http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:Aye-Aye&section=today deviantART RSS for by:Aye-Aye en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Thu, 10 Dec 2009 02:04:50 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/28734824/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/28734824/ Thu, 03 Dec 2009 18:45:12 PST
]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/21774702/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/21774702/ Mon, 01 Dec 2008 20:43:05 PST
What do you all think?

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/20497315/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/20497315/ Sun, 14 Sep 2008 21:20:45 PDT
I've been doing a lot of drawing lately, and I have some new poetry. The thing is, I'm not sure whether I should post it or not because my popular stuff is photography. I've been considering getting a second account or something, but that would be a total pain in the ass.

What do you all think?

I've been constantly listening to dance/trance music and Depeche Mode.

I <3 Kettle Corn and have a craving for romance.

I brought a ton of nice clothes with me to school, and have had no reason to wear them. I've been wearing eccentric skirts and dressy shirts to class just so I can wear them. I have 3 nice dresses and still can't find an excuse to wear them. Maybe I'll go to my public speaking class in one of them. Now that would be interesting.

On a quest into Madison, my friend Leanne and I found this awesome vintage store. Lee found an awesome green Chinese dress that fits her like a glove. She's agreed to do some photoshoots with me for fun. She's already been in a photo I've posted on dA ([link]). I need to brush up on make-up, hair styleing and such. No pun intended.

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/20428887/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/20428887/ Wed, 10 Sep 2008 19:05:48 PDT [link]

This was kind of a while ago, but this is a drawing of me done by an awesome artist, Kinada, completely voluntarily and out of the blue. Totally awesome.

I'm really suprised how much attention this ID has gotten. It's my most commented deviation, and now someone drew it...

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/20206610/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/20206610/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 17:54:37 PDT
I also have my sexy camera. I never informed those that read my blog what it is. It is a 10meg Olympus E410. I have 2 lenses, a 14-42 lens and a 40-150. I'm hoping to take some bird photos and such. I have also joined the school paper as a photographer, and am eagerly awaiting my first assignment. They also are open to photographic essays, and once I get a better idea of what exactly a photographic essay entails, I will most definitely be doing one.

Thats pretty much all of the truly interesting news I have to say. Over and Out!

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/19496301/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/19496301/ Sun, 20 Jul 2008 08:22:11 PDT
Leftover wedding cake is an excellent breakfast.

Anyway, I got a flickr account for kicks and giggles. Heres the link. [link] It is filled with photos that I have not yet uploaded and might upload to dA as time progresses. If anyone stands out to you as you shuffle through it, post a link in my journal and help me decide what to and not to upload.

Sorry I haven't uploaded anything for a while. I haven't had time to go out and do some new shoots. I do intend on uploadinig something before I leave this afternoon, but we will have to see.

Over and out

-Clubs-



]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/18984715/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/18984715/ Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:23:24 PDT : Check out the journal here: [link] 2 of my photos are there. Can you find them?

Wowee. I graduated last Friday. Fare thee well, Cinn City High. I won't miss you very much.

I had college orientation on Wensday and Thursday. I signed up for my classes. The two most interesting are Tai Chi, and Drawing. I'm really looking foreward to both.

I have been saving up to buy myself a nice Digital SLR camera, since mine is ancient and doesn't work as well as it used too. It's sort of an advanced everyday camera that was a step below a Digital SLR about... 4 years ago. Now that I'm trying to shoot more complicated things, and my new knowledge of how to operate a lovely SLR camera, I've realized how constraining my current one is. That and my memory card can only hold about 26-30 pictures, and I can't get a new one because the type of card it uses isn't made anymore. I've got enough for a good one in my savings account, but with college and such I'm worried about taking $500-$700 out of it, and I'm not going to ask mes parents or family members, b/c they're all going to be really nice and buy me a pretty new laptop. Since I just graduated, I've had a windfall of unexpected gold, so as long as I keep working, I should have enough soon.

Speaking of work, Govenor Corzine, bless his twisted soul and car accident injuries, has put huge buget constraints on the public library systems, so much so that the library may not be able to afford the summer increase in my hours, meaning I might need to find another job if i want to have any money at all. I don't want to have to get a second job, and I won't quit working at the library because I love that place so much. But we'll have to see.

