http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:TheRealNeix&section=today deviantART RSS for by:TheRealNeix en-us Copyright 2010, deviantART.com Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:45:35 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/25475986/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/25475986/ Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:25:19 PDT
I have been job searching, a lot. It is very tough, even though Nebraska is one of the least effected states in the US from the recession. Still, I have hopes and will keep trying. I am helping out at the volunteer bike repair shop, doing some minor repairs and learning stuff about bikes. Speaking of bikes, we just completed our 5th bike tour across the state a few weeks ago!! It was a ton of fun! Very windy, hilly, and lots of food and good company. The art show, which happened back in May, was a huge success. Loads of people stopped by and got to see my photos and my friends' work. It was awesome! Thanks to all who came (again!).

I am currently in Pennsylvania for the week visiting ~TrixieBelden, aka MOM, and it is a blast. We just laugh and laugh! We are both taking summer courses, so we're pretty busy. I am in a nature literature course which is shaping up to be a really great time! We are reading "Flight of Iguana" by David Quammen, and it is awesome. What a writer! Any rate, I had better cut this short. I hope you are all well and the summer is going great. Please drop by and see some of my new work, and I will do the same for you! Cheers!!!

-Neal Gebhard

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23893097/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23893097/ Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:31:07 PDT valbury


Recently I was browsing through photography and encountered Valbury's work. Instantly, I knew he had skill in studio photography and explored his gallery. I couldn't have been more pleased with what I found! Valbury is a photographer from Indonesia who does fantastic commercial work and also shoots portraits. He has a distinct style that I find to be very appealing when viewing his subjects. However, the biggest surprise I found while browsing through his gallery was not in his work: it was in the fact that he has been on deviantart for over a year and a half and still has fewer than 500 pageviews! Valbury is clearly unappreciated. Please go check out his work and comment, favorite, collect, and dev watch! Valbury is a humble photographer who must be made aware of his skill in his field, and you can help!

Below are my personal favorites from his gallery. Check them out!

Amazing Lighting:


Kick Ass Combs:


Portraits:


Now, show him some love!

-Neal Gebhard

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23861421/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23861421/ Tue, 24 Mar 2009 06:21:52 PDT
Right now, the only deviant I am in real contact with is =Dshark, and I wouldn't mind if any one else wanted to add me on facebook or simply communicate more. Though the internet is a place where we can remain anonymous, some of you artists out there are just too cool.

Anyrate, thanks again so much for all your support. I realize that 10,000 isn't a big milestone for some people, but considering how active I have been this past year(or unactive...?) I am surprised there is still a lot of interest in my work. So thanks.

Have a good day, and look back here for a feature soon!

Neal Gebhard

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23755910/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23755910/ Tue, 17 Mar 2009 22:39:00 PDT Keybladewarrior, from Singapore! Jac is a really great photographer who has a knack for macro photography. Her work is crisp, detailed, and innovative! She deserves much praise for her skills in a tough field of photography. I want to see more soon!

But for now, here are my favorites from Jac's gallery:





Show her some love!

All for now, have a great week!
-Neal Gebhard

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23602436/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23602436/ Mon, 09 Mar 2009 01:00:14 PDT
I put much of my older work into the scraps category. I did this to clean up my gallery and present my best foot forward, but still provide a nod to my early days. These pieces can be found in my gallery's "Older Work" folder so people can see where I have come from.

So that is it for gallery changes. I was relieved to see the wonderful CSS =Dshark made for me a while back, and now I feel a little more legit here on dA.

Also, I miss hearing from you all. I know I am not always on a lot, but I do enjoy seeing what you do and talking. Drop me a line and I'll try to do the same to you!

In other news: Some of my photography is up for display at Jones Coffee shop in Lincoln at 11th and G st. If you are in the area, check it out! The exhibit is part of UNL Photo Club's display of student work, and we'd appreciate the support.

All for now, please take care!
Neal Gebhard

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23529350/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/23529350/ Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:07:39 PST
Today was amazing. I woke up and discovered one of my classes was canceled. Then it got super nice outside! I spent from 12:30 til 4:30 outside taking photos and hanging out with people in the sun. I even walked around in bare feet around the Union just having fun. Most of the new images I have put up recently are from today's awesome day. Things just feel right when you have a nice day and the time to go out with your camera and catch everything. What's even better is that I didn't have to do much post processing to my photos! I got the light in just the way I wanted. Woo! Anyrate, I am getting ready to go play my saxophone before getting to some homework. I hope all of you are well!!

-Neal Gebhard

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/22782600/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/22782600/ Sat, 24 Jan 2009 13:15:15 PST
Some updates:

I'm taking an Islam class that is amazing. I suggest anyone who comes from a Western nation to take a class about Islam, as it will help you get a much better idea of what Islam is about and dispel the ignorant perspective that has been allowed to flourish here in America and other countries.

I'm in a poetry class this semester so I will be posting some work here from that.

I now have a video camera, so I've decided to start video blog. Once I have some more entries and such I will link it here for you all to see me putter about my dorm and blather.

I recently bought two works from ~Badhead-Gadroon, an amazing artist here on dA who is known for his unique take on iconic figures from the Elder Scrolls world with traditional art styles involving inks. They are truly beautiful. Because he is so awesome, I've decided to post a few of his works here on my journal.

(Apologies, I am not a subscriber, so you'll have to check out these links...)

