deviantART: by:13shadesofblack

deviantART: by:13shadesofblack http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:13shadesofblack&section=today deviantART RSS for by:13shadesofblack en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:27:54 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png Actual Action - Project a Bad Idea? http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/28172264/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/28172264/ Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:47:46 PST bKokoska. I didn't look at any of his work immediately prior to starting the painting. Hell, I wasn't even going to try even though I had the thought in my head, but when I started to paint, it all just went that way. I thought it was looking pretty well until I stopped painting for the night and looked at his work. I have to get a good deal more complex if it's to be a faithful mimicry. It's hard to tell what specific mediums he uses in his work, but mine will be gouache and Carandache crayons. I stopped painting when I felt like I was rushing myself and making mistakes. I tend to get impatient while painting some of the time. I think it's because I'm used to finishing a something in one round. I don't take any breaks when I draw or paint, so I can only go for so long in one session. I try to stretch it as far as I can, because who knows when I'll want to paint again. I've been in the mood to work on things lately though. I'm not completely sure why, but it's a welcome return for me.

I am now antsy to mess around with Illustrator again.

*** So I sent a note to ~bKokoska about the little project I'm working on to see if he would be okay with it. He isn't. So I won't be completing the painting nor posting it. I suppose this idea strikes a little too close to "ripoff" for some people. I don't feel the same way though. Perhaps I didn't explain properly. Isn't there value in an exploration of styles? That quote about no true originality except for hiding your sources comes to mind. It's like all those paintings that use squares and rectangles. I've seen tons of people using that idea.

Well anyway. is there anybody that thinks this was a bad idea from the start? I could just as easily do my own stuff.

]]> *13shadesofblack The Thing http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/28079191/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/28079191/ Sun, 01 Nov 2009 05:05:46 PST
I did this with Blinky a while ago. [link]

I'd like to try it with others.

I think it is the exact opposite of being original, though I've heard quotes from people stating it's the only way to be original. I don't want to do it because of that, but because
I'm fascinated with the things that people create. I want to see how their shoes fit on me, and what they feel like. I can tell you that Blinky's shoes are a great amount of fun.

It's hard to start good habits and keep them going, but I'll make a new months resolution to keep in an artistic frame of mind. In that movie "Three Kings" with Clooney, Cube and Wahlberg, there's a part where Wahlberg gets shot through the lung (or something) and has a little valve put on him to release air. When he does it you can hear the little "ssssssss' sound, and he starts breathing again. Art for me is like that. I'm not sure what exactly I'm releasing, but I know that without turning that valve, I'm kind of a zombie. And not the good kind. The only thing about personal art though, is that sometimes the valve migrates to that itchy part of your back that you can't reach.

]]> *13shadesofblack I can't fucking wait for fall http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/27512477/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/27512477/ Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:19:30 PDT
]]> *13shadesofblack You Don't Know Where You've Been... http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/27368505/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/27368505/ Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:52:33 PDT

just one of those strange sentences that crosses my mind now and again. Occasionally even inspiring something else out of me.

It's been a long while since I've written any kind of official journal. Well, what's really official anyway. But I read some of the old ones and I can see reasons why it might be a good idea to.

I haven't done much by way of art this year, but I'm starting to feel those tingles again. It's so nice to just go. I remember many times when I was little, asking my parents what I should draw. They usually didn't offer any such idea, but I think that's because they knew I wouldn't be interested in their ideas. But there were so many times like that. I always wanted an idea of what to draw. It's rarely like that these days. When I paint, I try to just go.

For my last painting, I actually took the paper and clipped it to my big clipboard and set it on my desktop in front of my monitor. I've never felt the urge to do that. I always kept the paper across my lap while working. I think I may have picked this up from one of my painting classes. It's nice to have it there right side up in front of you, even if you do have to sit up straight. But that feels good too.

My time has been occupied mostly just with hanging out with friends or family, playing the internets, working, a bit of reading, and some weekly writing. One of my managers at work has a website called "Normality Restored" [link] which I now write for on a "sometimes-weekly" basis. I write under the pen-name "D. Composition" if anyone's interested in checking it out.

Thanks all you guys who checked out my most recent painting.

]]> *13shadesofblack new http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/27106330/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/27106330/ Wed, 09 Sep 2009 00:29:43 PDT
]]> *13shadesofblack my quiz http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/26328922/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/26328922/ Sun, 02 Aug 2009 00:13:13 PDT if you're on facebook but not my friend, friend me!
once you're a facebook friend, take my "which of mike's paintings are you?" quiz. It's fun!

or don't.

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Pieces of me

:butterflytwo: Twitter:butterflytwo:

]]> *13shadesofblack Warm Ups http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/25043072/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/25043072/ Sun, 31 May 2009 00:53:03 PDT [link]
I might do something more complete soon. If I do, I'll post it soon after it's complete.

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Pieces of me

]]> *13shadesofblack What The Fuck Is DeviantArt? http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/24990240/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/24990240/ Thu, 28 May 2009 01:22:14 PDT
I sprained my foot again, and have been trying to rest it so it will heal fully. I was out of work for about 2 weeks due to it. It was nice to have a break, but I am ridiculously broke right now.

It's pretty ridiculous how the decision process to draw or paint goes. If I feel like I might like to paint one night, my attention can so easily be pulled into something else, and I'll completely forget to paint. It sucks. But I'll definitely post something when it happens.

I am going to be working on illustrating a short story with a writer friend of mine. It's a sea story and it's coming along slowly. Very general groundwork is out there. So there's that.

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Pieces of me

]]> *13shadesofblack PETA (really?) http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/24213351/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/24213351/ Mon, 13 Apr 2009 03:20:17 PDT [link]

Aren't there more pressing issues to tend to?

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Pieces of me

]]> *13shadesofblack Spring Activity http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23962456/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23962456/ Mon, 30 Mar 2009 04:00:46 PDT

I left all the artwork dragged out and leaned against my dresser. I'm glad I didn't put it away really soon, because I remembered soon after that another reason I wanted to drag it all out was to measure it all. I think it's a good idea to have specs on your work if you do a lot of different sized pieces. It helps people get a better idea about how large you work and which things are larger than others.

So I've done all that, and I started optimizing the hq shots in photoshop. I do a bit of color correction as the overcast first day of spring beamed down a blueish grayness. I have pulled back the blue and cyan in the shots over to red and yellow and it seems to be the main thing to get the shots the way I intend them and the way they look. Also, I will sometimes adjust the contrast and saturation a bit, or sometimes the lightness or the intensity of blacks or neutrals.

I am very pleased with the way some of these are coming out. It's like they look better than the previous files that I posted on dA and (in some cases) better than the original looks, because there is a more even light on it and you can see more details.

So before I get to the hassle of putting the stuff all away, I might also sign it all, or at least write my name on the back of it.

Thanks again to everyone that has been checking out my new work and leaving nice comments.

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Pieces of me

]]> *13shadesofblack Spring and Change http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23773477/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23773477/ Thu, 19 Mar 2009 00:44:12 PDT
Thanks to everyone that has checked out my new paintings and double-thanks to anyone who dropped a comment or fav. I was having some frustration creating anything I actually liked, and I'm glad I was finally able to. Furthermore, I'm glad some people agree with me. There is definitely more to come. I plan to paint a bit tonight and possibly this weekend too. It's weird how I'll suddenly just be ready to paint.

After ~Annalee announced that she got a facebook account, it made me realize there is more to do there. People seem to communicate on there more than they do on myspace for some reason too. So I've been searching for people there and adding books I've read and movies I've watched. I also figured I'd get a Twitter.com account, and I like that a lot. It's so much more loose and easy than the other stuff. So let me know if you want to be facebook or twitter buddies.

I got some watercolor paints the other day and used them to create my 2 newest paintings. I started a third but didn't finish it yet. I have really been looking for decent gouache for a long time, and have only seen stuff that is too expensive or looks like really crappy paint. I went to art supply warehouse the other day and got Pelikan gouache that was surprisingly cheap. I also got some more permapaques. I bought two of those mini simpsons figures that are through kidrobot. [link] They are sealed so that you don't know which one you're getting. I got Homer and Sideshow Bob, which is very awesome.