I don't know how to get icons of my clubs/deserving friends to stick on my journal w/o having to retype it each time. Anybody have any idea how to do that? Thanks.

Signing out.

-Clubs-

:icon: :icon:

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/18287724/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/18287724/ Mon, 12 May 2008 11:11:13 PDT
1) Jeff and I broke up about 2 weeks ago. Ultimately, I was feeling trapped in a relationship, he wanted to go out and do his own thing, and overall, stuff wasn’t lining up anymore. I could bitch for a long time about the little things that went wrong, but they’re just stupid, and besides, the big picture is all that most people really need to hear. As soon as I’m done going through the anger stage of grief (I’ve been stuck in it for a while) I plan on staying friends with him, so I guess things haven’t changed that much. (And Ari, I have no problem if you still keep calling us “Mommy” and “Daddy,” but that’s your own choice. I’ve just gotten sick of people going “OMG!! I’m so sorry.” Seriously, stop saying that because its not your fault. I don’t want any pity or like “Is they’re anything I can do?” because there is really nothing you can. What’s happened has happened and that’s just the way it is.

2) My dog, Jupiter, got put down about 4 weeks ago. He was 13, grey, and his systems pretty much had shut down. He was dignified to the end, and he lived a good life. I wrote a poem about it the day before he was put down called “Eulogy.” It’s been recived well by the people who read it, and I’ll upload it sometime soon (See bottom). This means I have expirenced 2 losses within 2 weeks. I swear, when it rains, it pours.

3) I went on a band trip to Boston the weekend before last, which I had paid for mostly by myself. Our music department sweeped the bottom half shows, winning last place in every title. At least the band landed 3rd (there were 3 bands). I got to spend some time bonding with some of the guys I’m friends with, but don’t hang out with that often, and had an overall swell time, despite the cloudy/rainy weather. My only complaint is that I got stuck with the second worst roomate I have ever heard stories about (the first being when my dad got stuck with a speed addict back in the 70's).

4)I got published in the Burlington County Teen Arts festival’s writing anthology with my poem “Revisit.” If you want to read it, it’s somewhere in my gallery under “writing.” A big heaping pile of “OMGS!” all around ^^

5) My “Snippets” project is on hold indefinitely (mainly until all of this Jeff crap is over with. Damn, getting over it is taking FOREVER!)

6) Senior Trip (Over a month ago, I confess) was fun. I’ll write more about it when I feel more like writing.

I will be updating my arts soon. I have some new flower pictures as well as a bunch of new poetry, its just that the wireless interwebs has been against me, and the school’s computers are stubborn and wont let me upload deviations on them.

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/17167937/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/17167937/ Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:30:44 PST 1. Post these rules.
2. Each tagged person should post 8 personal facts of themselves.
3. Tagged people should write a Journal\Blog about these facts.
4. In the end, tag and name 8 more people.
5. Go to their dA pages and comment saying that they are tagged and hugged

1. I used to have naturally bleach blonde hair when I was a baby (proof here: [link] )
2. I absolutely love cheese but am lactose intolerant.
3. I read over 15 webcomics.
4. I doodle so much I have a notebook set aside for doodling.
5. Most of the bands I listen to no one has ever heard of.
6. I bite my nails constantly, even though I'm 17.
7. I really need to find my purse.
8. I'm currently working on making my own webcomic, very very slowly.

Tagged by encilrebel:

I tag anyone who wants to do this.


Anyways... I posted bad links on my last blog to the pics I CGed. Here's some new ones.

[link]ingpink.jpg

[link]

I'm not gonna post the other one because I REALLY don't like it.

I bought a pair of awesome pants at Hot Topic the other day. Check 'em out! [link]

Here's a sketch for the upcoming webcomic that will probably never happen. [link]

It's about all of the silly stuff that happens in my life, some truth, some fiction. That is Jeff's character page. I have a bunch of scripts written out and comic's sketched, but I'm too lazy to do it. Besides, I need to find a good server host thingy thats free, and those are hard come by. I'm thinking of using tripod or comic gen, but I'm not sure. Jeff says he'll help me set it up, which is awesome. As I say, the best way to get free tech support is to date a geek.