[link]

[link]

[link]

Go check out his gallery, he is amazing!


~~~

All for now, have a good one!
Neal G.

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/21467440/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/21467440/ Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:33:53 PST
[link]

Thanks again to *Emeranie for the feature!!

-Neal

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/21294542/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/21294542/ Mon, 03 Nov 2008 05:09:03 PST
Any rate, I must force myself to wake up(It's 7:00 am at the moment) and go start my day.

Cheers!
Neal

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/20545547/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/20545547/ Wed, 17 Sep 2008 21:52:02 PDT
1. I am applying for a photography position at the Daily Nebraskan campus newspaper! I have been busy putting together a resume and photography samples, so wish me luck! It won't pay much, but I need the experience and am eager to work in journalism actively again.

2. UNL Writers' Forum!! I am meeting tomorrow morning with prof. Jarvis to talk about a writing group I am trying organize here on campus. Writing communities are awesome, and people have been asking me when I will work with one here! I am super pumped. Of course, the group will provide all the things any writing group should have: support, trust, expression, expansion, and respect. There are nitty-gritty details to be worked out, but I hope that I will have a space and time to have set aside for writers on campus.

3. New photography project!! I have taken it upon myself to shoot a portrait photo of each of my good friends to hang up in my dorm. My walls are white and bare and need cool people's faces on them, so why not take my own? I have about 30 faces to nab, so this will be on going as I try and corner everyone for a chance to photograph them. Should be fun!

I am also writing a paper for my English course called "The Last Lecture." It is loosely based of Randy Pausch's last lecture. If you haven't seen this lecture, go check it out: [link]

Any rate, I intend to write about the importance of individuality in life and how to make your life better by being the best individual you can possibly be for yourself and for your world. I hope I can do the topic justice! Any rate, I have a lot to get working on. I promise that I will be posting new photos soon when I have had time to take some. So take care, and keep doing what you do best!

Neal Gebhard

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/20245128/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/20245128/ Sun, 31 Aug 2008 00:02:20 PDT
My classes are exceptionally amazing. Except my theater class, which reminds me most of theater 1 from high school, except with 10 times the amount of people in the class. East Asian history is fantastically interesting. Having spent considerable time on western history, I have been rather sheltered from the dynamics of eastern culture. African history is decently intriguing. The jewel of my classes is most certainly writing communities, which I was opted into by the teacher herself. The journalism course I am in is also rather interesting and engaging.

Things just feel right. I am home right now, which I don't know what that means any more. I feel different, like I don't necessarily belong here, in the room I have grown up in. Even after just a week this place is strangely alien. It is no longer mine to see when the day is done.

Writing has been rather easy lately. Damien and his friends are still struggling to cath Tangera before he can make off with the power of the weather vane and Lith'we is still stuck somewhere, waiting for me to rewrite him properly. Janeen is deciding what to do in the halls of the Metal Man, but she is drawing nearer to making a choice. I write sticky notes every morning.

I meet a lot of people around campus that make me realize that I am no longer at a different level. Every where I am impressed and dazzled by everyone's dedication to learning what they love, and that feeling just helps push me to think about what I love to do as well. I have been making friends. Megan, Maddie, Ryan, Ian, and others. They are very dear to me and I enjoy that they care about what I have to say and how I am, even though we have really only known each other for a moment in the greater scheme of college.

I am heading back to the dorms on sunday and I will spend my labor day in Lincoln. Hopefully I will begin to feel right again and keep my mind off the unpleasentries of love and my inabilities to understand some girls. Staying up late and talking with Damien and Janeen helps a lot. Even though they are on my paper, I can't help but smile when they make sense, and when they tell me all about their problems and how I can help them fix things, for better or worse. And in reality, that is what our lives can end up doing: going better or worse, and we are without power to oppose such forces. And at the moment, I think I am more than happy to accept that.

Neal Gebhard

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/19041251/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/19041251/ Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:04:21 PDT
Take care,
Neal G.

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/18389054/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/18389054/ Sun, 18 May 2008 19:26:09 PDT
-NG

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/18125061/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/18125061/ Thu, 01 May 2008 21:34:09 PDT
Sorry for not updating and everything. The end of senior year has preoccupied me, and with my subscription expired, it is hard to motivate myself to update. I hope you all are well, and expect some more photos soon!

-NG

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/17856746/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/17856746/ Mon, 14 Apr 2008 21:25:32 PDT TrixieBelden in Pennsylvannia, so we're hanging out and having fun. Took some photos today at a rally for crime victims awarness month at the capitol here in Harrisburg, so I'll post those shots soon. I have been following all of your work as closely as I can, and if I don't comment, I apologize. I at least look through all my deviation notices before deleting them. I do wish I could have more time to say how awesome you all are, but with 270 deviations built up, it is hard to get to you all!!

I hope you all are well, and look forward to more work from me soon. Spring is here, after all!! (sorta, snowed in Nebraska before I left...)

-Neal Gebhard

a lens I tried out today, maybe will buy when I have the $$$: [link]

i can't decide if I like it though. Comments?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/17091671/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/17091671/ Wed, 27 Feb 2008 16:03:02 PST
man. I think I might go buy some cigs, even though I abhor smoking.

-Neal Gebhard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/16946989/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/16946989/ Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:53:31 PST
My favorites so far:

When We Were Free, by Pat Metheny. I saw this one live when he came to Omaha, and it was fantastic to get to finally have this song. Wow.

The Red One, by Pat Metheny. An awesome beat and melody, just carries me through the day with a bad ass guitar line with awesome solos.

The Mean Time, by Michael Brecker. Brecker has always been a fantastic composer, and his tenor sax line coupled with Metheny and other jazz greats makes this fast paced song wonderful.

Five Months From Midnight, Michael Brecker. Brecker seems to be trying to tell me in this song, "Hey, Neal, I'm a bad ass and I can be sentimental too. So let me play this amazing song." This is right next to Brecker's Delta City Blues, which seems to tell me, "Hey, Neal, I can do what ever the hell I want on the tenor sax."

Check this out if you haven't seen it: [link]

wow, just wow.

In other news, it won't stop snowing outside so I can take photos!!

-Neal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/16490455/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/16490455/ Sun, 20 Jan 2008 13:02:00 PST
So, senior project. Deadline = feb 8th for my product, which is a booklet to help high school students form writing groups for younger writers. I'm rather excited and I have a lot of work to get done, or I don't graduate. I'd say so far I have two major sections to write up. I've finished the introduction outlining motives, goals, background and other things essential to introducing the concept of a writing group.

