deviantART: by:aftersunsets

save me before i'm sucked into the bottomless pit

~aftersunsets — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 20:13:18 PST

of internet communication.

I am seriously considering creating a blog.
Cue the drums and cymbals.

It started when I began writing some short stories. They suck, but they are the beginning of my journey through that great, creative, satirical nonsense of opinionated writing. They make little sense, yet they are fueled by my own idiotic views of this world - well, of the humans in this world. Demonstrative nonsense, you could call it. At least, it's demonstrative to me.
Somewhat.

This idea has lolled about in the dusty basements of my mind for a while, only to thump its way back upstairs due to another "edit" to the idiotically long artist's comment - artist's college essay, more like - of my Why Can't We All Get Along stamp (which, on a side note, has recently passed 100 faves. Thank you for giving me hope ;])

I do, oddly enough, have opinions. They may be inconsequential, they may be trivial, and I am, by no means, a genius nor a philosopher, nor even a very smart person. I am not all that knowledgable about the goings-on in our society. I barely followed this past presidential election. The furthest I venture into current events is The Daily Show. I myself have never had a hard life, have never had much struggle or loss, have never been alone or hopeless or devastated. I'm a middle-class, straight, semi-religious white girl who generally leans Republican. By those standards, and I somewhat agree, I know nothing.

I am, simply, a blatant fool who has, as such is the case of many a fool, access to the internet.

Now, I am not trying to "down" myself. Actually, I greatly detest people who "down" themselves, at least without proper cause. Really, I have no idea why I am thinking about starting a blog, nor, even, why I am writing this all down in a journal.

In the end, it seems a little pointless, does it not? I would just become one of the masses who believes their opinion is worth hearing. Don't we all believe our opinions are worth hearing? I suppose I have some fantasy that I could actually reach people, maybe change their lives in a tiny little way, or help them understand something, anything, be it about themselves or the people around them or the world in general. But what are the odds of that?

Funny thing is, I do believe my opinions are worth hearing. Not those of politics or religion or culture. Really, I have very little to say about those topics. I don't fully understand them, and I will restrain forming an opinion on something I don't understand.
But I do, oddly enough, believe I understand humans.

No, I retract that last statement. I don't understand humans. And that greatly puzzles me. To no end, mind you. It's a bugger, wondering why people act the way they do and why they think the way they think. Gives me a splitting headache if I think about it too long.
I don't care if I never understand God and religion, I don't care if I never understand politics, but all off Hell and havoc will break loose if I don't try to understand humans.

I suppose you could trace it back to the general fact that many people believe their opinions are the "right" opinions. Well, when it comes to humans, I do believe my opinions are "right."

Though, I suppose the internet isn't the best place to discover the accuracy behind my beliefs.

People aren't always themselves on here, are they?

this is a touch disconcerting.

~aftersunsets — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 16:32:56 PST

[link]

As Rachel you are rather serious-minded, responsible, and stable.
You have the gift of tact and diplomacy, and possess a charming, easy-going nature which endears you to others.
You have a serious desire to understand the heart and mind of everyone, and could be very effective in a career or in volunteer work where you are handling people and serving in a humanitarian way.
This name also gives you a love of home and family, and as a parent you would likely be fair and understanding.
Although the name Rachel creates the urge to be reliable and responsible, we emphasize that it causes procrastination, lack of confidence, and the inability to realize your goals and ambitions.

Granted, I'm not the best judge of my own character, but that seems to hit the nail on the head. Funny, that. Seems my name fits me rather well. Never did like it, but now I may have to reconsider.

Go Check These Out
[link]
[link]
[link]
[link]

an update.

~aftersunsets — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 10:56:23 PST

WHAT UP?

I rode today

First time in nearly two months. It was tough. I'm out of shape, and my right Achilles tendon won't stretch like it should. Makes cantering a damn sight harder than it was. It's not so bad at the trot, but it's pretty useless at the canter. I can't dig my heel in or lean towards the outside to help balance out the horse. I did jump some today, but I'm thinking I'm just going to have to take a step back and do some flatwork until the damn thing stretches out to normal.

Sold Charlie, too, which is really perfect timing. Even though I can now *ride* I wouldn't have been able to work with him. Like I said, right leg's pretty useless and I'm out of shape. I can't muscle around a 15 hand Quarter Horse, let alone a bigass tank of 17 hands like Charlie. He went to a good home, though. They're going to spoil him :]

Er, yeah. Haven't been doing anything "artistic" much. I've written some, but nothing that I feel like posting up here. I'm working on some plays. I've decided I want to go into theatre. It's nice, having a goal and a future now. I know most high school juniors don't have as clear an idea as I do. It's quite comforting. Now all I have to worry about is getting into a good university. I'm looking into Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Pennsylvania. And Canada. Brother has a friend in Montreal that knows of some good liberal arts colleges up there.