Boy February sure did suck in retrospect.

Anyway, it seems like the best thing to do to stave off the ruts (for me at least) is to keep busy and on track. I think work lately has been helping me to feel useful, which doesn't feel fantastic until you've felt useless for a while.

I recommend everyone get into new things. Find new music, things to do online, try different food places. It's been helping me out a lot. A guidance counselor at my high school once told me that change is good for the soul. I believed her at the time, but this is even more true when the status quo totally sucks.

]]> *13shadesofblack Tension http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23670213/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23670213/ Fri, 13 Mar 2009 02:32:44 PDT [link]
[link]
[link]
[link]

Hope everyone is well. Things are changing around here again. Bit by bit. Hours cut at work forced me to find other things to keep myself busy. I went apeshit on some computer games for a couple of weeks there, appreciating them more. When I have a lot of money, I go and buy games that look fun and play them for the short time it takes me to become interested in something else. I went back to some of those ones that I had lying around and really went at them.

I also have been reading a little bit. Be careful when you mix thinking games, reading, being sick, and changing sleep hours. I conked out and slept with my shoulder at some weird angle. When I woke up my spine and shoulder were really sore. That has subsided a bit and my neck and both shoulders have taken over. Every so often my neck and shoulders clench and stay that way for about a week. Luckily the headache I had this morning was nothing a donut and two Advil couldn't fix.

I had a lot of energy once the headache went away and I used it to be annoying, but I felt really lucidly powered, like some kind of evil genius.

There has been drama at the house and tension at work. Work hours are going back to normal next week. I'm not sure if it'll be ongoing yet. I found out that it's still going to be about another month before my class starts. Even though I haven't been doing too much, that is a bit of a relief.

I'm thinking about getting a bike soon. I gave my last one to my mom to sell, and she sold it for way too cheap and gave the lock away with it (that I wanted to keep). I don't know though. I've heard you can open those U-bar locks with a bic pen tube.

I figure that a bike is the easiest way to get exercise without having to walk. (I don't want to walk too much more than I have to because I could hurt my foot again).

If you find yourself with time to burn or just plain bored, go to [link] . It goes to websites or pages that people have tagged as interesting or helpful or fun.
I got the toolbar thing for firefox and it helps boredom a lot. Also, there is this game that my dad found online that is called simply the "Bubble Spinner". It's sort of like bust a move but a little different and too damn addicting, but fun. [link]

I haven't really felt any strong artistic urges lately, which is probably one reason I still have Rob's book. So I'm just going to send it as soon as I can, instead of waiting to do more work in it. I can better understand a lot of the difficulties that the sketchbook projects have run into having finally been on the receiving end of a book. Not everyone can come up with something immediately. See pictures of Rob's book here. I might put up another shot from it after I have sent the book.

Do you like cardboard? Do you like ghosts? These things have never died and are perpetually awaiting submissions ~Cardboard-Love ~GhostCommode.

I've been digging some stuff in my watch, but it seems like every time I sit down and try to hack away at it, something comes up and I have to leave the computer. Here's some awesome stuff from the dev-watch that I have yet to "get to":

http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23317078/ Sat, 21 Feb 2009 02:24:45 PST
My stupid printer stops doing anything when the ink runs out (including scanning). So I unearthed an old Canon scanner that I sold to my dad ages ago (that he forgot I sold him and that he never uses). I literally had to wipe a heavy coat of brown dust off of the cover. Then I spent about a half hour trying to figure out the drivers for this thing (don't know where the install disk is and I don't care to look). But it works like 3 times as well as my printer's scanner (and they're both made by Canon and the non-printer scanner is way way older).

Anyway, since I regained the ability to scan, I though I'd post some of the little stuff I've been doing. I don't feel the need to actually submit them to devart as they'd go directly into scraps anyway. So I used photobucket instead.

Sometimes I just grab whatever is near me and draw on it. Not often, but sometimes. One is a mild sauce packet from Taco Bell and the other is on the back of one of the unused pieces of that heart I did recently.

I also scanned hq images of Rob's sketchbook over at ~DeadPost. Which is good in case some rat bastard decides to keep the book. I need to hurry up and send that thing, I've had it too long.

Oh yeah, I'm also a few minutes away from posting some of the first "real" work I've done in like 2 months that doesn't have to do with any side projects or simple doodles. Although I was feeling pretty loose with the drawings. The second one came out better visually, but I like the idea of the first one better. I'll have to do what Tom said and explore the idea a little bit more by doing more work in the same vein/vane/vain?
Which I have never really done unless it was a series, and even then, I'm exploring a very broad subject rather than a specific idea.

So I guess that's about it for now. Hope to see you

]]> *13shadesofblack 13 & 14 http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23189446/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23189446/ Sat, 14 Feb 2009 07:10:08 PST

and I got a dd for it, which was nice. I was thinking of doing something else with both days in mind. If I do end up doing something, it will most likely be submitted early Sunday morning.

I just noticed how many people responded to my v-day poll. Thanks! It's interesting to hear what people think about it, especially when it's you guys who are intelligent and can think for yourselves, unlike a lot of people I hear from.

I've had moments of inspiration, but I can't quite seem to grasp them. It's like trying to catch that damn rabbit in Super Mario 64. You have to chase him around and even when you corner him, you have to be fast enough to grab him when he tries to run past you. Usually, I get all kinds of ideas right when I need to go to sleep. I've tried writing them down before, but it doesn't work. It's like finding something amazing about an apple and being totally enamored with looking at it and basking in its shiny red appley goodness, but then you go to sleep and wake up the next day it's like, "it's just a stupid apple". That's why I can't just write the ideas down. Because I'm not the same the next time I read them.

Here are some quotes about sleep to which I can relate:

"Dawn: When men of reason go to bed." ~Ambrose Bierce

"If a man had as many ideas during the day as he does when he has insomnia, he'd make a fortune." ~Griff Niblack

"There are twelve hours in the day, and above fifty in the night. ~Marie de Rabutin-Chantal"

]]> *13shadesofblack Spaceman http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23033604/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/23033604/ Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:46:06 PST Rob's sketchbook. I've done one other thing (I think). I did it yesterday, and I disliked it so much that I tore it into small pieces. But then I took the pieces and taped them together to make something else completely which I will probably post here.

I injured my foot again a while ago. I had gone to work and was there like 5 minutes before I ended up going home. After that, the pain in my foot dissipated quickly. It must have just been a minor sprain. But then I was off for three days. I decided to clean my room and clean out my closet on one of the days and I sprained it again and much much worse that time. I called out the next four days I had to work. On one of those days I finally went to a podiatrist to see why my feet suck. The doctor only had to take a half a seconds glance to to tell me that I have flat feet, which I suppose I kinda already knew, but it's nice to be 100% sure of it and from a foot doctor. He also told me I have a bone (in the foot that usually gets sprained) that is growing too close to another bone and greatly limiting movement in my left heel. He told me to get new shoes and to buy these specific insoles. So I did. When I went back to work my feet were in excruciating pain. Luckily though, much of that was due to having been off my feet for about 2 weeks. It was much easier the second day, plus I readied the advil sooner that time. So I usually have foot pain but it only comes after being at work for a long while. My dad also bought me these $100 orthopedic shoes that I've been wearing with the insoles. I've gotten used to them, but I'm still trying to be careful with my feet.

On top of having all that time off, now hours at work have been cut down to 2 or 3 days a week instead of the usual 4, and with less hours each day. And on top of that, I found out that the 1 class I signed up for is an eight week class and it starts the second 8 weeks of the semester. So I'm going to have a lot of free time. I've been mostly just sitting around and resting.