Now I have to write about finding a teacher sponsor, communication with sponsor, how to recruit students for the group, how to communicate with students, some ideas for the first meeting, etc. I will also outline to idea of flexible group structure and how to build up a list of ideas to get the kids thinking of their own for future meetings.

The end will have a list of future ideas for the group as well as a huge list of resources and writing prompts. I will also include student work to show what exactly we did in the group.

I have had so much fun with these kids, it's crazy. They always make my Thursdays better, and I love being able to be there for them. I am going to be sad when I have to leave them

My 9th graders are preparing work this week to send to Xanadu magazine at Westside, and I have already sent a letter to the magazine with my ideas to help them correct issues from last year. I'm very pleased that my friend who is the literary editor agrees with my points and is willing to work hard to make the magazine the best this year.

All in all, my mission from this summer to help improve Westside's writing community has been a pretty big success. When I leave, I hope that the students will take up their pens and continue to write and keep going with the writing groups. Mr. Sayre will continue to host the middle school's group, but I am looking for someone who can offer their time and energy to help the students as I did this year. The 9th graders will be older, of course, and they are all good friends, so I have no doubt that they will try to keep their group together.

So that's that, I suppose. Time to get working on my project so I can graduate and go on my way. phD, here I come(?)

All for now!
Neal Gebhard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/16175708/ Mon, 31 Dec 2007 00:59:24 PST
-NG

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15965860/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15965860/ Sun, 16 Dec 2007 21:18:57 PST
Here are the rebel statistics: [link]
a review from Digital picture:
[link]

Also arriving with the camera are two lenses that are part of the package. First, the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM standard zoom, which will be a general use lens.

a review: [link]

Next is the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM telephoto lens, for long distance shots(probably only with tripod).

another review:
[link]

These two lenses are included in the package I bought. The reviews I posted are pretty harsh on both lenses, but for due reason: they are beginner's lenses, and I am a beginner. The web site is also pretty classy and gives praise where praise is due.

Another awesome part of this upgrade is the third lens I am getting. My awesome mom, ~TrixieBelden, recently mailed a macro lens to me. She is pretty freaking amazing, because I was not able to fly out to PA this winter, and she could easily have spent the $$ some other way, but chose to buy me an awesome macro lens. I you momma!

Any how, the lens: the Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens, which is probably the highest quality lens I am getting this winter. I am super excited to use this, and currently it is sitting on my desk while the rebel itself lies under the tree in the living room. There are so many awesome ideas rolling through my head thinking about what kinds of stuff to take photos of. A whole new field opens up with macro. 12/25 cannot come any sooner this year.

A review:
[link]

You'll note that the review is not as harsh on this lens, because it is AWESOME. Praise where praise is due.

I'm not posting this up here to wave this in anyone's face. I am extremely lucky to have such wonderful parents who are willing to fund my artistic pursuits and support me in any way. Without them, I would not have even gotten into photography at all. So thanks Mom, Dorie, and Dad for all that you've done. and you too Sal. So I am very excited to show you what I can do with such lenses and a new camera.

Hope you all have a great holiday season, no matter what you celebrate.

Happy Saturnalia! Laeta Saturnalia!

Neal Gebhard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15809398/ Wed, 05 Dec 2007 15:23:03 PST
Grow the fuck up and get it through your head. This isn't a shooting that happened in a far away place. This was a shooting that you could have been at. This was a shooting that I could get in my car right now, and in 10 minutes, I would see where people were systematically murdered. This was a shooting that took place at a shopping center I have known my entire life.

People are shot every day by guns, but most people I go to school with can't even understand or try to understand what violence does to the community. People don't get that a man carried a rifle into a shopping mall and opened fire on innocent people and that those people are dead, and those people could have easily been their parents or people they know.

So wake up Omaha, and look. Look at the kind of world we live in. Look at the faces of the dead and understand. Understand that today horrific gun violence has just struck us in the heart.




And if the NRA even dares to come here and hold a rally, we'll kick Charlton Heston all the way back to California. Gun violence will not triumph in my hometown.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15780928/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15780928/ Mon, 03 Dec 2007 14:43:44 PST I am becoming rather happy the closer we get to winter break, which is pretty amazing. I am very excited for the Alamo bowl.

You should know that I am starting a day to day writing blog.

[link]

bang.

Have fun with that. I hope to post every other day when I get something in my head about writing, language, plot, or what ever. Should be a fun little way to flex my writing arms.

Also, brought up Cyrano de Bergerac in Discrete math class today, made me laugh a little inside. How the hell do you bring that up in math? seriously.

Any how, thought I'd let you all know that I am going to be posting my previous articles from the Lance here on dA so you can read what is going on with my opinion writing. If you want to see what else is going on at our school, head on over to our website:

[link]

All for now!
Neal

oh, also, I was accepted to Iowa State University

yessssss

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15468189/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15468189/ Sun, 11 Nov 2007 17:50:42 PST
I haven't written anything since school began and Rachel left for France.

I haven't taken photos since summer.

I haven't really felt like I am whole as I have in the past.

I even gave up my hope of finishing my writing portfolio to send to Scholastics in hopes I could get the gold award again like I did in my freshman year.

Sometimes I question what I should be doing with the time I have here while I am still young. I have a lot going on, and I am happy with the things that part of my time has been devoted to.

My music groups at school, for one, have been great.
Writing groups also have been fantastic. We're even planning a young writers meeting next week for students all over the city.

Every class in school feels right... except one; chemistry.
I have never felt rewarded by my efforts in that class. Other classes make me feel like my education is important. In Latin, I am translating the Aeneid. In Composition, I am proud of the papers I have written. Even Math, which I normally do not enjoy, feels great because I love the work we're doing and my teacher teaches math the best I've ever seen. Newspaper is hectic, but worth the efforts.

But Chemistry... takes 6 1/2 mods out of my week. The class also gives me the most homework, which eats up my free time. The class is not hard, and considering my major I am intending to apply for, I do not think that chemistry will be a necessary thing in my high school education.

So I am dropping the course next semester.

I have talked to two guidance councilors now and they both agree that there is no strong argument for me to take the class. All the colleges I have applied to require 3 or less years of science, which I have.

I want to do this so I can do better in my other classes, have time to write and take photos, do more for the newspaper, and recenter my life around my creativity, like it has almost always been before. I want to explore art again and have time to read books that I hear everyone talk about.

Some may call me undedicated. I have a job, although I work one shift a week. It still takes time. I also have four music groups to contend to. I have two writing groups and now a up coming city wide group. I am also taking a difficult language course which I am avid and passionate about.