I've also got a high school plan. I'm going to graduate early. Honestly, I wish I was a senior now. I'm ready to graduate. I guess it's because I've finally decided what I want to do and where I want to go, but high school seems like an inconsequential chore now. Senioritis, I guess you can call it. I don't know why I have to take Stats or Chemistry or Anatomy or English Composition or PreCal. I want to go into theatre and English Lit. How is any of the above listed going to prepare me for an English Lit majour with a minour in Theatre? If you have an answer, please tell.

Graduating early will also let me take some of my freshman courses at UAH, which is about 25 miles away. It'd be good to start off with the mandatory classes closer to home. I can get a feel for what college'll be like, before I go off up north.

I guess that sums everything up. I've definitely drifted away from photomanipulation, but I'll probably post some of my writing up every once in a while. Actually, I'm thinking of starting a blog for my short stories. Don't know. It depends on if I actually finish my short stories

FEATURES

^{Design by DP Studios `DigitalPhenom
Flames by ^jbensch
My Shit Doesn't Look Right? Get FireFox. Its not just a fad anymore.}

I <3 NY & Next to Normal

~aftersunsets — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 22:02:41 PDT

I do. I really do.

I wouldn't want to live here permanently, but I wouldn't mind living here for around six months to a year. Maybe after college, doing odd jobs. I would love to work in one of the theatres. Actually, that would be a dream job, working at one of the theatres. I wouldn't care if I was cleaning up after the shows. Just to work there. It would be awesome.

Sucks, though, being here with a broken ankle. I'm on crutches. I can't just walk around and roam the streets. I get tired. I have to go at an annoyingly pissy slow pace. I can't walk up steps easily, and I'm always running into people. It sucks. Why couldn't I have broken my ankle after the trip? Or, even better, sometime over the summer, early summer. That would have been perfect. Cause I'm also missing the best riding weather, and will end up missing all of the good riding weather through January, probably. This sucks. I'm not enjoying my first break anymore. The excitement has worn off. It needs to heal, damn it!

On a lighter note, we saw our first Broadway show tonight. The 39 Steps. It was bloody hilarious, I nearly peed myself a few times (I'm sure you wanted to know that.) Seriously, if you're in New York sometime, see it. But be quick. I think it's closing sometime next year. I'll be sad when it does.

Seeing Next to Normal tomorrow. Hopefully my parents don't hate it too much. I don't want them to ruin it for me. Because even if I don't like the initial story, the music is so damn awesome and I won't care.

New York is so much fun. Have I mentioned the cab rides? I love them! Those drivers have no fear, none at all. Nerves of bloody titanium. I wish I was as good a driver as a NY cabbie. Funnest moment so far was the cab ride from the airport into Manhattan. It's even better than a rollercoaster, cause on a coaster you don't have the risk of getting plowed over by another car. You've gotta be very aggressive, to drive in New York. And did you know there's a $350 fine for honking your horn in the city?

Seriously, if you ever get the chance, you need to visit. It's now one of my favourite places to come to, simply because it's so much fun to just hang out. Though, don't come with a broken ankle/foot/leg. Crutches suck in New York.

edit Saw Next to Normal. It was AWESOME! 'Cept we sat in the second row, and, while we were very close, we also had to crane our necks to see the second and third stories of the set. It was also hard to keep track of everyone when there were multiple scenes at one time. And my mom felt faint during the end of the first half. She had to leave and go lay down, missing the second half. And my dad didn't really like it, story-wise. But Alice Ripley was amazing - I can definitely see why she won best actress - and the music was wonderful and Aaron Tveit was hot as ever. So, all in all, it was awesome xD

six paged quiz.

~aftersunsets — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 16:22:09 PDT

^{I'm bored. I'm sorry

Start: 17:35

Your real name: Rachel M. Fawcett
Nickname: Currently, The Cripple xD
Age: 16
Height: 5'10Â
Natural hair color: Medium brown
Eye color: Dark brown
Skin color: Tanned
Glasses/contacts?: Contacts during the day; glasses before bed
Piercings: Heck no
Tattoos: Hell no. IÂm too wimpy for either of those.
Braces: Got them off this past summer.
Mannerisms: Eh, lazy, somewhat non-girly, sarcastic, easy-going, happy.
Other distinctive markings: Er, do moles count?