I don't have to go to school until 11am tomorrow, Wensday, and Thursday b/c the juniors are taking the HSPA standardized tests. Poor babies.

Anyways, I better wrap this up before i post way way too much.

I still want to see Juno. Maybe this weekend...

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/16511827/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/16511827/ Mon, 21 Jan 2008 19:20:32 PST [link]

Check them out:

First one I did. Needs some work.

[IMG][link]

Second,and my favorite thus far

[IMG][link]

The latest:

[IMG][link]

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/16225071/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/16225071/ Wed, 02 Jan 2008 13:51:07 PST -Copic Multiliner inking pens
-Copic Paper
-$300 going towards the Boston Trip
-A new jacket, gloves, scarf, and hat.
-Floppy socks
-A red hooded poncho-type thing
-An earwax cleaner (very funny, Jeff)
-$50 Best Buy gift card

Too much happened over my x-mas break to ever fully put down, but it included several Church Services, visits from family, a long visit from jeff, Wintertur, Longwood, and everything else but a break. Goody.

However, New Years was cool. At midnight, Jeff, my cousin Audrey, my dad, and I ran over to the church and rang the bell. Then, all but my dad ran down to the river and got to watch at least 6 fireworks shows that were happening up and down the riverbank. It was really cool.

I've been fiddling around on photoshop. My current work in progress is...

[link]

I feel like I'm never going to finish it. -yawns-

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/15957300/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/15957300/ Sun, 16 Dec 2007 10:23:43 PST
Tommrow, I'm going to go to my sinus specialist and ask if there are any surgerys i can get that don't open up my brain to fix my headache/sinus problems. I hope there are.

In other news:

Today is JeffxKatie's 1 year anniversary. So what are we doing in honor of the occasion? Jeff is studying for finals and I have a history Document Based question to write. We'll be lucky if we get to call each other.

What are Document Based Questions? When a teacher hands you a giant packet that has a question that you have to analyze and answer with x number of documents for you to use to back up your thesis statement. I hate these essays. If I have to answer a question, I want to do my own research (which is one of my favorite parts to essay writing). Blech.

Anyways... My friend Ash has been out of school for over a week and I miss her like crazy. She should be back on Monday (knock on wood).

I need to go out to take some new photos sometime soon. The weather has been uninspiring lately, so I havent felt like getting up to do it.

Since I got sick (I've had a cough/cold since Thanksgiving. Why do they stick aroundd??) I've gained at least 10 lbs. So I've decided to go back to the gym, and Mom and I are going to try the Weight Watchers diet again, so I can become slim and sexy again. I also plan on working with a woman who's a personal trainer that goes to my Church so to work on running (which I can't do). Naturally, she just got a lovely case of Siatica (sp?) and so she can't feel her feet. Don't you just love how life works out?

I am currently applying to 1 college, Farleigh Dickenson. So, whoever is reading this, offer prayers and sacrifices to whatever God you worship that I get in, because I have yet to find another College that meets to my standards, which are:
-A creative writing or writing for publication major (suprisingly hard to find)
-In North Jersey
-Communications Studies
-A good study abroad program
-Medium-Sized student body
-A student/teacher ration for writing classes 20/1 and below (below perferred)
-Professional writers for their writing teachers that have recived some form of positive recognition for their writing
-Large Campus
-Not incredibly competitive (Like NYU)
-Diverse student population
-Train lines to Trenton and NYC nearby
-Decent food

Maybe I'm too picky, but then again, if I'm going to spend 4 years at a place, I'd better like it. I plan on majoring in Writing and (possibly) minoring in communications. I would love to work in the radio buisness.

Christmas is coming up. We don't have our tree yet or any decorations out, but its coming anyway. I still need to buy everyones X-mas presents. I'm very bad at this. Maybe I'll wait until after Christmans and give gifts to the people who give me ones. I don't know.