I've become more wary of what I type in my journal fairly recently, because my sister reads it. She came up to me the other day and asked me when I'm going to write a new journal here, and I told her I'm not because she reads it. I know it's the internet and it's open for anyone to read, but people I know that I actually see usually don't look at my deviantart page very much. I don't know if I should be happy or sad about that. At first I was kinda pissed off that my sister was reading my journals because I might not necessarily want her to know everything I'm thinking about all the time. It's creepy and it's like she can read my mind. But then again, she's usually pretty good about not bringing it up. I think she's probably been reading it a lot longer than I thought she was initially. Also, even though I kind of gave her some crap about it, and she told me she wouldn't read it anymore, I'm absolutely positive she'll read this one. I'm sure she thought that I didn't think it was that big a deal and she's right. I wasn't that serious about it and she knows that I'll be serious if it really bothers me. I will probably hold some things back now though.

Also, I've been trying to get my sister to join deviantart for years and she won't do it. I still don't know or can't remember why. But I know for a fact she'd get all into it if she did.

So anyway, I have more to say, but this thing is already long and I need to sleep.

]]> *13shadesofblack Funkrut http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/22445593/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/22445593/ Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:34:01 PST
So now I'm hoping I can get myself on track a little bit better. I'm setting robots aside for now, and I've more or less scrapped the calendar idea. This is not the kind of thing I can force myself to do within a time frame (at least, not something I can do well). And I'm always trying to test myself like that. I suppose it's kind of a good thing, because I can learn where my boundaries are. But if someone is interested in a calendar I might still submit one and will most likely finish out the calendar with ghosts. I was planning to submit the calendar to a different website though, because DeviantArt's calendars don't have any holidays on them (or moon phases for that matter), which was the complaint of someone who bought the Sparks & Epiphanies calendar a couple years back.

I'll go back to robots soon, but I need to stretch a bit. I feel like doing something else.

Thanks to

for being nice all the time. She really is the bees knees. You should go say hi and give her a cookie.

Also, thanks to everyone who participated in that chain feature journal thing. I still have spaces open if you want to be featured. I'll feature the work in this journal so ppl can see it.

]]> *13shadesofblack First Ten (Nine) People (Journal Features) http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/22291231/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/22291231/ Tue, 30 Dec 2008 23:46:24 PST liljeska, she's in the 1/10 slot.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/22203893/ Fri, 26 Dec 2008 04:54:21 PST Saint Trash, taking care of the Xmas shopping (not to mention the wrapping), the robot calendar (which I'm stressing to finish before 09, but not finding much time), helping clean around the house (which I didn't do much of anyway), and some other rough things I won't go into here.

So Xmas is out of the way, but as usual, I got sick. I get sick almost every year during the week of Xmas. I staved off the cold during the time I was working, but today is my last of three days off and I'm thinking about calling out on Saturday if I still feel like this. I need more rest.

Despite everything, at some point I got nostalgic to start up "13's 13" again (My art recommendation news article). I just got a 3 month sub, so it could be happening once things start to calm down.

I couldn't think of much that I really wanted for Xmas this year, but here's what I got:

So I am very happy with what I gave and what I received. I'm still going to go to art supply warehouse and buy a bunch of black markers. I also need to get film for the Holga.

I hope you guys all had a good holiday, and I hope you survived work. Almost time for another new year. Feels like 2008 lasted about 15 minutes.

See you around

]]> *13shadesofblack Robottssss http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21975039/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21975039/ Sun, 14 Dec 2008 06:00:40 PST
Jan
Feb [link]
Mar
Apr [link]
May [link]
Jun
Jul
Aug [link]
Sep [link]
Oct [link]
Nov [link]
Dec

]]> *13shadesofblack fckn sht http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21908996/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21908996/ Wed, 10 Dec 2008 03:34:41 PST
Actually, I guess I just need to give myself a break. I did just finish a hectic work week and haven't even gone to sleep yet. But really. I'll be super bummed if I don't finish the robot calendar in a decent amount of time (which I think would be 10 days max). I was thinking about either including older robots into it or making it a ghosts+robots calendar. I don't know yet though. It'll probably be a last minute decision.

I think I'll have two new robots posted by this time tomorrow though... If things go as planned.

Good luck to everyone during this stressful time of year. Remember to give yourself a break when you need it.

Also, if you're in the states, I highly recommend using Pandora.com. And aside from that, I recommend plugging in specific songs you like to get similar sounding stuff. It works pretty well.

Oh yeah. And in 9 days, I will have been a member of DeviantArt for 6 years. Wowee

]]> *13shadesofblack Thank You http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21576037/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21576037/ Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:34:22 PST

Robot Calendar Progress

Jan -
Feb - [link]
Mar -
Apr - [link]
May -
Jun -
Jul -
Aug -
Sep - [link]
Oct -
Nov -
Dec - ]]> *13shadesofblack Making Life Better http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21510992/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21510992/ Sun, 16 Nov 2008 01:31:23 PST [link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]

]]> *13shadesofblack Art Ideas http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21134086/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/21134086/ Fri, 24 Oct 2008 00:14:41 PDT
There is a solution, and it's called Theme Thursdays. There is an awesome theme every week. The most recent of which have been "Superhero" and "Halloween Party".

So if you want to make some new friends and have your work seen by a bunch of cool people, go to ~themethursdays.

(so if you do, and you still want something to do after that, submit a cardboard piece at ~Cardboard-Love or a ghost at ~GhostCommode)

------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike's art related to-do list

1.~~Finish the first robot already~~
2.~~Superhero~~
2a.~~Submit Superhero~~
3.~~Halloween Party~~
4.More Robots!

]]> *13shadesofblack Leatherface http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/20820312/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/20820312/ Sat, 04 Oct 2008 06:32:00 PDT
So technically, my computer didn't die, my C drive died. I walked into my room on Wed. and I had the blue screen of death. I tried restarting my comp a few times, and the drive was making a weird draggy click sound and wouldn't load. It was also really hot that day.

Luckily though, after losing so much info in the first upgrade, I started keeping as many files as possible on external HDs. So I didn't lose much. Hell, I even retained my Black Hawk Down stats.

So I went to Frys today and got a new internal HD. It is a western digital 160gb (the old one was a Seagate 40 GB and it weighs 3 times the new one's weight). Good deal at $54.99. They also had a 1TB internal for $139.99. I would have liked to get that, but I can't afford it right now. Maybe on next check.

I spent all day today reinstalling windows XP. Then I was wondering why my comp wasn't seeing my local area connection. Then I figured out it was because there were no drivers on the new drive for my Ethernet controller.

After I got my hardware drivers all installed (good thing I don't throw away any discs), it's all been downloading and installing programs. I have most of the important programs installed now. I suppose I'll remember more of what I need during day to day computering.

My first computer I called Archimedes.
Then I got onto a horror theme which has lasted until now.
My laptop is called "Frankenstein" and my recently deceased computer configuration was known as "Dracula". My Ipod is called "Gremlin" and my brand spanking new computer configuration will henceforth be known as "Leatherface".

]]> *13shadesofblack Nyrood Casts Esuna http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/20679670/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/20679670/ Fri, 26 Sep 2008 01:44:09 PDT
-I started ~DeadPost which is closed to new members, but feel free to take a look if you're the curious type.
I did a bunch of work for it and I'm taking a break from it now, but I still keep an eye on it to see if anyone is going to submit any pictures of anything they have gotten or sent. So far there hasn't been anything, and I'm a little wary due to that, but time will tell.

-I want to make a calendar for 2009. I posted a poll recently and it seems that most people are interested in seeing robots. So I'll likely be starting a robot series soon that I want to complete by mid-November if possible.

-There were a few contests in which I wanted to partake, but I haven't been in the right place (and sometimes not at the right time) to do so.

-It's not a contest,but I really would like to submit something for the return of ~themethursdays though. Hopefully I'll be able to.

-I was watching Everybody Loves Raymond tonight and Deborah got mad at Ray. I was BLOWN AWAY.

-I've been resting after a tiring work week. I have been playing Tactics A2 a lot. Nyrood is one of my mages and he kicks ass.

-Oh yeah, And I've been messing with collection css. I tweaked my "Lure of the Sea" collection. It looks a lot more "nautical" now. I'll do my other collections later and I might redo the css in my journal.

so thats about it. go to ~themethursdays and feel the love!

