me.  There were other reasons why we broke up but that was a major point that would not have been easy to work on since I wasted so much of my time already without the ability to go back to the ECE major and be able to graduate in time.  It bothers me that things ended so roughly and that I now feel like I am not accomplishing much with this Theatre degree and that I would rather have had the ability and knowledge to invent and create as an ECE major.

Anyways, she is doing well and still playing the saxophone.  Her birthday is at the end of the month.  I think about sending her a card every year.  We had our rough times during the relationship but I mostly remember the good.  This month always depresses me.  I know Katrina hates that I still think of her occasionally and she is right to feel that way.  I just can't help it when we went through so much during those 2 years that we were together.  She was the first extremely close relationship that I had and she was probably the first one to really get to know me.  I still feel that a birthday card would not be received well...that is what is keeping me from sending one.  I know I shouldn't care anymore but I do and always will.

Well, enough of that.  Time to get to class.  I think I am going to drive today since I wasted so much time on this post. :P

Training Mountain Master

Oof, that mountain kicked my butt this morning.  I decided to take a jog/run which ended up being a jog/walk.  Those inclines are what tore me up.  Even with the cooler temperature, I still ended up having to take off my jacket and strip off one pair of pants.  That sun really warmed up the area.  The route as a whole took about an hour long.  It would have been shorter but I ended up coming across a dense bamboo forest that was growing along the roadside.  I may take the camera out with me tomorrow morning when I go out again.  Katrina wants me to work out and do my homework when she is at work so that we can spend the evenings together.  I have no issues with that. :)

p.s. My favorite parts of the workout this morning were the bamboo forest discovery and a passerby that was walking the opposite direction as me.  It was funny because she was young and had earphones in.  The young people on the island are shy.  She knew I was coming but must have thought I was Japanese because as I came closer she decided to look up and say good morning as I passed by.  What actually occurred was that she looked up and paused with her hand about to pull her earphones out so she could say the greeting of the day.  She just walked by with a half-confused and half-nervous look on her face.  lol...I love being a foreigner on an Island that has pretty much only has one (Katrina).  Although I can see how it could get old fast with them not accepting you or avoiding you because they think you don't speak Japanese and are nervous about using English.  Many still even think that Katrina doesn't speak Japanese even though they have heard her use it many times.

He had eyes of yellow and a vicious sort of smile...

Today I was visited by an old side of me after seeing that I did not get called back for an interview for the JET program.  I felt the rage building inside me and if it had been a much warmer night I would have been outside in a heartbeat.  Unfortunately/Fortunately, I was in the middle of rehearsal and had to try to internally switch it off.  Luckily I calmed down enough by the end that I took a nice walk through a foggy night with one of my assistants and made some grilled cheese sandwiches at the dining center.  We ate them in front of the fireplace.  It was nice and, had we not been there so late that they shut the fireplace off and gathered our dishes, it would have been even nicer to sip on a cup of hot chocolate.  I am still a little upset but at least I don't feel like wasting my body.  That poor thing has been through enough during its life.  I mean, goodness, I pulled my shoulder just from aggressively hugging someone tonight...

Maybe I should start doing my shoulder exercises again...