What do I want? Well... there is a 3-day band trip in May to Boston for some educational clinics and stuff there. I plan on putting down the $100 deposit myself, but there is still a ton of money afterwards (I can't remeber the price now, but It's around $500-600) and since my parents are already paying for my senior trip, I would like money to help me with that. I would also like a brand new set of working sinuses, but I don't think they are very easy to get a hold of.

I need a day off, but I have a week until any days off... blah...

Well, I've gone on long enough. Until next time

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/15921443/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/15921443/ Thu, 13 Dec 2007 17:45:45 PST
I haven’t written in a while.

Anyways…

I did a book/scrapbook for Creative Writing. I can’t decide if I’ll submit each one as a deviation, or just post images here.

Decisions decisions.

What do you all think?




Will have a longer entry when I have more time.

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14771836/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14771836/ Mon, 24 Sep 2007 12:21:51 PDT [link]

Hey Katie!

I apologize I didn't get back to you sooner, but my macs spam filter
has been working overtime lately so I'm having to be take a little
bit of extra time to comb through things -_-;; .

Anyway Remy and I absolutely love the picture!!!11!1 I really like
the choice of media used as well as the color choices and
outfit.....Wish you could have helped me plan out her first outfit
when we first introduced her because I did a pretty crappy job haha!

Overall a very good job and You definitely have some talent there!

As for the comic we love it when we get fanart or feedback and thank
you so much for reading! I was the only one at Otakon, but I do
remember him picking up the sketch because it was maybe the only free
sketch I did for the whole con! Last year I did more, but also has
less to sell so I made more free sketches then.

We will keep trying to be "awesome" and If you don't mind I am going
to place this piece on our fanart page as well have it linked to your
Dev art page(If you don't want me to then just lemme know)!

Thanks again for reading and the awesome fanart!

- Mike Hall "aka" Jax



I FEEL SO AWSOME!!! *does happy dance*

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14705652/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14705652/ Wed, 19 Sep 2007 18:23:34 PDT
Instead of paying full price for the new Linkin Park CD (which I was not sure I wanted), I ordered it on an Inter-Library loan, and just paid $1. And zomg, they curse, and and in the first song track, it sounds like theyre running around in Jeff's goth pants.

School is cool this year. Got a bunch of classes I like ^^

CREATIVE WRITING FOREVA! (I scare the freshies by pure hyperactivity and loudness. P34R MY S3N!0R G0D C0MPL3X!!!!!111).

Nahh... I love all the little freshies =3

I love being a senior though. I get to go outside to the senior court during study halls, and I'm like IM FREEE!!! *skips and falls down hill*

I've gained some sort of obsession with Jimmy Eat World lately. Go figure.

Allright, if you couldnt tell, my brain's dying of shower deprival. Logging out.

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14285593/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14285593/ Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:37:26 PDT
Things have subsided to a dull roar over here. Im going back to physical therapy after my vacation/b-day party/jeff house sleepover. I have a psych appointment after work, and I visited Rider University yesterday. Not a bad campus and all that stuff. I'll admit that I'm starting to lean away from AU. I've realized exactly how FAR away it is, and I'd rather stick to North Jersey. I'm sick of South Jersey, and I'm not really that far south.

Jeff is doing well so far in college. His dad, mom, and I dropped him off on Sunday and helped him unpack. He's still trying to sell Stevens to me, but thats not going to happen. When he dragged me into the bookstore to buy me a sweatshirt (his mom, in the end, bought it) and I looked at the textbooks. They were (in summary) math, math, math, math, math, math, math, math, math, math, math, enginenerring, enginenerring, enginenerring, enginenerring, history, english. Thus, not my school.

As usual, we've been texting back and forth all day, and calling each other every evening. It's like being back in school, but it's still summer. From his texts, (which mainly consist of "I MISS YOUU!!!!! T.T) I have gathered that he misses me a lot. I feel sorry for his roomate. Jeff probably never shuts up about me (not that I don't appriciate it.) EL GASPO! I JUST GOT A TEXT NOW! *looks at it* "I love you." Ahh, yes, the second most sent text. Hes so sweet im suprised I haven't gotten a heart attack.