FAVOURITE
Colour: Changes on a regular basis, but, at the moment, bright green and bright orange.
Band: Matchbox Twenty and Barenaked Ladies, at the moment xD
Video game: HALO.
Movie: James Bonds, classic Disney, In Bruges, Penelope, Princess Bride.
Book: LES MIS.
Food: Sea Food and pasta.
Game on a cell phone: That old Snakes game.
CD: Ludovico EinaudiÂs Divenire & Les Mis soundtrack
Flower: poppies & white roses.
Scent: coffee shop
Animal: Polar Bears & Moose & Owls
Comic book: Old-school Marvel. Spiderman, Iron Man, Fantastic Four xD
Cereal: Eh, donÂt really have a favourite. It changes all the time.
Website: DeviantArt, IMDB, Google, GDC Forum, Wikipedia xD
Cartoon: Old-school Scooby-Doo & Looney Tunes

DO YOU
Play an instrument?: Used to be good at piano, and will probably start it up again.
Watch TV more than 60 hours a week?: Ha, no. Probably used to, but not anymore xP
Like to sing?: By myself when IÂm driving.
Have a job?: Nope. Lucky me.
Have a cell phone?: Yep. Old LG Chocolate.
Like to play sports?: Not really. I ride.
Have a boyfriend/girlfriend?: Nope.
Have a crush on someone?: Er, yeah, I guess.
Live somewhere NOT in the united states?: Sadly, no. But IÂm working on it ;]
Have more than 5 TVs in your house?: Nope, 3.
Have any special talents/skills?: I donÂt think so?
Exercise daily?: HAH, no.
Like school?: ItÂs all right. I think IÂll like college better.

CAN YOU
Sing the alphabet backwards?: Nope.
Stand on your tip toes without wearing shoes?: Ow, no.
Speak any other languages?: Some Dutch. Used to be almost fluent, but lost it all when I moved back to the US. A little Latin. Want to learn French, German, Russian, Norwegian, and Dutch, again.
Go a day without food?: Again, HAH, no.
Remember your dreams: Nope. Not really. But I do know theyÂre always weird.
Read music, not just tabs?: A little bit. Used to, at least.
Roll your tongue?: Yep.
Eat a whole pizza?: Ew, no.

HAVE YOU EVER
Won something in the lottery?: MaybeÂ?
Snuck out of the house?: I would be dead. No.
Lied to get out of trouble?: YesÂ sadly, IÂm rather a compulsive liar :/
Had a computer crash?: All the damn time with the PC. Once with the Mac.
Gotten lost in your city?: Not yet.
Seen a shooting star?: A bunch of times.
Been to any other countries?: Yep, a bunch xD
Had a serious surgery?: No, thank God.
Stolen something important to someone else?: Nope.
Solved a rubiks cube?: Ha, no.
Gone out in public in your pajamas?: Heck yeah!
Cried over a girl?: Yeah, cause she was a bitch to me and was my best friend. Oh, the woes of fourth grade drama xD
Cried over a boy?: Not yet, happily.
Kissed a random stranger?: No.
Hugged a random stranger?: No.
Been in a fist fight?: No.
Been arrested?: No.
Done drugs?: Hell no.
Had alcohol?: IÂve tried my moms drinks and hated every one of them. IÂm not a alcohol person.
Laughed and had milk come out of your nose?: Maybe?.
Pushed all the buttons on an elevator?: No.
Sneaked into the opposite sex's bathroom?: I went in accidentally, does that count?
Gone to school only to find you had the day off because of a holiday/etc?: Nope.
Swore at your parents?: Yes. I was grounded xP
Kicked a guy where it hurts?: No. I tried, one time, but missed xP
Been to a casino?: Nope.
Ran over an animal and killed it?: No, thank God. Killed a bunch of bugs, though.
Broken a bone?: YES! My ankleÂs broken. IÂm so excited xD
Gotten stitches?: No.
Had a water balloon fight in winter?: No, but thatÂd be fun.
Made homemade muffins?: Ha, no. I canÂt bake.
Bitten someone?: Yeah, when I was little xP
Been to disneyland/disneyworld?: Disneyland Paris, that wasnÂt very good.
Burped in someone's face?: I donÂt think so?

WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU
Brushed your teeth: This morning.
Cried: CanÂt remember, rea...}

my first broken bone!

~aftersunsets — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:56:02 PDT

Is it odd that I'm slightly excited about it?

Though, it's not really what you would expect to be a broken bone, but, technically, it is.