I also get to bed at 12:00 every night, and on the weekends, I crash and spend long evenings with Khalisha because there sometimes isn't time to see her in the day.

I'm just tired of beating the crap out of myself, and If I can graduate and get into a good college without a class that eats up time in the day and the night, all week long, I am going to follow that plan.

This isn't the only thing I am changing. I am putting aside computer games and reserving xbox games for the time with friends. I'm also going to work out more to keep my focus and determination up. I am also think about trying a little Parkour, which is a European sport. Look up some videos of David Belle and you'll see how sweet it is.

So. Writing. Art. Photography. Music. The works. It all needs to be part of my life, and right now, not everything is lining up.

So it's time to make it happen.


Best wishes, and hopefully you will see more of me soon.

Love to all my friends and artists.
Neal Gebhard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

*TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15006988/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/15006988/ Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:13:13 PDT
I enjoyed myself rather immensely in the brief time I had with each of the games. Team Fortress 2 had previously released a beta version of the game, and I had the chance to get into some of the multiplayer action this past weekend.

I thought I would share some of my thoughts on this awesome package of software. So here's goes.... My 5 cents on the matter.

Half Life 2: Episode 2

Right off the bat, ep.2 opened with stunning visuals and a continuation of the awesome characterization of Alyx that ep.1 gave us. The gravity gun makes its return(of course) and for the first few levels, Gordon Freeman must make his way through antlion/zombie infested mines until he can find another weapon.

Gameplay for the most part seems to be pretty much the same as if always has, but I have yet to reach some of the more expansive areas promised by Vlave in the later chapters. Awesome shadow effects, cleaner textures in high def. and fantastic sounds and graphics. A definite upgrade from ep.1 in visual effects.


Team Fortress 2

I will start off by saying that I have never played a team fortress game before TF2, so I am in no way from the "old school" TF crowd. I really enjoyed getting into the 9 classes and playing around with their different abilities, namely the demoman, whose grenade launcher makes him perfect for defensive missions and suppressive firepower. Spy is one of the most interesting classes I've seen in any game, and is terribly difficult to use, but so effective if done well. Graphics are stunning, with fluid textures and a cartoony style appeal not unlike the Incredibles from Pixar.

Every class has its purpose, and TF2 forces teams to work together to supplement each other and get the job done. While each class is well fleshed out, the maps are getting boring, and with only 6 levels for us to duke it out on, I am yawning already. Also, the medic ubercharge coupled with a heavy is probably the number one failsafe strategy for taking objectives, and is annoying and seems unbalanced. Other than that, Team Fortress 2 may be one of the best multiplayer games for PC this year.

Portal

whoa-ho-ho-ho.... Man. What a mind trip. Portal hands you the hand held portal device which sets up two different portals at a time that link up to one another. You are a test subject given the task of solving complex puzzles using this device. I have gone through the first few test rooms, and I am still itching my head over some of the strategy used in this game. Momentum, jumps, reflections, speed, gravity, weight, and any other attribute of physics is implemented in the use of the portal device. Each puzzle can be solved in a few different ways, and attacking the problem is both a test of intellect and skill. The awesome graphics of the Source engine help make portal one of the most amazing puzzle games I have ever played. I am already excited to go through the puzzles with some of my friends who enjoy this sort of thing and to play the bonus puzzles. Very very cool.

Well, that's my first impressions of the Orange Box. For $50.00, I'd say it's worth every bit, even if you have to rebuy HL2 and HL:ep1.


Now, time to write a bit before I head off to sleep. Weee!

Neal Gebhard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/14977367/ Mon, 08 Oct 2007 20:26:43 PDT
I am also keeping my camera in my car, because some of the skies the past few days have been amazing and too good to pass up.

All for now...

Toodles!
Neal Gebhard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/14956275/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/14956275/ Sun, 07 Oct 2007 13:15:55 PDT
But my writing groups are going fantastically, so that is amazing. We're having a great time with exercises and we're going to launch a community project soon.

weee?

Neal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/14607789/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/14607789/ Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:16:13 PDT

*youthphotographers



Also..... Bari sax quintet is in the works!!! gah!!!dfnogijsodfsfg

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/14232791/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/14232791/ Sat, 18 Aug 2007 22:29:27 PDT
THANK YOU TO ALL FOR THE 3,000 PAGE VIEWS!!!

Anyhow...

I've long been fond of the Harry Potter series, even though I admittedly fell out of the loop for quite a while. I've also been fond of many other stories that use magic in their plot lines and explore new methods of magicworking. After seeing the latest Harry Potter film, I began to yearn for that magic in my own writing, and I am happy to say I've found a good short story to tell that will use magic in a way I believe is original yet understandable. I'm very satisfied right now with everything.

I drew the Odin rune the on the first day of my senior year, which told me that I would be waiting for things to fall into place, that I knew myself, and that my life would come together in a way that I had hoped for a long time hence. And it pretty much has. I have the teacher I wanted since 9th grade. I am in a respectable position in the newspaper. I am enjoying marching band and have met many new people during camp that I am good friends with now. I have also gotten my writing group started and will meet next week. My 8th grade writing project will also start next week, and I am in the process of gathering my "master class" group.

I like to stop and take a look at my life to see if I am happy. I think I am right now.

My writing as of late has been rather on target. I wrote all day today, which made me happy. I think I am beginning to break that annoying wall of not being inspired enough to get good work out. To a degree, I think that I am afraid to "fail" when I write, as if everything that comes out of my head has to be amazing work. I know that it doesn't, and I think I am getting over that wall. This will allow me to just sit down and write, even if I am not doing my best work.

School may be a source of this fear. In school, if I do something wrong, I suffer because I either look stupid in class or my grade is hurt. I try to learn from my mistakes, but it's really more of a fear that drives me to do better. Does it help you learn? One might say yes, another might say no. I' not sure yet what is the best way to get people to learn.

Enough of that, for now. I keep identifying this romantic vision of fantasy worlds by my thoughts, and it excites me that I get better at writing every time I try something new. I get closer and closer to being able to express that vision in my head, and I am proud of what I am dreaming of. I fall in love with these characters that seem part of me, that share the struggles I am dealing with, and that have emotions that I might never truly know in my heart.

I also rode my bike for the first time since my knee injury. I feel so alive right now. I can do what I want to do and enjoy myself. Senior year was looming ahead of me, but now I seem to have just dived right in and am ready for the year. I am in love with my girl friend, who is moving away to college. She's not going far, but it will cut down the time we are able to spend together. I am trying to get used to limiting the time I have with her, because when she does move, I will be forced to accept this way of life.