Well, lunch break's over, and its time to head back to the chains and grindbooks.

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14163908/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14163908/ Tue, 14 Aug 2007 11:17:07 PDT (yes... it is my birthday)

I have FINALLY finished Jeff's birthday card/ 1/2 of his present. It's this HUGE (by my standards) drawing of my three main charries for my book. First, i screwed up the coloring (i am never touching markers again until i can use them right) and then realized that i messed up the line art and THEN realized id screwed up a face. Thank god jeff gave me my b-day present early (it was a light table) so i could trace over the orig art and fix all of it up. I then decided that i was not going to spend over 12 hours coloring the whole thing in with colored pencil, so he has a lovely pencil shaded peice of artwork for his wall.

I so far for my birthday, i got...

-a lighttable/box from jeff
-$50 in B&N giftcards (parents)
-How to Draw Manga Kimono's and Gowns (parents)
-HTD Manga- Sketching Manga (v. 1) (parents)
-HTD Manga- Fleshing Out Your Characters (parents)
- $50 (Aunt)
-2 formal shirts (Oma + Pop Pop)

My Grammee and Grandpea haven't given me their's yet, and I'm gonna see them today!! (which is my birthday) Grammee has made me a Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing. *droolsssss....*

The same Aunt who gave me the $50 is planning on buying me some more and shiny new artsupplies! YAY!!

There are only two things i can complain about 1- I'm trapped at my Summer House, which is really a trailer in the middle of the woods. I'm typing this from our local library. At least it's really pretty up here.
2- Jeff and I are having a small party together coz our b-days are only six days apart. However, he forgot to tell most of the people that its JC and KW's birthday party. I intend on chasing him with a pitchfork if he forgets to remind some people. however, he has promised me that he will buy me a gift for every person who forgets. Mwahahahaha.

I am also a little sad that on Sunday, Jeff's heading off to college, wich means no more 5 hour phone conversations. I intend on cracking the whip dominatrix style to get him to do ALL of his schoolwork. I'm gonna have to do that to myself too, b/c im going to need to work my ASS off to make it into the college i want to go to- American University in Washington, DC. Which reminds me. I REALLy need to get down to that summer work.

Well, I'm being kicked off of my computer now. Till next time!

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14048908/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/14048908/ Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:05:44 PDT
Summer's been all coolie. I've been working a lot and working on saving for le college. I really want to go to American University, but after this year's health disaster imma gonna have to work my ass of to be able to have the grades to go.

Right before school let out, my main comp broke, so that is the reason why i havent posted anything. I have SO many photo's and drawings that i want to post that i can't T.T

After school let out, mum, dad, and I took Jeff (my boyfriend) to North Carolina in our trailer for our family reunion. He hit it off well with my mom's side of the family, and a lot of people say thsat they miss him and dont know what to do with their computers now that he's gone. When we were there we stayed in this really cool cabin in the mountians (with the rest of the family) and jeff and I had a blast exploring the different patches of poison ivy. Luckily, we never got it because we washed all of the oil off. We also visited foam henge (which i will post pics of when my computers working again).

I've also been spending more time with jeff, which is great. Im so happy with him, blah blah blah mush mush mush etc. etc. etc, even though he and his brother like to make up songs about the bum that lives in my town.

Otakon was awsome. Warped Tour was awsome. Everythings been pretty much awsome...

... except for my back. I'm back in physical therapy for it. yay...

cant think of much else to write about. Any requests?

-K

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/12708987/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/12708987/ Mon, 23 Apr 2007 18:38:26 PDT
2) I HAVE A TABLET DRAWY THINGY THAT MY BOYFRIEND BOUGHT ME (if you didnt read that in my cg of the eye, which is also my avitar-sort of.)

ok

carry on

]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/10133007/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/10133007/ Wed, 20 Sep 2006 14:02:14 PDT ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/10114079/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/10114079/ Mon, 18 Sep 2006 16:58:15 PDT
hm... ]]> ~Aye-Aye http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/10041715/ http://Aye-Aye.deviantart.com/journal/10041715/ Mon, 11 Sep 2006 16:41:26 PDT
Five years ago was 2001. Hard to believe.