------------------------------------------------------------------
tagged by ~liljeska
(answer with song names all from the same band)

1. Are you male or female?
- Spaceboy
2. Describe yourself.
- Lucky 13
3. What do people feel when they're around you?
- Behold! The Nightmare
4. How would you describe your previous relationship
- Blank Page
5. Describe your current relationship.
- Zero
6. Where would you want to be now?
- Neverlost
7. How do you feel about love?
- Frail & Bedazzled
8. What's your life like?
- Geek U.S.A.
9. What would you ask for if you had only one wish?
- Love
10. Say something wise.
- Try, Try, Try

]]> *13shadesofblack Thank You http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/20230108/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/20230108/ Sat, 30 Aug 2008 04:53:44 PDT
First and foremost, I owe thanks to @mykel for suggesting my work to the guys that pick things to feature. Thanks @mykel for enjoying my work and for being nice enough to take it one step beyond the fave and comment.

Secondly, I owe thanks to $Stykera. The person that took @mykel's advice and put the thing up there. Now I know that there are people willing to feature me again, even with °jark gone. Thanks $Stykera for restoring the faith!

Thirdly, I owe thanks to every person that commented or added the painting as a favorite (particularly the ones that did so before the feature). I appreciate everyone who takes the time to add a fave or drop a short comment on any of my work. Some of you even went as far as to check out other stuff in my gallery or add me as a friend. You are all the reasons I stick around this place. For friendship, for feedback, for your art, and for mine.

Thank you everyone!

-------------------------------------------------------------

In other news, I have prematurely discontinued my 31 days project. Sometimes I have an idea that sounds good and I jump into it. At first, I hoped to stick rigidly to the submission a day thing, but it was tough. I had to submit stuff I had already done, and I think I decided to stop after getting 6 days behind on it. Though now that I'm at this point, I see the whole thing more as a means to an end. I worked a lot, and it felt good to get myself working when I wouldn't usually. I have better ideas of where my working boundaries are. Overall, I'm glad I did it, and am not in the least upset that I didn't finish it up, as I've gotten a lot out of it already. I moved a lot of the submissions to scraps (mostly the ones that are simplistic that came from my sketchbook).

A big thanks to you guys that commented on my deviations in the past weeks with the project.

]]> *13shadesofblack Caressed by a Natural Yogurt http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/20070958/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/20070958/ Thu, 21 Aug 2008 02:31:56 PDT

By some cosmic coincidence, my interest in two British television shows have peaked as of late. The first, which was brought to my attention when it was released in the U.S. on dvd is Spaced. It has to do with the group involved with Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. The second one is The Mighty Boosh. My sister brought it to my attention when she showed me the (apparently) infamous I'm Old Greg video. This stuff has had me laughing for the past week.

In other news, I fell behind on the 31 submissions project. I think I'm now about 2 submissions behind now. I'm doing my best to catch up. I hope I'm keeping the quality of submissions above the shitbar.

I'll be starting classes next week. I'm taking intro creative writing and I'm retaking art history (hopefully with a competent instructor this time). Somehow I doubt the classes will cut into very much of my time. I should be fine on the art class for the first 2 and a half weeks at least, because I still have a bunch of the work I did for it the first time.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to leave a comment or a fave on something I've submitted lately. It helps me along the project, and makes me feel like it's all for something and that people actually like the work.

Thank you:

http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/19992110/ Sat, 16 Aug 2008 17:54:50 PDT
Then yesterday, I went to the beach with Manda and swam for the first time in years. At least 4 or 5 years I think. It was really fun until I got stung by a stingray in the foot. It didn't hurt as much as I imagined but it was still pretty painful. The lifeguard asked me on a scale of 1-10, (10 being the worst pain I've ever felt) what was it, and I said a 4 or 5. So I soaked my foot in hot water at the lifeguard lair and Manda got a soda, kept pouring and switching hot water for my foot, went back and got our shoes and towels that we left on the beach, and also went and got the car to bring it close so I wouldn't have to walk all the way back to it. She is one hell of a friend.

After we got back and the pain went fully away, I bought a few things that are the reason I have a headache right now. I stayed up too late playing too much guitar hero. So I'm trying to relax right now, but I have an upset stomach and a headache and its hot and there are ants everywhere.

I'm behind on my 31 subs project. I submitted the 8/15 thing today, the 16th. This is the third time I've done that I think, but I'll be doing more work tonight.

]]> *13shadesofblack 31 Sub Project Journal http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/19746309/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/19746309/ Sun, 03 Aug 2008 03:16:20 PDT

1. 7/30 - Aok Animated
2. 7/31 - Parallel Dimension
3. 8/1 - SUCCESS
4. 8/2 - The Other Side
5. 8/3 - Metal Man
6. 8/4 - Horace
7. 8/5 - Our Living City
8. 8/6 - .Untitled.
9. 8/7 - Zebulon Krutch
10. 8/8 - Speechless
11. 8/9 - Had a Bite
12. 8/10 - My Thoughts & Dreams
13. 8/11 - The Last Days
14. 8/12 - Sheriff Rainbow Teeth
15. 8/13 - Defensive Hands
16. 8/14 - Red Energy
17. 8/15 - Erosion
18. 8/16 - Lunchtime in Candy Hills
19. 8/17 - Wonderbread
20. 8/18 - Marvin - The Happiest Zombie
21. 8/19 - George the Champion
22. 8/20 - Is

:thumb50515739:

]]> *13shadesofblack Daily Submissions http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/19511471/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/19511471/ Mon, 21 Jul 2008 03:51:20 PDT

I have something new I will submit soon + a bunch of moleskine sketchbook drawings that I might upload. I also have two different things in the works. One of them is along the lines of

and

The other is a drawing of my cat that is sort of stylized.
When I get my shit together you'll be able to get an idea of what I'm blathering about.

]]> *13shadesofblack A Mixtape For You's http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/19272935/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/19272935/ Tue, 08 Jul 2008 11:59:34 PDT mixtape for you's guys. The theme is a "mischievous little village".

]]> *13shadesofblack Understanding and Love http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18487859/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18487859/ Sun, 25 May 2008 01:17:35 PDT
This leads me to my next thing. Often times, when I do apologize, the other person is unforgiving. So where is the understanding? Have people become so defensive that they can't let things go? Don't people understand that it's better to have a friend on their side than to shrug them off because of some stupid little mistake (or misunderstanding)? There have been two situations for me like this just on deviantart in the past two or three months. I apologized to both people over what I consider minor sorts of "verbal infractions" But neither seem to want anything to do with me now. Usually the problem arises due to me being upset while I'm online in some form. Angry or depressed usually. It seems with many online relationships, you only get one "strike".

This journal has come about over a bunch of things that have happened in the past few weeks that are making me second guess myself and think too much. It only takes a few of these situations to make a person feel like everyone is against them. Like everyone wants me against the wall. It fades after a while, but then the rationality and the questions formulate.

So what I'm getting at is this. If you have a friend or an acquaintance, or whatever kind of relationship with a person, and they have the brass to apologize for things that they do, take it into consideration. It's a rare thing. These are (most likely) people that care what you think and value their relationship with you enough to set aside their ego. It's a pretty shitty thing to turn your back on someone that puts themselves out there, especially when they're doing it for you.

also - Thanks to all of the new really nice people that have been adding me and giving favorites and commenting.

*13shadesofblack Devious Journal Entry http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18408651/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18408651/ Tue, 20 May 2008 01:17:30 PDT

]]> *13shadesofblack Thanks http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18345985/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18345985/ Fri, 16 May 2008 03:00:33 PDT
I also posted my other personal painting. I've been doing a lot of abstract stuff (for me). As for titles, I got nothing right now. I'm sure I'll have something later.

On a completely unrelated note, my turntable shipped and I'm stoked out of my gourd. I also bought Blank Wave Arcade on white sexy vinyl which also shipped. Let the good times roll.