I was riding Mya today - a sweet yet sometimes crazy gaited cross - and she was actually being very good. Came back when I asked her and everything. We were doing a course and had just crossed the ring in a diagonal over the coupe, and were going around the short end of the ring to the next line, when her feet just slipped out from under her and she fell on me. Twisted my ankle in extremely unnatural and painful ways. She was alright, though. Just a bit shaken. But she got up quiet enough and just stood there while I was rolling around in the mud trying not to cuss out the world.
Went to the hospital and spent the next three and a half hours there. I've torn and strained a buttload of ligaments in my right foot and ankle, and I also broke off the tip of my fibula - a bit that's attached to a tendon that's connected into the ankle.
Not really a majour ass break, but a break nonetheless! Though, I really hope I don't ever break anything else, cause it hurt like a son of a bitch. Honestly, I may have low tolerance for pain, but it was just flat-out bloody Hell.

So yeah, my first break, and I pray to God my last.

I get crutches tomorrow, which is going to be an adventure. I've borrowed other people's crutches and have never gotten the hang of it. I'm not very balanced. But I guess, this time round, I'll be motivated enough to at least be able to manage

Only sucky thing is that we were going to a show this weekend. Obviously, that plan's shot through the roof. And Charlie's going to be a mess, now. He's only been ridden once in the last three weeks, and now I don't know when I'll be able to ride again. And now I'm going to miss even more school.

Sod it.

bedroom help.

~aftersunsets — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 18:26:27 PDT

So, I'm redecorating by bedroom and it's going swimmingly. I'm actually quite happy with it.
And my room is clean
'Cept I still have books piled in the corners, but that'll all sort itself out when I get my bookcase, which my dad, bless him, is working on.
However, I do want some input on one problem - my only problem, really - in finishing it up: curtains. Right now I have some dark blue, denim curtains, but I'm not sure if I really like them with the rest of the room: [link]

What do you think? Any suggestions?

back to hell.

~aftersunsets — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:00:04 PDT

^{What was I thinking? AP Stats, AP Chem, AP English, College PreCal, Human Anatomy, and Honours Econ & Government? WHY?
Sucks, too, because I can't change any of it now.
And on top of it all, I have to learn French on my own if I ever want to get into the classes next year.
I'm going to die
And so, because of my idiocy, I will probably not be able to get on DeviantArt or GDC very often. Don't expect frequent uploads and critiques from me, or comments or journals or faves. I'll try and update as much as I can, but I'm already stressing out and we haven't even started the second week yet.

Pray I don't become suicidal over the next months.

Oh, on a brighter, lighter note, my Mac and iPod came today!
It's going to take me a while to get used to the MacBook, I can already tell. One thing I really need to do is get me a mouse with a right-click and scroll. But hopefully it all works out and this wasn't a giantass $1000 mistake, converting from a PC to Mac.
And I need to figure out how to dump the songs from my Mini into iTunes so that I can start filling up my new Touch.

So much to do, so little bloody time.}

would love some more input [i need to stop asking]

~aftersunsets — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 16:32:07 PDT

^{Heh, yeah... just yell at me when you've had enough.
But this isn't about a story. It's questions about superhero abilities. Which will then be incorporated into my story.
Just tell me what you think it means when someone is able to:
manipulate kinetic energy.
manipulate electric energy.
manipulate potential energy.
heal and regenerate.

I'm thinking of taking physics just to figure this shit out so I can write about it convincingly.

And I know, I need to lay off the superhero stuff. But I can't. I love them.
Just recently, I bought two t-shirts because they had Marvel heroes on them. And I've become obsessed with this Nickelodeon cartoon, Iron Man: Armored Adventures. It's got crappy animation and is filled with cheese and corn, and I love it. I've also become extremely pissed at my dad, because his mom threw out all of his old comic books - some of them worth quite a bit on eBay - and now I want them. And I saw a Captain America action figure the other day, and would have bought it had I ten dollars on me. I was extremely disappointed - I was two dollars short.

I need help, I know.
I'm working on it.}

next to normal [as if i haven't obsessed enough]

~aftersunsets — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 19:07:06 PDT

^{We just bought tickets today!!
So, if you don't know me, that means I am incredibly excited!
We're going to Pennsylvania over October break, and are stopping in New York City for two nights just to see shows.
We're also going to The 39 Steps, an Alfred Hitchcock play, which will probably be incredibly fun.
But, sadly, because we're going to Next to Normal so soon, I've sworn off listening to the songs. I don't want to get tired or used to them when I finally see the show.
But now I have nothing to listen to during the drive to the stable!}

would like some input [again] on a story.