I still remember exactly where I was standing when I heard the first murmurs about something being bombed/hit/exploded/on fire/melting/frying.

Confusing, yes?

Try putting it in the eyes of an 11 year old that just wanted to go to gym class.

I was waiting outside the gymnasium in Spruce St. Elementary in Lakewood, NJ, waiting eagerly to go in and play basketball or tag or race around with that morning energy that I had had back then. We stood there for 10 minutes. My teacher had gone into the gymnasium right when we got there, so we had fallen out of line, trying to get water out of the water fountain that never seemed to work, chattering, mock-punching each other, or just sitting down with our backs against the wall, relaxing or trying to get the others to shut up. Suddenly, my gym teacher burst out of the doors, her eyes wild, shouting “They hit the towers! They hit the towers! And one of them just collapsed!”

That’s all we knew about what had happened until we got home. My teacher, with a grim face, scribbled away at the board, trying half-heartedly to get us to pay attention to something about world history, or getting us to do some assigned math problems in our textbooks. Rumors flew around the room like bats of bad news. Most of my classmate’s parents came in and took them away. Why? I didn’t know. “It must have something to do with the towers that got hit,” I figured, not knowing what really was going on. But I was furious when my parents did not pick me up.

At the end of the day, the old intercom system cracked to life, the principal giving the final announcements before we were able to break free. His normally excited, passionate-about-learning voice sounded dead, as he ran through a list of the different programs, “Intramurals is canceled. Art Club is canceled. Homework Club is canceled…” The list ran on, program after program, until there was nothing left. Then, in the same sorrowful, deadpan voice, he informed us that something terrible that should not have happened, happened today, and that he prays that our family and friends are all right. Then, without even his normal cheerful end-of-day slogan, the intercom crackled off, silence filled Mrs. Grey’s 6th grade classroom, for the first time in hours, and we all processed out of the classroom.

When I got off the bus, my mother was not at my stop with my dog Jupiter to pick me up. I walked home with my neighbor, dropped him off at his house (he was in kindergarten) and entered my own.

Jupiter greeted me like he always did, smiling, his tail wagging furiously, and with several nice wet kisses that always made me cringe. As I dropped my empty book bag on the floor, my mothers voice floated up the five stairs and said, in that same dead pan way that the principal hand made the closing announcements, “Katie, is that you?”

“Yes mom!” I replied happily, “You wouldn’t believe all the weird things I heard today! Something about a building being bombed or hit; we weren’t sure…”

I was silenced when I saw her come up the stairs. Her face looked haggard and stressed, her frown lines showing. “You mean they didn’t tell you?” she inquired, very seriously.

“Tell me what?” I asked her, curiously.

She didn’t reply. She took my hand and led me downstairs into the den, the television the only source of light, and blaring the sound of sirens. My father was sitting back in his armchair, staring unblinkingly at the screen, his chin resting on his hands. “Hi daddy!” I said cheerfully, grinning, “Why are you home from work so early?”

He didn’t reply either, so I looked at the screen. A woman was running, the camera following her. A jogging reporter asked her, “Was there any blood?”

The woman stopped and sobbed, showing a gaping cut on her leg, the blood staining her ruined stockings and the hem of her skirt, dripping over her bare feet. “Yes!” she gasped, “It was everywhere! Look what happened to my leg!”

Dust was falling around them like a gray snow, settling into the crying woman’s hair and landing on the lens cap of the camera. I couldn’t look away, just sat on the couch and stared, unable to look away.

That moment changed my life.

My parents couldn’t tear me away from the images of violence. Unable to speak, I just stared and stared, my eyes drinking in the clips of the towers getting hit over and over and over and over again, thousands of times. Then they would switch to the image of a gaping hole in the ground, and then flash to a picture of the pentagon in flames, and then shift to a shot of men and women, all attired in business suits and ties, running away from a gigantic cloud of dust, screaming and shouting and helping the fallen run…

After several hours, I turned bac... ]]> ~Aye-Aye