As I sit down to write all of this, it seems like I can't find the words to really express why I am in love with life right now. I think the first time I knew I was in the mindset of that final growing stage in high school was when we had left school and eaten ice cream across the street when we had open time. I was just sitting there reading a book while everyone was getting food and I realized that I was at peace with what is going on, and that I am in the right place, with the right friends.

One of my friends is moving away to France for year. Rachel is an amazing artist, and I hope she gets a deviantart site soon(I know she won't though ). I am going to miss her a lot, even though we hardly saw each other these past three years. I really wish that I had spent more time with her and had more classes with her, but I know that if I did, my past would have been much different and things would not be the same as they are now, which is why I must be content with the present matters. The point is that even though we did not see each other often, Rachel still is a very important person to me. When I began writing in 8th grade, she supported me and in the future, usually asked me how my writing was going. Now that she is moving, I wanted to give her some of my art work, so I am going to deliver Immortal Kloc to her before she leaves.

When I was thinking about Rachel leaving, I also thought about what life would have been like if certain people were still around in Omaha to experience life with me. Iggy left before 9th grade and since then it ha... ]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13865577/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13865577/ Tue, 24 Jul 2007 20:17:01 PDT
I am still here, every one, and I am trying to give you the support I so often show you all. I've currently 343 deviations to browse and a lot of stories to finish up for my writing portfolio. Also, it is nearing the start of my senior year in high school, so I am very busy with homework and college hunting, etc. Any how, I just wanted to let you all know that I am alive and thinking of you and trying to spend time with your art work. Keep doing what you do!!

's to all.

Neal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13578130/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13578130/ Mon, 02 Jul 2007 12:45:42 PDT Beloved-Captures.



This club is rather new and young, but has drawn together some really awesome photographers. Please join us if you have any interest in a smaller group and meeting some great photographers! Also, head on over to the news section and give the article some love: [link]

Thanks to *DigitalEurynome for tipping me off!

In other news.... I am thinking of doing a journal or something to show off what you all think is my best work so far... so if you could chose any 5 of my photos as my best work, what would they be?

Also, how would I go about putting thumbs in my journal?

And... I will be doing some features for my devious family soon.

all for now, still in PA! Returning on the 16th

Toodles!
Neal Gebhard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13471985/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13471985/ Sun, 24 Jun 2007 12:52:31 PDT
However, things are going very well despite these set backs. I'm now on my way to getting more materials together for my writing mentor program and I will be powering through several short stories these next few weeks. I found a book that helped me figure things out about writing when I was an 8th grader, and I'm pulling ideas for the kids out of that. I am also scouring the internet for good ideas while also preparing a list of objectives for the kids to choose from once we get going.

I am leaving tomorrow for Pennsylvannia, because my mother, ~TrixieBelden, lives there. I will be visiting for three weeks and return on the 16th of July. Mom and I plan to do some intensive writing and photo taking while we're out there. We may even go to NYC again and see Wicked on Broadway, which is fantasticly exciting. I'e determined that I'm a social writer, and so I write better when I am writing with people and talking about things that get me energized and ready to dive into the ideas that have surfaced. Also, NYC is a very inspiring place for me to go, and will hopefully generate some cool photos.

In other news, I have a new girl friend, ~kscdncr1. We have been dating since June 6th, and it's been fantastic. She is moving away to college though, which will make things tough, but she is only moving about 45 miles to Lincoln. This means that it will be reasonably easy to see her on weekends/when she comes back for dance, et cetera. Anyhow, she is on a crazy adventure to Europe right now and will return soon with many cool photos I'm sure she'll share on dA and the like.

For those concerned, my knee problems I mentioned during my bike tour are just fine. There is nothing internal, and the swelling is all on the outside. This means I just need to stay off of it and not use it for a bit. I'm very releived that it was nothing problematic.

Well, I suppose this journal is long enough. I'll leave you all with my gratitude for your continued support and for sharing your impressive array of artwork. Keep things coming! Even if I'm not commenting on everything, I try to look at everything that comes my way. Also, to the writers out there, keep writing! I am also trying to read everything you're putting out.

Well, toodles to you all. I will be around

Neal Gebhard

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

*TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13269919/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13269919/ Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:10:38 PDT

I will try to keep you updated during the week when I can, and I will take some pictures on my dad's camera and the like. I hope you all have a good week, and I will tell tales of my journey next week.

Until then,
Neal G.


Day 1: we rode about 82.5 miles today in the heat. I woke up at around 4:30 and we were on the road by around 5:30 or so. I would have made it the whole way, but my knee is acting up. It's been kind of weird these past two weeks anyhow, and I thought things had cleared up. guess not. So I dropped out after about 55 miles because my knee was making crunching noises when I was peddling. No worries, I will be helping with supply trucks and random business tomorrow and will try to ride later this week on some of the shorter distances.

I am just a bit angry that this is happening. I know that I could easily do this if my knee was alright, and I hate having to ride the truck into camp. It's so degrading. Anyhow, I will do the best I can with what I can do. I am now off to eat my fifth meal of the day. Toodles!

Neal

*UPDATE*

Day 2: I didn't ride today, so that my knee can still heal up. Instead of riding, I helped out one of the roving SAG trucks and helped resupply stops and rescued people off the road. It wasn't too bad, really. Today was a tough ride. Headwinds all day and rolling hills like none other, plus it was very very hot. Things were pretty easy going until the end of the day when we picked up about 7 people on one run. We'd been working the tail end of the ride, so everyone we picked up was struggling pretty hard. It was really sad to see how such determination was met only with defeat. You can't help but admire the strength of will these people put up, and it hurts to see people have to get off their bikes and load up in the back. I've never been near the end of the ride, and I am glad I've never been where they all were. It just proves that it's important to get ou early before the sun gets up and the wind starts blowing.

I am in high hopes that my knee will be good to go by the end of the ride. Tomorrow, I plan on helping at a stationary SAG stop so that I can be out in the sun and not in the somewhat boring and strange position of driving all over, picking people up and what not.

Anyhow, I am looking forward to riding soon, and then resting for a long time back home. I miss you all in Omaha, and I will talk to you soon.

Neal G.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

*TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13182768/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13182768/ Fri, 01 Jun 2007 22:17:40 PDT
An Actor is a person, first and foremost, who assumes the visage of a character so that an Audiance might see only a character. An actor will be recognized as great when they are not identified as an actor, but as the character they portay. Thus, a character is not an actor at all: there is only the character.