~aftersunsets — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:20:30 PDT

^{edit .iv Yep, I'm definitely going to have to upload this soon...
edit .iii I might have to go ahead and upload this. I've been writing more than I had originally planned.
edit .ii Right... not sure if I like the new bit. It just seems... meh, not very exciting? No, that's a crap depiction. It's very... "off", for obvious lack of a better word. I will probably end up tossing it and redoing the entire thing.
edit .i I've written the beginning of Superhero. I'm not in love with what I've written, but it could have been quite a bit worse, so I'm happy.

Right, I've started yet another story, despite my obvious lack of any progress whatsoever with the some-thirty others I have jumbling for recognition [someone shoot me, please]
Anyways, this one is inspired by A Sad Country Ballad for a Tired Superhero, by Woodpigeon, and this drawing. And yes, I am being completely original here by giving this story the temporary title of A Ballad for the Tired Superhero xP
Anyways, I like where I think this story is going - though it will probably end up being a little too melodramatic for my personal taste, but whatever; superhero stories kick ass no matter what.
This bit I've written is, I am assuming by it's lack of general purpose in the story itself, a prologue introduction thingy. So, I would like your opinion, be it on the general writing style, grammar, or story itself - though I am not going to give you much, for fear of ruining the surprise should I actually continue this xD All you need to know is that it is about a superhero called Wendell.

By the way, I am not uploading this as a deviation because there isn't much to it at the moment, and I've yet to decide if I actually want to pursue writing it. So, instead of uploading my little bits and pieces as actual deviations, I have decided to bugger you with journals xD

A Ballad for the Tired Superhero
It was not his appearance that frightened her. It was not the muddy brown hair or the muddy brown overcoat Â muddier still from a tussle in the rain Â that averted her gaze. Nor was it the broken nose, ballooning with blood and pus, or the giant gashes, scrapes, and lacerations that oozed and splurted profusely upon various parts of his body.
No, despite how unseemly and Â for lack of a better word Â disgusting his appearance, that was not what sent her scrambling into her motherÂs arms.

She would never forget those eyes.

Wendell Kipler was a bum, in almost every possible way one could be a bum.
His hair was shaggy and matted, and an irregular shade of brown due to a shampooing of mud, soot, grime, and sludge. His clothing, consisting of an extremely oversized trench coat, extremely oversized sweatpants, and extremely undersized boots Â all sporting the ever timeless hobo fashions of rips, rags, and rifts Â was bathed regularly in the same slop as his hair. He spent, on average, eighty-five percent of his time slumped against one alley dumpster or another, and he spent another ten percent weeing behind or rummaging through whichever dumpster he happened to be slumping against.
However, what made Wendell only an almost bum was that last defining five percent of his time. Because Wendell Kipler was a superhero.

As all stories must begin, we begin at the beginning, with WendellÂs birth.
His birth did not surpass any extraordinary trials aside that of the miracle of life. He was not born premature, nor breeched, nor stillborn. His mother did not die; on the contrary, she was subjected to a rather painless and resolute state due to a slight overdose of painkillers. His father waited, as all fathers tend to do, just outside the door, passing through states of erratic fits and bursts of tears and all sorts of worrying nonsense.
Upon WendellÂs entering the world, in which he let out a very high pitched declaration, the nurses rushed him off to be cleaned while his mother fell asleep and his father fretted by her side.
And so WendellÂs life began, as ordinarily as one can.

The girl clung to her mother as the man walked towards them.
ÂAre you alright?Â he asked. His voice was cracked and dry and rusted, as one might imagine a severe alcoholic to sound. He did not look at them, finding the mud upon his shoes to be far less embarrassing a spectacle. Her mother gripped her arm, tightly.
ÂYes, thank you,Â her mother curtly replied. The girl remained silent and wide-eyed.
ÂGoodÂ good,Â the man mumbled, seemingly preoccupied with another thought; or, perhaps, he could not think of anything else to say.
Her mother paused, as if not entirely sure what to make of the situation, before giving the girl a tug. They walked away, leaving the man...}

when life gives you lemons...

~aftersunsets — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 19:40:43 PDT

^{squeeze the juice into life's eyes.
Serves the bugger right.

Still computerless, and yet my muse decides to run amuck.
I just love irony.

I've been spending the past days watching Monty Python's Flying Circus (He's a stiff! Bereft of life, he rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed him to the perch he'd be pushing up the daisies! His metabolic processes are now history! He's off the twig! He's kicked the bucket, he's shuffled off his mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleeding choir invisibile! THIS IS AN EX-PARROT!!!) when I should be doing my summer reading (Fast Food Nation, The Overachievers, The Last Lecture). But they're wonderful. If a little odd ^^

I really need to be less concerned over the absence of my computer o.O}

TOP GEAR QUIZ!!

~aftersunsets — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:14:11 PDT

^{This is so awesome!!