]]> *13shadesofblack Reality Check http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18325977/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18325977/ Wed, 14 May 2008 18:33:16 PDT
Then the best and the worst thing that happened were the same. Right when I got there, before I went in, a cute girl standing with a bunch of people noticed me and told me she really liked my work. My thought process went like this: "That's nice but who the hell is this girl and how does she know me and how does she know what art is mine?" So while those thoughts were going through my head, I'm sure I was just staring at her, and I finally said (and probably in an unfriendly tone) "Do I know you?". I felt like a fucking idiot the second the words were out of my mouth. And then she told me she was in my class. Then I think I said something like "I didn't recognize you" or "You don't look familiar" or something like that. And then I walked away. I never said thank you or anything. After thinking about all this, I considered apologizing for reacting like such an idiot and thanking her, but I didn't.

I think I just wasn't up for it today. I'm still tired and sick. Tired mostly because I stayed up too late last night painting something new with inks and goache. I'll post it soon.

]]> *13shadesofblack The Antarctica Desert http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18235927/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18235927/ Fri, 09 May 2008 01:22:11 PDT
So anyway, I entered it into a student show at Orange Coast College along with this one (mostly just because I had recently put it into a frame). There is still a chance that one or both will not be accepted. I think that "Metamorphosis" might not be accepted because of the condition of the frame. Who knows. I got sick the day before submissions were to be taken for the gallery, and the worst of the sickness (so far) hit me about 1 or 2 hours ago. I'm getting the whole hot/cold thing right now, plus my sinuses feel like they're full of crap and I have a headache. I'm going to call out of work tomorrow, but I hope I'll be well enough to work Saturday.

I've been behind with a lot of personal stuff, like things I'm making for friends and such. Anything like that is going to be delayed even more now because I don't want germs on anything.

I made a good start of my 2nd project for that painting class. It will be something to do with bees. come to think of it, I just remembered that I took a picture of it with my phone...

I'm hurtin. cya.

]]> *13shadesofblack Harrow-Drive http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18096399/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/18096399/ Wed, 30 Apr 2008 04:29:29 PDT
My mind is full of Sam Hellerman, Charlie Murphy, Clusters of faces and their eventual place amongst other clusters of faces and if it should happen sooner than expected and if it will work out in the end, slipping in and out of consciousness with Thom, marveling at music that only I seem to like (amongst other imaginary people) and the fact that very similarly sounding songs can be such a joy, work and if my foot is going to decide it's time to reject the rest of my body completely, the idea that the previous journal would get the kind of response it got, the certain idea of how the response of this journal will be (or will it), and how the future me will react to whatever situation that turns out to be, Chi-mo, a more distant (now) Bruce Campbell and his amazing knowledge of things great and small, various and perpetual speculation of almost every personal relationship, the pinpointing of a really kickass turntable on eBay (and when [financially] to obtain it), when exactly to watch "the Forbidden Zone", when exactly to crash, if I should eat any of the leftover pizza, what order to do the things I want to get done tomorrow, ink cartridges, t-shirts, friends my age (that are getting hitched) who carefully ask if I'm still going to the local community college (I am), some kind of retroactive longing for specific locations, just how many spiders have waltzed into my room with the aid of the terrible nose-bleed inducing day-heats (had to have my window open...happy to receive the cool air, but like a trojan horse come the spiders)...(not really like a trojan horse I guess, but it made me think of Holy Grail), hearing somewhere that your true nature is revealed in how you drive... and knowing how I like to drive, broken picture frames due to their bad placement in my room, and a sense of finality that I just got from out of nowhere that will end this "stream of consciousness" curmudgeon of an excuse for a paragraph.

So there have been a few things on my mind, and a lot more than that at length from what my brain is telling me. I suppose its simply due to reading more, watching more, and working more...and possibly dreaming more. I had a dream a few months back about two old wrinkly ladies at the altar like a wedding in their underwear and they were slowly cutting each other with razor blades. I didn't know I could come up with such a disturbing image. It still makes me cringe thinking about it. I have disturbing dreams a lot, but they're usually about the end of the world and stuff. Or maybe not so much anymore. I still have those theme park dreams. One dream I always have is that a theme park ride kind of goes wrong, but it ends up being sort of scary and fun anyway. And the ride is often a water ride. And on those water-related rides, it is often dark and cavernous. Once I had a dream I went on the haunted mansion at disneyland, but it was a completely alternate path. I've also had dreams of meeting people that I met online for real. One of which included a plane flight and being on a beach at night watching whales in the distance. That was one of the nicer ones. Also, the one where the moon was speaking to me. That was a once in a lifetime dream. I don't think people realize that during or even after they wake up and realize it was all a dream and just say "wow, that was weird" and go about their day. Some of these things have value.

So back where I was at, these things have all increased. I guess you get a lot more input from 5 days a week at work than 2. I read the Bruce Campbell book kind of slowly, and enjoyed it rather in a different way than I expected, but enjoyed it nonetheless. Then, even though I already started reading "World War Z" which has gotten pretty good so far, I bought "I Love You Beth Cooper", and "King Dork" (hence, Sam Hellerman and Chi-Mo, for all I purposely aimed to bewilder... at least at first). I got hooked into "King Dork" pretty quickly, so it only took me about 3 days to read. I enjoyed it more than the Bruce Campbell book, and I can only hope "Beth Cooper" proves to be as innovatively cruel as some of the girls in "Dork". If I can find books I like, I can really get into reading. It's just tough to get a start on where exactly to look.

Another thing I can remember that I did recently was donate 3 books to a school for emotionally challenged kids. The choices being:

The Mouse and the Motorcycle, James & the Giant Peach, and The Five Chinese Brothers.

...and when my order comes in... "Harry and the Terrible Whatzit"

A lot of children's book titles have "and" in them.

*13shadesofblack Monet Moonrise http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17921381/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17921381/ Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:38:57 PDT
I cleared my dev-watch for the first time in a long time. @mykel and *trash60 have particularly been doing some awesome stuff lately. Also, I found two other awesome artists: ~jdegarmo and ~saddo-jdero. If you have time, check em out!

I've been meaning to say this for a while, but I always forget. If you like my work, I am open for commission work. Okay, now that that's out of the way, the main thing I wanted to say is that I am selling original artwork It is a matter of space. If you buy a piece of art from me, you are helping assure I won't suffocate under a hill of canvases and pads of drawing paper. I am open to suggestion on selling originals of almost anything you can see in my gallery. If you would like an original work, but are short on funds, I am willing to negotiate on prices. The general prices I come up with are going to depend on a variety of factors, but (compared to a lot of artists) the prices will be relatively low.

If you would like to contact me regarding original artwork or commissions, you can note me or you can email me at brokenmind14@gmail.com

]]> *13shadesofblack A rare full day http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17678118/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17678118/ Fri, 04 Apr 2008 05:14:01 PDT
In other news, I was majorly bummed out the other day and painted a little something. It's pretty different from a lot of the stuff I paint, and I'm almost positive I'm not done with it yet, but I'll probably post a w.i.p.

oh and i got a wii the other day.

smash bros is fun.

]]> *13shadesofblack I heard the news today oh boy http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17535169/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17535169/ Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:35:19 PDT Now you can lean on me
And that's more than love
That's the way it should be

]]> *13shadesofblack Music Tips! http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17404486/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17404486/ Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:50:21 PDT
1. Use Amazon.com for music recommendations. If you haven't already, create an account and search a few things you like and rate them (if you rate things you like that are harder types of things to find you'll get better results). If you get recommendations you don't like, you can remove something that it's using to make recs. Also, you can mark things as "i own it" and it will rec. things from that. It really does work well. I've found most of the new music I've been listening to for the past I don't know how long by amazons recommendation system.

2. (if you use itunes) Download iTunes Library Updater. Have you ever been using iTunes, click to play a song, and you get that fucking exclamation point? If you don't already know, this means the original file was moved or deleted in your system. I do this often (move files). I have my music broken into genre folders in my hard drive, but when I download music, all the files just go to the core "music" folder. So when I finally move all the new downloaded music folders into the genre folders, they can't be played by itunes unless I load them again. What a pain in the ass. Windows media player has something that removes the "ghost" links in your library, but if you use iTunes, you're normally screwed. The iTunes library updater will get rid of all ghosted music links in your library and even adds any new music you have. So it will even re-add all the stuff I moved to the genre folders. I was happy to find this program. It's also free. The major downside is that if you move tracks that are in playlists, they get removed from the playlist and don't come back. It took me a while to figure out and was a rather unpleasant surprise

3. Join Last.fm A lot of people I know are on last.fm already and they all know what's up. If you don't know, it's a music community website built upon the old audioscrobbler plugin. It's a plugin for your music player that keeps tabs on what you're listening to and puts you in line with others who listen to similar stuff. What could be better?