~~~~~

So stop Idolizing actors in movies and pay attention to the characters. It always annoys me when people discredit a movie for the person acting in it when they base the performance off what other films they've been in. It's a character who makes a story, not an actor.

I think society should take a break for a big "DUH" moment and stop worrying so much about actors and worry about characters.

Just my thoughts for today.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13057169/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/13057169/ Wed, 23 May 2007 17:02:28 PDT
Due to the nature of our high school's literary arts magazine this year, it has come to my attention that a strong and supportive community is not present for aspiring writers. It seems that only several people are being glorified while others are shut out and miss the opportunities that such a magazine offers the community. Thus, I have taken it upon myself to ensure that a strong community will rise up and give the support many young writers need.

I remember in 8th grade how my English teacher became my first writing mentor and showed me the support and help that many young writers never received. So, as the school year closes with this slightly depressing magazine issue, I thought it would be a great idea if writers like myself would go to the middle school every other week and meet with aspiring writers there and help them learn more about writing.

I have some ideas about how to go about doing this effectively...

I'd like to work with a few kids. No masses of students. Maybe a maximum of five or so, so that my attention is not spread too thin. By working with my 8th grade English teacher, we could find students who are actually interested in writing and willing to give some time to come meet with me.

I want this to be loose and informal. I always hate it when creative writing classes have to dumb things down for people who aren't paying attention or really shouldn't be in the class. It sounds harsh, but in a smaller group of kids, they should actually want to be there so they can give their energy to learning and growing as a writer.

Anywho, I want to tackle things like... "so what do you think about writing?" "what kind of books make you want to write?" "what sorts of things really make you think?"

Questions like these will help jump start kids on talking about writing. Because as a mentor, I don't want to be a teacher- I want to be a friend and someone who will help open some ideas for them and be a person who can and will talk about writing with them.

That is my ultimate goal: provide support for younger students in middle school to promote a stronger writing community in the future.

If you have any ideas for activities, or just any ideas for my project, please let me know.

Neal

:EDIT: Today I went to the middle school and talked with my old teacher. We basically covered the possibilities of working with the students on writing and I am pleased to report that I will be working with the kids next year. My old teacher, Mr. Sayre, set up a writing club at the school this year, and so he thought it would be a good idea to have me come and work with the club after school. I am very excited! I will be going back to the middle school tomorrow to visit some students in the club and maybe ask them some questions about what they'd like most out of a writing mentor. :END OF EDIT:


ALSO,
=Dshark and I are working on a fun little project involving all of you!! Take a look...

"OK! Second order of buisness! The dA block party me and =TheRealNeix have come up with! It's really easy and I would like everyone possible to join! I just need a well lit full body shot of you! Just post your picture and I'll do the rest! The Idea is I'll edit all the pictures in to one really huge one! So grab you cameras and I'll get to work! Remember everyone its a party so dress fun!"

Please join, it will be fuuuun!!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My Devious Family:

http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12902544/ Wed, 09 May 2007 17:11:34 PDT
Let's begin.

First off I would like to introduce you to who I met in a random chat room sometime ago.=Dshark is one of the most supportive and kind souls you will meet on DA, and consistently has shown his support for my work. In addition to his amazing skills with digital media, Devin supports his watchers and builds up relationships and strong friendships with the artists he chooses to support. I am honored to be one of those artists.

Next is ~Hamelton, who is a great friend of mine that I go to school with. While he may not always post up his work, Ken shows talent in understanding photography and is always seeking to improve his style. While he is a great friend outside the artistic community, often joining me for gaming nights and hanging out on weekend, Ken also shows his support for my art work and leaves humorous comments that might confuse people. But we all love him for that

~Albrtd3 has been one of my friends on deviant art since the beginning. We met last November, and since then, Albert has shown me some really funky stuff. He is always improving and expanding his line of work, and shows great promise in his digital art. Through projects he does for friends, as well as his comments on my own work, He shows me that he is a devoted and loyal friend. I still have yet to get him that stock art that he has been asking me about, but that is beside the point.

~MoreThanNothing is one of the most interesting people I have met on DA. She consistently shows her increasing skills in photography and has a dynamic intellectual perspective on the world that offers a wonderful new view on things. Through her diverse styles and devoted artistic prowess, she has earned a few recent opportunities for exposure. Check out her journals to find out what's going down with ~MoreThanNothing. Because of her steady interest in my work and her friendly comments and support, she is a great part of my "Devious Family."

~faithfuloh, called Giovanna, has been a person here on DA that I wish to support further than I already have. Through her wonderful ideas and angles, Giovanna shows her strong ability with a camera. While she has not been able to always afford the most expensive cameras, I have seen many wonderful things from her that have told me that equipment should not determine the quality of the work. Art is not measured in how expensive a camera is, only how well the photographer can use it. Because of broken equipment, Giovanna has not been able to post very much recently on DA, so if you have a chance, show some love. She has some great work.

=DoSomething is one of my best friends, and shares my name. Except, his is spelled "Neil," and mine "Neal." But that surely hasn't really changed the fact that... ]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12638658/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12638658/ Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:50:49 PDT
Anywho, some new stuff heading your way....

Polls and the like: I will try to make some fun and random polls for you to fill out. I do like hearing how much weight you think a giant fire ant should be able to bench or what kind of milk tastes best with a beard on.

Clubs: I am going to be looking for some clubs, and now that I'm a subscriber, maybe people will see the little "*" and pay more attention or something along those lines. If you have any clubs you think I'd enjoy, give me a holla'

More of the Photography and Writing you've been waiting for: I am now on high alert for creative impulses, and that means that with the increasingly decent weather, I will be out and about with my camera. Also, I am diligently working on Twin Pines and the Watch Dog and also extending on The Rain and the Piano. So if you enjoyed those two, keep your eyes open, because sooner or later I will be updating them.