Which Top Gear Presenter Are You?

Jeremy Clarkson

[x]You are tall
[x]You like speed
[ ]You are very outspoken
[ ]Petrol is the only fuel for you
[ ]You have compared cars to celebrities
[x]You look for the quick and easy way of doing things
[ ]You hate flappy-paddle gearboxes
[ ]You don't care what people think
[x]You hate Speed Cameras
[ ]You don't care about what you wear

TOTAL: 4

Richard Hammond

[x]You love Porches - erm, it's porSche. not porch.
[x]You have had dental work (most notably teeth whitening)
[ ]You've had a near-death experience
[ ]You couldn't remember the near-death experience that you had
[x]You like animals
[x]You have named a/your car as though it is a person
[ ]You are short
[x]You like motorbikes as well as cars
[x]You love your family
[ ]You drive into things

TOTAL: 6

James May

[x]Safety first approach to things
[ ]You have little or no sense of direction
[ ]People strangely find you attractive
[x]You are careful
[ ]You plan and calculate your way through things
[ ]Speed isn't your idea of fun
[ ]You can fly a plane
[ ]"Bigger is better" you say
[x]You like your luxuries
[ ]You have been fired/expelled for doing something funny

TOTAL: 3

The Stig

[x]You don't speak in public
[ ]Nobody knows how you really look
[x]You are an excellent driver - OF COURSE xD
[ ]You have no fear
[x]You get bored easily
[ ]White and/or Black is the only colour for you
[ ]You are jealous of Lewis Hamilton
[x]There are strange facts about yourself
[x]You have been described as not human
[x]You show little emotion

TOTAL: 6

I am mostly...
A COMBINATION OF THE STIG AND HAMSTER!!!

Anyone can steal this ^^}

rainbows are gay?

~aftersunsets — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:24:36 PDT

^{Since when? I honestly never knew that until two days ago. But I thought it was odd, going on my random spurts of stamp faving, that so many of the homosexuality support stamps had rainbow backgrounds. Then someone took the mickey out of me because I am re-decorating my room with rainbow colours.
I'm sorry, but I don't really see the connection. I have an uncle who's gay, but he's still very masculine. He isn't into rainbows or unicorns or flowers or any of that other stereotypical nonsense. I think his favourite colour is red.
I thought rainbows were supposed to symbolize fun and fantasy and hope and childhood. Though, I guess, rainbows are gay. Just not homosexual.

A little observation I've been mulling over for the past couple of days.

Also, I want to apologize for not being very active. I am still reserved to using my parents' work computers while my brother's friend fixes mine. And, on top of not having access until they come home from work, I just really don't like using them. I don't have that "addiction" to stay on the net for hours on end like I do with my own computer. So I haven't been replying as much as I usually do, both on here and on GDC, and I'm sorry for that. Generally, I just come on, clean up my devwatches and messages so it doesn't become overrun, then get off.

Hopefully my computer is returned by the end of the week. Then I can get back to wasting more time

I am also sorry to everyone to whom I have promised work (is that a grammatically correct sentence?) As I do not have my computer, I do not have my lovely JPSP.}

sorry for another one, but i'd like your input.

~aftersunsets — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 11:15:16 PDT

^{edit Forgot to add a few more stories

I have an assload of stories that I will *hopefully* get around to working on. A few of them I've actually uploaded on here, but most of them are just in the "thinking out" stage. I'd like your opinion of which you think are the most interesting, most original, by the really quick outlines I've written (and sorry, the outlines are sucky).
Oh, and I should mention, all of these are fiction, and they are a combination of short and long stories
Most of these titles are just quick, spurofthemoment names, just to give you some idea of what they might be about.
Ones with asterisks beside the title can be found in the Literature section of my gallery.

The Devil's Advocate
The DevilÂs lawyer, a ruthless, satirical, evil man, settles matters of business and contract for Hell.

Damn Pirates
A boy is dragged into the havoc and intoxication of piracy when his port side home is attacked by a group of the ruthless drunkards.

The Epic Tale of Lucus, Who Consequentially had Three Lives, Do to the Meddling and Malice of the Gods
A young boy, who is the son of Pluto, is cursed by the gods over a fickle grudge against his father and lives through the three stages of Ancient Rome, all the while with a knack for helping people die.

Newsboys
A group of newsboys in New Jersey live through the troubles of the Great Depression, and then World War II.

The Other Side *
A young girl is sucked into the Other Side before her time has come and must deal with the troubles of living in the Underworld and the rebellions of the Union for the Progress of Ghostly Peoples - the Russian Mafia of dead people.