4. (if you live in the U.S.) Use Pandora.com This is a free radio station "project" that allows you to type in an artist. It will then play radio of the artist you typed and similar artists you may or may not have heard. I heard it doesn't work outside the U.S.my one problem with this is that a lot of the time, the music it plays is so unknown that I can't find it anywhere

5. (if you use iTunes) Use the "Album Artist" field for Compilations I just learned this one and I was happy as hell to find out. I always sort my music in iTunes by "artist", but I have some compilations that have various artists. iTunes "scatters" the songs in the album all over the listed music because its listed by artist, not album, and there are many different artists. If you right click a track (or select the whole album) and choose "get info", there is an "artist' field and an "album artist" field. I noticed that the "album artist" field is blank for a few of the compilations that were bugging me. I selected the entire comp. album and put "Various" into the "Album Artist" field. Then the album was listed alphabetically under "various" even though the original artist names were all there.

6. Get the KCRW Podcast "Morning becomes Eclectic" is quite an awesome little live show. I have this set to auto-download from iTunes and I've gotten to hear the likes of Band of Horses, Maximo Park, and Arcade Fire perform fantastic live sets (amongst others). "Today's top tune" is good too. They are individual songs, but good ones most of the time.

I can't think of any more right now, but if I do I'll add them. Anyone else have anything?

]]> *13shadesofblack A Dream Last Night http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17355738/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17355738/ Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:58:43 PDT
I recalled the Rodney Dangerfield diving scene from Back to School, the scene from "Coffy" where Pam Grier shoots the dude in the pool, the scene from Pee-Wees big adventure when Pee-Wee fights Francis, and a bunch of others. I was shocked to be called upon first. And I remember saying "me?" to the "authority figure". Then the scene I would choose popped into my head and I was absolutely certain I wanted that one. I sort of positioned myself, then started an "uncomfortable walk" using that fact that all eyes were on me, raising my feet higher than usual making my walk look even more awkward and as if I had flippers on. Then I just hopped into the pool and sunk as low as I could, looking up at everyone. Too bad I couldn't use music.

]]> *13shadesofblack Survey to end all surveys http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17205716/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17205716/ Thu, 06 Mar 2008 06:40:20 PST a A CORNUCOPIA OF QUESTIONS FOR A RAINY DAY

THE BASICS:
NAME?: Mike
AGE?: 25
BIRTHDAY?: 8/14/1982
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN?: Leo
EYE COLOR?: Brown
NATURAL HAIR COLOR?: Brown
HAIR LENGTH?: getting longer at the moment
WHERE DO YOU LIVE?: California
WHEN DO YOU GET UP?: if I don't have to work, anywhere from 1-4pm
WHAT IS YOUR FIRST THOUGHT?: ? The first things that popped into my head were poop and frogs
WHAT DO YOU DO FIRST?: Oh, upon waking up. I usually cough all the crap out of my throat and rinse out my mouth really well in the sink. Oh, and pee. You gotta pee when you wake up.
DO YOU EAT BREAKFAST?: almost never. I did recently, and I threw up at work.
WORK OR SCHOOL?: for me, right now? Theyre both pretty enjoyable. I'd say school edges out work, because I can paint.
HOW MANY HOURS DO YOU WORK OR GO TO SCHOOL EACH WEEK?: Work-30 School-Around 4
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU GET HOME?: Usually I eat and get on the computer, throw something on tv. It depends what time of day it is though too
WHAT TIME DO YOU GO TO BED?: if I don't have to work early, anywhere from 4-8 am
SLEEP ALONE?: yes
ANY PETS?: Dalmatian-Domino, and Cat-George
HERITAGE?: Pretty much what you'd expect. A mixed bag. Irish, German, Mexican, French, Native American, etc.
SIBLINGS?: 1 Sister
YOUNGEST OR ELDEST?: I am younger.
SHOE SIZE?: on most shoes its 12
LEFTY OR RIGHTY?: right, but thats not very interesting, now is it? Maybe if I said my right hand was chopped and grew back as a mutant hand...
NICK NAME(S)?: Ive been called Mikey, Michael, Kearney (my last name), Mike, and I think thats about it.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN?: pretty close to where I'm living now

LASTS:
PERSON YOU TOLD YOU LOVED THEM?: my dad
TIME YOU CRIED?: a pretty long time (for me) maybe like 2 months?
WERE IN A CAR?: yesterday when I got pizza
ATE AT A RESTAURANT?: I think it was sizzler with mom and dad. I like shrimp.
SLEPT SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN YOUR OWN BED?: the weirdest place was on this overhang thing above my old apartments front door.
WENT CAMPING?: that was a while ago. hm. Years. Had to have been like 10 years ago at least.
SLEPT IN A HOTEL/MOTEL?: I don't think I ever have.
SMOKED A CIGARETTE?: nope
SAW YOUR PARENTS?: yesterday
WERE IN A CLASSROOM / SCHOOL?: this past tuesday
DOWNLOADED SOMETING?: as we speak
MOVIE YOU WATCHED?: the Toxic Avenger
WENT TO THE LIBRARY?: it was after I kept out an oz book for like 6 years. I replaced it and thought I'd have some huge fine. They said it was okay since I replaced it. I returned the original too.
WERE SICK?: about a month ago I think. It only lasted a couple days.
ATE A FRESH PICKED FRUIT OR VEGETABLE?: Had to have been sometime last year when we had tomatoes. Damn those are good.
PERSON TO CALL YOU?: Some dude with a wrong number called me three times this morning and left a couple weird messages.
PERSON TO TEXT YOU?: my friend Jake
BOOK YOU READ?: and finished? Probably the last Harry Potter, but I'm close to finishing "Love is a mixtape".
SONG YOU HEARD?: Over The Rainbow by Ray Charles (but not the whole thing)

THE FUTURE:
GOING TO COLLEGE?: currently, but who knows what the hell i'll do.
PLANNING A TRIP?: I'd like to have an epic road trip, but i need a reliable car first.
PLANNING A MOVE?: doesnt look likely any time soon, unless its a "group move" to Texas
MARRIAGE?: furthest thing from my mind and seemingly least likely at the moment.
TYPE OF WEDDING?: *disgruntled sound*
IN A CHURCH?: *agitated sound*
BEST MAN / MAID-OF-HONOR?: *rabid sound*
WHERE DO YOU WANT TO LIVE?: I'm not sure, but I like the looks of Oregon I think. Maine is nice too.
WHAT WILL YOUR JOB BE?: If I knew that, I'd be doing it.
KIDS?: these are hard choices to make alone
HOW MANY?: shut. up.
THEIR NAMES?: I'll name one of them retarded survey
WHERE WILL YOU RETIRE?: The phrase "We cross that bridge when we come to it" comes to mind.
DO YOU CONTRIBUTE TO A 401(K)?: no

YOUR IDEAL PARTNER:
FIRST THING YOU NOTICE?: I'm not sure. Probably the face.
DRINKER?: I don't drink, but my dad told me that you're going to love who you love no matter what, so why is drinker/smoker an issue?
SMOKER?: but then again if it's an ideal, I'd say moderate drinker non smoker. Even though I don't drink.
HAIR COLOR?: don't matter. I've been attracted to all
HAIR LENGTH?: same as above. Most of my latest crushes have all had shorter hair though
EYES?: Yes, I would be happy if they had eyes.
WEIGHT?: Weight isn't important, but the "shape of the weight" is. Some girls the same weight might hav... ]]> *13shadesofblack Rolling along http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17142881/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/17142881/ Sun, 02 Mar 2008 03:51:21 PST
I was bummed out about something that happened in early December, but I finally did something about it, and made it a good deal better.

I couldn't come up with an idea for an art project until recently. It's the one that I put up as wip1 and wip2.