The Shoutboard: AHHHH!!! DON'T FORGET TO SHOUT!!!(that means you too, Neil)

Also: I need an avatar for my new stock photography account, ~NeixStock. If anyone wants to help me, I'd like you a lot.

Well, that's all for now, I suppose. Thanks for checking in and keeping me in mind. I will continue to comment on as many of your deviations as I can, and I always appreciate your time and consideration.

Neal G.

Good Friends:


Take a look, you never know what you might find. ]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12638399/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12638399/ Tue, 17 Apr 2007 22:12:42 PDT
I am going to start working with stock photography, and I know that some of you are avid photomanipulators. Thus, I am catering to YOU. If you have a project and need something, please ask me and I will be happy to try and hunt down a photo for you. Also, leave me some comments on what kinds of photography you'd like to see me nab for ya. Here are somethings I have access to easily:

nature/forests
buildings and homes
down town
churches and cathedrals
statues and other art
young people(teenagers)

Please let me know if there is anything else I can add to my list.

Also: I have opened up a separate account here on DA to field my stock photography. You can find this at ~NeixStock, which as soon as I have time, will be full of stock images. If you have ANY suggestions as to what most people look for in a stock image or any other useful tips, please let me know some how. Generally, commenting on my main page will not work out so hot, so note me or comment on this journal, or even at ~NeixStock.

Thank you so much!! Cheers to you all!!
Neal

Good Friends:


Take a look, you never know what you might find. ]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12515356/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12515356/ Sun, 08 Apr 2007 19:16:15 PDT
While sitting in the church pew, listening to everyone singing graces to god, I thought of this, and expanded on it:

Give a man a star, and he will sing a thousand songs for a thousand years.
Give a man a single jewel, and he will be speechless for eternity.

To me, this makes total sense. If you think about it, one of the chief things we as humans tend to do is glorify large things. Things that are powerful, huge, impactful; we want to make sure people know how important it is. But what you never hear of is how wondrous the small things are.

I think about how hard it is to tell someone how perfect a drop of rain is, or how a single leaf in the breeze can instill peace in my heart. Yet, how easy is it to tell how terrible the storm was, or how beautiful the forest was in the fall? I would have to say that we are not more impressed by large things, but I will say this;

I feel that we glorify large things because we can't stand to feel so small. We want to feel closer to that which makes us realize that we are unimportant, as if we are connected to that. WE can identify with things because it makes us seem more important to that which we give glory.

But in the small things, we can not even begin to understand how something so small and insignificant can be so precious and beautiful.

So some questions to ask:

Are small things harder to explain because there is not the knowledge of the way it flows and exists?

Are we jealous of large things?

Why do we care what things are and how important or less important they are to us?

Just somethings to think about...

Neal G.


Good Friends:


Take a look, you never know what you might find.

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12340154/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/12340154/ Mon, 26 Mar 2007 17:39:48 PDT
I never write notes, and I never play those silly journal games where you post a bunch of questions for people to answer. But I had to write about this.

So most of you are familiar with my car, Slamm Andrews, who is a 1990 Honda Accord. Slamm has served me well for more than a year, and is a faithful vehicle. However, Slamm had a problem on saturday. A BIG problem.

Slamm caught on fire.

No, I am not exagerating: there were flames. I bet your ready to hear the story about why my car suddenly caught fire. WEll, here it is.

The scene: a nice quiet evening with twilight all around, the sun splashing color against the sky. I decided to go out to eat with Khalisha and other people, but only Khalisha could make it. So I went to go pick her up, and as we are driving down pacific to hop over to Dodge street, I smell something fishy. Well, it wasn't quite.... Fishy, per say. But it smelled bad.

I figured that it was just some other car that smelled bad. So I kept on driving and thought nothing of it. That is, until it felt like the entire car fell out of gear. Slamm was suddenly coasting on pacific street. I fed him gas, but he just didn't move! So I pulled into the parking lot of the high school to seek refuge. Of course, then my power steering failed and I had to wrench the car to a parking spot.

Upon getting out and opening the hood, I was dismayed to find a patch of flames burning near the air belt on the engine. Of course, as Khalisha and I noted, that class in life lab didn't help me one bit. I shut the hood and we got our stuff out of the car(except pedro!! ah!!!) and sought higher ground(ie, getting far away).

So I call AAA and they sent out a tow truck. Figures I had some electrical short near the alternator or something, and it caught fire on some oil or what not.

$500 later, and Slamm is working fine and is ready to be bad-ass and play music too loud once more.


sigh.

oh, and Pedro is OK. *phew*

Neal G.

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/11994066/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/11994066/ Tue, 27 Feb 2007 21:35:05 PST
Writing is also scary and has been amazing, the passion of my life. I am nearing completion to my first book, and I am very very very excited to get moving on publishing. It feels strange to know I am getting closer to putting down the pen and thinking of the next book in the series as summer rolls by. There is a lot to be done this next year, and I intend to do my best.

I want to thank everyone for looking at my art, adding favorites, and talking with me and giving me hints to what I can do to improve. Support has been very helpful in making me find time to give more to the art community, as invisible as I may be to its eyes. I feel every time I put something here that I get a little in return, another little part of me for all of you. and that is what is important about art, right? If we did art only for ourselves, we'd never ever have museums full of the stuff. All of the artists would jut sit at home and hoard all their work in the basement and never even talk about what goes on in their heads.

Things like art's connection to who I am, who you are, and what people find when they view/read art. These are all ways I see creativity flowing freely, bringing us together. And that is what is great about all of you; you are here to connect to us by giving and recieving. There are giants in each art field, and they often times make us feel small when we stand beside them. But there is something to be said of having celebrities to look after in art: while they may flaunt themselves at times, they give a whole lot to everyone, and that burn to get the same effect in our own art is something that can motivate us to rise up as well. And of course, art is what one makes of it, so any thing can be great should you really care for the piece.

Well, another year...

Good Friends:


Take a look, you never know what you might find.

Neal W. G.

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/11275802/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/11275802/ Tue, 02 Jan 2007 17:13:59 PST
This week I am visiting my mother in Pennsylvannia, so I have been doing some work up here while on vacation. I also have bought a new camera, an Olympus SP-51OUZ, and it is treating me well. The most recent deviations you may have seen have come from the Harrisburg area, and are the first deviations using my new camera.