Through London's Streets *
A petty thief and a young lady of society are thrown into the underbelly of London when a serial killer lets loose on the unsuspecting citizens of the Upper Class.

The Unusual *
A phantom tries to control the rampant ghosts of Moscow while unsuccessfully keeping a boy safe from a pissed off and revenge-seeking Rasputin.

Criminology
A serial killer attempts to explain his reasoning while sitting on death row.

Dead Bastards
A group of rational zombies attempt to staunch their hunger for brain matter and live normal lives, all the while dodging flaming pitchforks.

Dead Writers Society
A group of dead writers discuss different, random topics, both current and old.

The End of the World
A man lives through the last day of the world.

French
An attempt to look into the French psych and stereotype.

From Hell
An attempt to look into Jack the Ripper.

How to Deal with a Nutter
A guideline to deal with stupid people.

Evil Always Wins
A look at all of the possibilities if Evil always won.

Little Shop of Horrors
A ski shop harbors a host of monsters and creeps. Including a yeti named Gumpert.

Smartass
An evil genius attempts to lead a normal life while taking over the world with his father.

To Wish Upon a Star
An orphan discovers the magic - literally - of Christmas.

Way Down Yonder
An old man describes his childhood adventures to his grandchild during his last days.

The World According to Victor
Victor takes a very unbiased, unrealistic, matter-of-fact look at the world.

Grimm Tales *
Consists, currently, of Into the Woods & Up the Beanstalk, The Goose Girl & the Toad, The Willow Tree, and The Three Towers. Beanstalk is on here, so go read that, and you'll get a faint gist of what the others might be like. I can't exactly describe them, other than I took a bunch of different fairy tales and melted them together xD

The Joker & the Thief
An estranged and troubled young man is fired and decides to take revenge with the help of a very unlikely person.

There are Monsters Under Your Bed & In Your Closet
A man buys an old, abandoned house on a whim, but finds it is already inhabited.

Btw, is anyone else having problems uploading new journal entries?

Random fact I love pretzels & pickles & pears. Oh my.}

thank you... for the fourth time.

~aftersunsets — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:16:05 PDT

^{Apparently, it is impossible for me to go about and thank each of you individually. So I must resort, once again, to an overall journal thank you for all of the favourites and watches that you have bestowed upon my unworthy being.
You guys rock! xD

Random fact I considerably loathe my computer.}

i'm obsessed & no longer in florida.

~aftersunsets — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:00:39 PDT

^{I've never been obsessed before. Even with Les Miserables, I've never been borderline crazy over it; I just love it. But this is something else.
It's the stupid Tony Awards's fault. They had to show that stupid Next to Normal performance and it had to be so freaking fantastic. And it helps that the dude playing the dead son is so stupidly hot. He's a bloody Broadway god, or something.
The night after the Tonys, I went and bought the entire CD off iTunes. I listened to the entire thing last night. And I've spent the passed day watching clips on YouTube.

I think I have a problem...

Watch it. It will blow you away.
It's amazing, even though the mics were shody in the beginning.

edit .i
I actually have to pause Next to Normal just to pay attention enough to type. I am so pathetic.

Forgot to mention that I'm going to be in Florida from this Wednesday (today) to next Wednesday. Gonna hang out and watch the shuttle launch. So I won't be on as much :]

And watch this, too. He's bloody brilliant.
I'm in love with that boy.

'Kay, hopefully I'm done now.

...Probably not xD

edit .ii
I'm too lazy to make another journal entry, so I am just going to update this one.

I'm back from Florida. Slightly useless trip. The shuttle launch was scrubbed because of a valve leak. Twice. A bit embarrassing for NASA, but what can you do? So I spent the past week at Universal with my brother, his friend, and my dad. Riding roller coasters.

Universal needs more roller coasters. They have four right now. The Dueling Dragons were pretty kick ass, but the Mummy and Hulk were a bit boring after the first ride. They have a new rocket one that looks bloody brilliant, but it hasn't opened yet. The Simpsons ride was entertaining as well, but the rest of the rides were really just one timers.

We also saw the Blue Man Group. They were bloody fantastic! Seriously, if you ever have the chance, GO! You won't be disappointed, I promise.
They are amazing. And videos just do not do them justice.

We're probably going back next summer for another launch - one of the last ones - and we might try Disney. Anyone been to Disney? Does it have good rides and lots of coasters? Or is Sea World better?

And I've decided I want to design roller coasters for a living. That would be such a kick ass job. But I need to be good with physics and calculus. I suck at physics and calculus. Maybe I'll just design the basic structures, and let some smartass do all the complicated calculations.