I just started up a few things to shock myself out of this glaze I've been in. I joined netflix so that I can start watching some of these movies I've been getting recommended by a manager at my work. I think I have something like 20 movies in my queue already. I would have done blockbuster online instead, but they don't have as good of a movie selection... and some of these recommendations are obscure.

I bought some new music (as opposed to other methods) and that made me feel good. I like my collection and I like it more when it grows.

I bought:

Shocking Pinks - Shocking Pinks
Eskimo Joe - Black Fingernails Red Wine
The Cars - Candy-O
The Cars - Heartbeat City
Echo & the Bunnymen - Echo & the Bunnymen
Simon & Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water

I also bought two books. One is a little book I've had my eye on at work that is entitled "Love is a Mixtape". I read the first chapter and I really like it so far. The other book is called "World War Z" It has to do with zombies, seems to have been some kind of bestseller, and was recommended to me by someone as being "really good".

So I have this sense of moving forward now, more than I have in a while. I finally feel like things are changing, which is almost always a good thing. I will be switching banks, taking out a loan, and getting a car soon. Nothing amazing, just something decent that runs and isn't a shitbasket.

So there's a little bit of an update. I hope to work on something else new soon.

]]> *13shadesofblack Devious Journal Entry http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/16875662/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/16875662/ Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:43:02 PST [link]
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]]> *13shadesofblack Music I Like http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/16779380/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/16779380/ Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:14:52 PST
[link] (My Fave song from "Alone")

[link] (A very poppy song that I really like)

[link] (a song I heard on the radio on the way home from work that I liked)

[link] (airtight perfect drums and more)

[link] (feels like escape... and happy)

[link] (cool to the zillionth power)

[link] (thank you Ellen Page)

[link] (a buzzing screaming 8-bit mess... that is awesome)

[link] (I still greatly enjoy this song after who knows how many years. I don't think I'll ever like it less than I do now, or ever have)

[link] (I'm slowly becoming convinced this is the greatest song EVER)

]]> *13shadesofblack Sometimes http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/16249301/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/16249301/ Fri, 04 Jan 2008 02:06:50 PST
I'll even be specific. Recently (a month or two ago) I said I was leaving deviantart for a while. I did. I made a very conscious effort to not even look at this website, and I still did, on occasion. There were a few reasons for this departure. One, I get sick of devart sometimes. I get sick of looking at the grayness of it (and I don't care how many people want to line up and tell me that its green, its gray. I'm not colorblind), I get tired of a lot of things about it.

I like a lot of artwork on this site, and I decided to add a lot of people to my deviantwatch instead of keeping the list small and easily "upkept". What I'm getting at is that I get tired of commenting, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone here. In all honesty, I do enjoy a lot of the work from a lot of the people on this site and on my watch. But sometimes, I just don't know what to say about it. The fact that I've been on this website since 2002 comes to mind. Maybe I'm tired and I can't think of what the particular work means to me or what it is about it that I enjoy visually. Maybe I'm just being lazy. I am lazy sometimes. That's me.

Okay, so every once in a while, I do make an effort to have a go at my intimidating watch list and give honest and thoughtful commentary about work. This has been rarer and rarer with every week that passes (I do still look around sometimes and add people). I used to do this all the time. It's good for the community, it's good for friendship, and it usually makes people happy. But think it's a number of things that are putting me off, I just want anyone reading this to understand what is happening. I'm being honest with near pure certainty that I'll be regarded as an asshole from now on. Think what you want, because at least I'm taking the time to explain.

I even get tired of thanking sometimes, which makes me feel the worst. I get a lot of really random +faves from people, and after saying "thanks for the fave!" for the 7 billionth time, I start to get put off of that. I feel like more of an asshole when I do thank than when I don't. That's how bad it is. Do people really appreciate a thank you? I +fav a lot more now than I used to, and I never even think of being thanked. For me, if I give a person a fave, all I might hope for is that they take a glance at my work. If they hate it, cool. But the fact that they looked makes a difference, even if I don't know about it. This is the way I am and the way I'd expect to be treated.

So when I decided to become active on the site again, I didn't really announce it or anything (like I did for leaving, which I'm sure at the time was at least in part, a cry for attention, and that- I'm sure, is something that people thought). Though some of you (my closest devart friends) totally understood without me having to explain, and thats just one reason I love you guys. I wanted to be more of an observer. A lurker. Also I wanted people to have lower expectations of me so that I wouldn't be letting people down all the time.

The last thing I'll say is going to be sort of askew from the rest of this journal, but I'll say it due to something that upset me and spurred on this entire journal (and hopefully it will tie together).

If you're here because you like my work and you have added me, I honestly appreciate you as a presence and as a person. I appreciate all comments, good or bad. The idea that a person is spending time in their life on looking at something I made is already a gift without them saying it.

Having said that- as a person and as a presence on this site, from what I have already admitted to about having flaws or being an asshole (if thats your preferred label), I will disappoint you in one way or another. So if you're the type of person that is going to delete me from your watch because I didn't thank you, or because you think I'm a prick, just don't bother adding me in the first place. I'm a human being and I am the way I am. If you enjoy an artists work, but choose not to look at it anymore because you don't like the way the artist acts, then did you really like that artists' work in the first place? Who is really being more dishonest here? *I* think people who act this way are idiots. Go live at Disneyland.

And having said that- I will apologize for being insensitive when it comes to the people that do comment or fave that don't get any kind of response. There are people here I really like, and I'm not saying that I wont comment and thank people anymore. I will as much as I can.

I'm sure that the one person that I'd most want to read this journal won't read it, but it's been upsetting me more an more, so I thought I'd clarify how I feel. Maybe I'll lose a lot... ]]> *13shadesofblack In Closing http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15938700/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15938700/ Sat, 15 Dec 2007 00:36:54 PST
The last few weeks for me have been alternately straining/tiring, and very lonely. I usually have some sort of way for at least a little communication, but almost nothing lately. I fell asleep watching Taxi Driver the other day, feeling more and more like Travis Bickle. Not necessarily because I can't stand the filth in the world, but because I feel alone. I noticed new things while watching it that I wouldn't have before because I didn't feel this way then. A difficult type of loneliness is one where you are present, yet unseen or unheard. Travis drives people all over the place all night long. People sit in his car, but he has no connections. He's just there, like he's a piece of the cars upholstery.

That's how I've been feeling lately. I doubt people realize it, but they can look at you, be in your presence, even speak to you, and not really communicate. I'm sure a lot of people have heavy minds when this goes on, but it just creates an atmosphere. It's like a world of blanks. Blank people. Maybe absent. Their body is there, but they are either asleep or their minds are on something else. I'm probably even the same way. It just doesn't hit me until later when I realize that it's such a ghost world in which I'm currently living.

That's why music is one of my favorite things. In this world of sleepy, ghost people, you can listen to someone asserting your exact feelings through poetry. It helps to feel less lonely.

I only ended up finishing two paintings for my class, but I've promised my instructor that I'd show him the other two from the series. So I'll post that second one soon. I may be posting some little doodles that I made on my notebook in classes.

I also finished another flash video. Does anyone know of a place online to upload swf. files? I thought you could do it on youtube, but I tried and it didn't work. But if I find a way to put up the short cartoons I made, I'll post links to them here. There's two of them, and theyre about a monster named "Bludgeon".

If I don't talk to anyone before, enjoy your holidays. Get rest. Light candles. Take baths. Watch pleasant movies. Listen to soothing music.

]]> *13shadesofblack 13's 13 - (downloadable) http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15824610/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15824610/ Thu, 06 Dec 2007 17:18:28 PST
1. Kavinsky - Testarossa Autodrive
2. Les Savy Fav - What Wolves Would Do
3. Okkervil River - Unless Its Kicks
4. Jens Lekman - Pocketful of Money
5. Final Fantasy - Many Lives -> 49 MP
6. Muse - Starlight
7. Maximilian Hecker - Rose
8. Crystal Castles - Air War
9. Weezer- Falling For You
10. Justice - DVNO
11. Martin Grech - Tonight
12. Sean Lennon - On Again Off Again
13. Pino Donaggio - Sally and Jack

]]> *13shadesofblack Unless It's Kicks http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15716483/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15716483/ Thu, 29 Nov 2007 04:16:31 PST floating up from the stands
with her heart opened up.