I wanted to take the time to wish you all a Happy New Year. While there is still a lot of war and violoence and senseless killing going on, I want to remind everyone how important it it to remain hopeful and do what we can to make peace. I can only hope that this new year provides some answers for my nation. But I also hope that it provides you with another 365 1/4 days of opportunity to be a better atrists and to truely live through what you love to do.

I want to thank the people who have stuck with me and have remembered me after my absence on DA while I finished up first semester of school. Increasing support for my art has helped me gain some motivation in finishing my book and getting on things to make them happen.

I am also going to stop all video gaming until my book is finished. I am renewing this pact because I broke my promise during the past month, and now I am side tracked from my writing. This has to stop. I must be able to pull through and halt myself from succumbing to the addicitve nature of video games.

I am returning home this friday, on the 5th, and I will be glad of it. i leave a lot behind whenever I travel out here, but I do it because I love my mom. School starts back up on the 8th, so I will have a few days for myself.

To my supporters and my friends, thank you. You've made all the difference.

Neal

Good Friends:


Check them out, they would really appreciate it.

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10988886/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10988886/ Thu, 07 Dec 2006 21:03:59 PST
Anyway, I just wanted to check in with everyone to let you know that I am alive and will take many many pictures when I go on break, because I will have my brand new camera!!!! *is excited*

I'd like to thank everyone who is watching me for their support on everything I've done, it means so much to me for people to comment on my writings and photography, and a few of you(coughdsharkcough) have helped me find new ways to explore my creativity. Thanks for all you do!

All for now, take care,
Neal

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10862538/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10862538/ Sun, 26 Nov 2006 22:38:46 PST
I was wondering if any one who has used the prints services here at DA can tell me if it is worth it to sell prints. I have heard mixed reports about this. Also, please tell me which of my deviations you would buy as a print. Thanks!

I've been doing some more writing lately, hopefully I'll be able to connect up more things and get things rolling again.

Thanks giving was really good, except the whole being detained by homeland security thing.

Also, I am pleased to announce the fact that I am feeling ill and probably will get worse this week. Hurray for sick dayz!!

I watched Saving Private Ryan tonight. I hadn't seen that movie in about a year or so, and I was really hit hard by it again. I think a movie with such heavy and brutal content should be viewed to remember the only war that was necessary to fight. It was not necessary to start, but to end it, that is where the true honor lies.

Wars arn't like WWII these days. It's always a larger force attacking weaker and smaller forces who disagree with them. The smaller force may even be defenseless. Ethnic conflicts, militant groups, et cetera... There is no honor in fighting on either side, because the conflict is pointless. It's always for political power or economics. Sigh. I'd like to point out that a struggle for victory is what makes the ideal come alive. A fighting force that is unmotivated and has a dead ideal that they themselves do not fully understand, then the fight is pointless. Conflict happens because a point must be made, not because of politicians playing their pawns across the world.


Ug, if there's a draft, I'm outta here.

Neal

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10782935/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10782935/ Sun, 19 Nov 2006 21:30:57 PST
I've updated the first chapter. I think anyone who rereads it will feel as satisfied as I do about the new diologue and historical sustinence.

I am also going to try and add more chapters of the book online here at DA. I think I will give only three more, so you all will want to buy the book when it is published.

Thanks again to everyone who has been supporting my work lately. This includes and , who have been very influential in my progress here on DA. I am so glad to be free to take photos now, and my writing has exploded and I am feeling more inspired than ever.

The seasons have almost fully changed now here, and I'm waiting for the snow. Hopefully it'll come soon and assure me that fall really has passed and I can rest easily. I feel restless, like I don't want to accept that this year is getting nearer to ending, and that I'm getting older. Junior year is an odd place to be, because I am both worried and excited to lve as an adult, but I know everything will work out.

All for now, keep going, everyone.

Neal

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10715883/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10715883/ Mon, 13 Nov 2006 18:54:34 PST
70,663 words.

I need to go outside

-Neal

PS: will some make me an avatar? I am incompetent at making these things. *shrugs*

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10671687/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10671687/ Thu, 09 Nov 2006 17:42:55 PST
Yes!!!! *dies of amazingness*

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10630023/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10630023/ Sun, 05 Nov 2006 20:37:26 PST
I can't believe it, but it's actually going to happen. Three years ago, I'd never be able to imagine this.

Neal

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10439581/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10439581/ Wed, 18 Oct 2006 21:37:16 PDT
My understanding of the world of the book has also become broader and deeper, as many things have come together and I can build a suitable back history upon what I have imagined. That aspect is something I always had somewhat of a struggle with, as there was hardly anything to work upon when the world had just been born in my mind. It has, to my joy, been defeated for now. I am already going back and finidng an interesting metaphor that will indicate future events and cause reflection on the reader, and my knowledge of how to unleash these things on the reader also is preparing me to write deeper story lines.

As I go back in time with my thoughts, I enter a really rough stage of my life where I was really coming to terms with my mother's homosexuality, which I accept and love about her now, my cousin's suicide at age 17 after he was suffering from a minor case of fetal alchol syndrom, was on antidepressants, and did drugs, and my plunge into what life really was.

Thus, it is interesting to really look at how I've changed over the years, and how my writing styles have altered. I find that I have a very solid style that seems to grow steadily more complex as I work things out and understand more of myself. This gives me an odd job when trying to change things in the beginning chapters.

The beginning of the book has been already recieved wonderfully by most people who have read it, so I am hesitant to tamper with what is already there. I don't want the work to be immortalized as soon as I touch my pencil to the paper. This is the story of who I am and what I believe, not the preserved juices of whatever emotion I was feeling at the time. While I am fueled at times by emotions, and they play an incredible part, I believe that it would be alright to change or alter the method of which I present my older thoughts so that I do not unwitting lie about who I am to my reader.

All my thoughts for now
Neal

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10329555/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10329555/ Sun, 08 Oct 2006 19:52:25 PDT

-Neal

]]> *TheRealNeix http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10298346/ http://TheRealNeix.deviantart.com/journal/10298346/ Thu, 05 Oct 2006 21:04:44 PDT
Take care now.

Neix

]]> *TheRealNeix