Btw, has anyone heard that Six Flags has gone bankrupt? I heard someone talking about it, and wondered if it's true. I'd be shocked if it was, because there are so many around the world. Has anyone heard anything?

And yes, I am still uberobsessed with Next to Normal. I am currently trying to talk my parents into taking me to New York over fall break xD}

summer reading & tagged.

~aftersunsets — Sun, 31 May 2009 13:28:53 PDT

^{The Wednesday Tales, by John Berkeley. There are three of them: The Palace of Laughter, The Tiger's Egg, and The Lightning Key. They are probably the best children's books I have ever read, yet incredibly underrated. If you're queer or abnormal or an inner child, such as myself, you will love these books. They are about a boy who lives in a barrel, an angel named Little, a giant tiger, and an insane ringmaster. Go read them; they are wonderful.

The Looking Glass Wars, by Frank Beddor. Again, there are three, though the third will not be released until October of this year. I'll admit, they can read a tad stale at times, but they are still brilliant. You can hardly go wrong when the Queen of Hearts is chopping someone's head off. Think Alice in Wonderland meets Lord of the Rings.

The Good Thief, by Hannah Tinti. Very Oliver Twist. It is about a young boy with one hand who grows up in a Catholic orphanage. He is adopted by a con-artist claiming to be his brother and thrown into the underside of nineteenth century New England. It's one of those stories that, after reading, changes you in a small, seemingly insignificant way, yet changes you all the same.

Fool, by Christopher Moore. It is a parody of Shakespeare's King Lear and is completely and utterly vulgar, insulting, and brilliant. It's told from the Fool's point of view.

Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman. Probably one of the best books I've read this year, and probably one of Gaiman's less famous novels. I think it was originally a TV series before he published it in novel form, though I could be mistaken. All I know is that it is wicked ingenious. Gaiman creates an entirely new London filled with quirky yet incredibly dark characters. My two favourite villains of all time now include, along with Maleficent and Captain Hook, Mr. Croup and Mr. Vandemar.

Evil Genius, by Catherine Jinks. The title is explanation enough.

The Artemis Fowl series, by Eoin Colfer. Because you can never get enough of evil geniuses (evil genuii?).

The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norton Juster. You've probably read it in fifth or sixth grade, but read it again. You'll appreciate it more; trust me.

The Things They Carried, by Tim O'Brien. This is perhaps one of the best books I've ever read, up there with Les Mis. Don't expect it to read like a novel; it's more a collection of short stories. And don't fret and toss it away because you don't like war novels. I generally don't love war novels, yet I love this book.

Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Berry and Ridley Pearson. If you love Peter Pan, you will probably love this series. It's a prequel to the original story everyone knows.

Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo. Because it is the best book ever written and I can't harp about it enough ;]

I was tagged by *RiNymph-Stock. I have to post eight random facts about myself.

1. I'm obsessed with pretzels. I would live off them.
2. My bed is my favourite place in the world.
3. Second is the barn.
4. I love driving 60mph down little country backroads.
5. My favourite word is probably "queer". Or "bloody". Or "tarnation".
6. Children books are the best.
7. I'm a kittens and rainbows and ghosts sort of person.
8. My goals in life are to write and travel. Screw ambitions.

I'm tired and want to go to bed, so whoever wants to can go ahead and do this :]}

jack & jill

~aftersunsets — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 12:33:08 PST

^{Wooh, I finally did some file cleaning and found references to all my old OCs. Funfun!
So I figured I'd share. If anyone wants to attempt them, I don't mind (actually, I would really love it xD). I know they aren't too detailed, but I'll try and make some manips with them. Right now, I only have a Shinedown manip.

__________S H I N E D O W N
cages or wings, which do you prefer?
gender male
build rocky mountain - short & sturdy - but carries himself like an andalusian
coat deep solid chocolate
markings only one, a thick blaze shaped like a lopsided cross
wings chocolate brown and white, very much like a turkey vulture's
eyes deep chocolate - almost black
mane/forelock/tail silvery white, very long, matted, and tangled
hooves three dark, dark chocolate brown; left hind is a silver-white
other he has a black chain around his neck that doesn't quite drag on the ground
personality very stubborn, temperamental, loves freedom and the mountains, is a loner, and hides his emotions.

__________N E F A R I C E N T
are people born wicked, or do they have wickedness thrust upon them?
gender female
build friesian
coat deep, dull black
markings none
wings black
eyes emerald green
mane/forelock/tail long, matted & wavy, same colour as her coat - tail drags on the ground
hooves black
personality she's completely given up on trust, love, and friendship. she sees the evil in everyone and doesn't believe anyone is truly good. she is only ever 'happy' - used in the loosest term - when she's flying.}