And I want to tell her, "Your love isn't lost," and say "my heart is still crossed!"
I want to scream, "hey, you're so wonderful!
What a dream in the dark -

about working so hard, about glowing, so stoned,
trying not to turn off,
trying not to believe in that lie all on your own."

-Okkervil River - "Unless It's Kicks"

]]> *13shadesofblack This Past Week http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15325177/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15325177/ Fri, 02 Nov 2007 00:30:36 PDT lazy, new and good and bad
feelings come and go and change and
ac/dc, good and bad and sad

move to a bigger city
leave home and face the pity
IÂd rather stay in bed
knowing that it wonÂt be pretty

IÂve wasted a year or so
I lost my will some time ago
frustration comes when friends succeed in doing things
but then again thatÂs me

I want to be a good friend
I want to find my best friend
someone who wants to stay
someone who doesnÂt go away

-The Radio Dept. -"This Past Week"

[link]

...ps.// [link]

]]> *13shadesofblack No Big Deal? http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15238471/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15238471/ Sat, 27 Oct 2007 04:29:46 PDT
Just be honest to your friends, even if you think it might hurt them. It's a worse thing to leave them in the dark than to be honest and seem mean.

...or just treat them how you'd like to be treated.

No big deal,

right?

]]> *13shadesofblack New Work http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15111372/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/15111372/ Thu, 18 Oct 2007 06:10:02 PDT havesomehats. I went through his whole gallery yesterday and it was like breathing fresh air. I was thinking about his work and the work of ~startattookid and the work of *phishy and I feel like trying similar ideas. (what with characters having short interesting things to say) I've done something like that before, but it was more poetic/less funny, and I had put it in scraps.

The main reason I posted this journal is to let anyone who is interested know about the paintings on which I'll be working. I'm not sure if I had said or not, but I'm taking a beginning painting class (and a flash animation class). I have completed two 18x24 paintings already so far in the class, and they're in acrylic (and I did 2 short flash animations about a character I created for my flash class). I haven't decided if I'm going to post them yet (the paintings).

But anyway, the way the class is now, we have 4 more assignments spanning the rest of the class. The requirements for these assignments is that they all need to have some linking factor. Either the subject or the color strategy, or whatever. I sat around the entire class today, trying to think of an idea. So the instructor wanted us to discuss what we want to do once we have it. So I brought up my "room" series and my instructor sounded like he liked the idea. So I'm either going to re-paint former watercolor paintings in acrylic (if I do this, I'm definitely re-doing "Friends at Blue Rooms Corner"), orrrrr I'm going to simply continue the series with new paintings. They will be 18x24 acrylic paintings on canvas, and they will all be done before Xmas.

thanks

]]> *13shadesofblack Hotel Chevalier http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/14950808/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/14950808/ Sun, 07 Oct 2007 05:38:00 PDT

...if you like Wes Anderson.

This is a short film that shows a bit of backstory from "The Darjeeling Limited" between Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman. So go download it. Because it's free.

]]> *13shadesofblack Devious Journal Entry http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/14512527/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/14512527/ Thu, 06 Sep 2007 05:42:08 PDT
Anyway, there is a possibility I will come back, but at this point, I can't really imagine it happening. If anyone would like to stay in touch, I'll leave my contact info up here, and I'll leave my current gallery up.

[link]

]]> *13shadesofblack The Blue Star Cadet http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/14360900/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/14360900/ Mon, 27 Aug 2007 07:23:44 PDT [link]

]]> *13shadesofblack Random 13 http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/14258878/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/14258878/ Mon, 20 Aug 2007 15:41:54 PDT
1.Crispin Glover - Selected readings from Rat Catching
2.The White Stripes - Fell in Love With a Girl
3.Cursive - Big Bang
4.Tilly & the Wall - Bessa
5.The Rolling Stones - Hitchhike
6.Patrick Wolf - Tristan
7.The Rolling Stones - Live With Me
8.Pete Yorn - EZ
9.Architecture in Helsinki - The Owls Go
10.Ben Folds Five - Brick
11.Placebo - English Summer Rain
12.The White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What to do With Myself
13.Metallica - ...And Justice for All

]]> *13shadesofblack The Recluse http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/13788667/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/13788667/ Wed, 18 Jul 2007 23:19:38 PDT
Ever since the 4th of July, my life has been pretty boring. I quit my job near the end of June, and I don't plan to get another job until mid-August. The reason for this is that the lovely and talented ~Annalee is going to be crossing the pond all the way from merry old Germany and hanging out for a couple weeks. She could use a vacation.

So, I've been making preparations for that. Also, I've been into the whole Harry Potter thing. I can't feel too ashamed about being a fan. Ever since I understood the series' popularity, I knew I was going to be sucked into the whole business. I have no more shame reading Harry Potter books than I would have reading Alice in Wonderland or Wizard of Oz books. They're my bread and butter so to speak. The Neverending Story is a great one too. Also, one I read called "Strangewood" was nice. So anyway, my sister (shes older than me) and I are awaiting the release of the final book that is coming out this Saturday.

So I've been trying to re-read the older books, and staying up way longer than I should to do it. I've been staying up until anywhere from 6am-10am, then sleeping till 4pm-6-pm. I really want to fix my hours, so I'm either staying up all night tonight and all day tomorrow, or I'm just going to try to get up early tomorrow, even if I'm tired. I haven't been sleeping well, all things aside. I've tried going to bed earlier, and I just lay awake in bed until the times I had been staying up to.

I plan on going through my dev-watch soon. Probably tonight. I was actually going to do another feature article, but I only found one thing I liked while going through galleries.

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]]> *13shadesofblack Copycat http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/13521182/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/13521182/ Thu, 28 Jun 2007 05:28:58 PDT intend to update this rather regularly (every couple days or so). But we'll see how it goes in the long run. I hope people go read it, but I figure it'll be like a sort of personal journal as well (but not too personal) The website is here [link] - (go to my profile and download my audio clip, it's one of my favorite parts of *a* movie.)

-Also, I have created a new deviantart account for art photography. Don't bother going there yet, as there is nothing but a devID, but the account is ~squaresandrectangles

-I'll be submitting a couple paintings soon and doing another features article. Also, I'll be working on the new sketchbooks.

-On a completely unrelated note, I'm debating on whether or not to see a couple of bands. Maybe someone who is in the know can help me out.

*Peter Bjorn & John - (Young Folks, but then what? I'm told "Amsterdam" is a good song... at least I think that's the title.)

*Moving Units - ?

*Violent Femmes - (On one hand, I feel this one should be a no brainer, but I have a live album of theirs and don't dig it tooo much. I guess I sort of view them as a novelty)

*Eisley - (If we see this show, we may cut a better show close, even though the venues are only about a 5 minute drive apart.)

Everyone ready for 4th of July? I'm looking forward to shooting off fireworks. gotta remember to get a decent lighter this time...

Cya

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]]> *13shadesofblack These Things & Those Things http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/13441696/ http://13shadesofblack.deviantart.com/journal/13441696/ Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:11:07 PDT
1.Seeing someone shake hands with a person without looking at them.
2.The female pompadour hairstyle. Gwen Stefani barely pulls it off herself.
3.When I'm typing an address into my browser, and the cursor magically changes over to another field box on the page in the middle of my typing.
4.Getting the outer skin of a bean caught in my teeth.
5.Waking to find the blanket wrapped around my legs so tightly, its tough to escape.

Things I like -

1.Finding out that a game I know I'll really like is coming out very soon and that I should have heard about ages ago (Guitar Hero Encore).
2.Taking care of things I've needed to do for a long time, but never had the time and/or the energy to get them done.
3.Knowing I'm going to see Maximo Park next month with someone

4.Getting ORGANIZEDDDDDDDDD
5.Finding out about new good music shows in my area.

I mostly just wanted to complain about the things I don't like, but the things I do like were rather nice to come up with.

Isn't it appreciation day or some bs? I'll have to stop by again later

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]]> *13shadesofblack