Friday, October 30, 2009

My plans and an ass-kicking peanut (Tom Lehrer mention, too)

 This week's Delightful Deviant is kickass-peanut because she kicks ass. She picked her name well.

GIANT Cremated Toast by *kickass-peanut on deviantART

Calcifer's moods by *kickass-peanut on deviantART

Soot Gremlins by *kickass-peanut on deviantART
~~~
Plans. Ah. They're fun to make even though they often break. As of this week, my plans are as follows:

1. Knit and crochet like crazy. Some of the items include a scarf (will post about this one soon), a hat, a yoga mat bag, and plushies.
2. Make lamingtons. Scott and I really want to make some, so we're planning to in the near future. Will tell about it if we do it. We just wish Natalie would make them.
3. Pass U.S. History with a B. I've given up on optimistically thinking I can pull off an A in that class. I just don't like it enough to work for it. I'll keep trying, but I won't mourn over a B if that's what I end up with.
I can't believe I just said that. I never ever aim for a B.
T_T Moving on. . .
4. In the future, get a degree in either neuroscience or psychology (scratched out psychiatry and put neuroscience in its place). I have decided I'll just have to be a doctor in something that doesn't require so much contact with people. I won't be stubborn just because I'm sick of being told that I'm not socially eloquent enough to pull it off. I can prove that I'm not completely inept in social situations in some other way(s).
5. Learn how to play the guitar, viola, and cello. Also, improve my piano-playing skills.
6. Successfully teach my study buddy how to understand algebra. I just can't let him fail. I can't watch someone try so hard and still not get it. There must be a way to help. I'm hoping to find it.
7. Prove to Scott that "bazinga" pwns "bazing" as a word to express pwnage. I have a feeling that I'm going to end up the one who is pwned, but I'd still like to try.
8. Read my giant stack of books. I'll dedicate a post to this one. Yes, it's that long. And yes, I do have enough info to make an interesting post about it. At least, I hope so.
9. Watch all of the anime, movies, and tv shows, read all of the books and manga, and own all of the forementioned items on my lists. Yes, that is supposed to be plural. I love my lists and other methods of organization. :D
10. Make several items from shows (mostly anime) I like. Howl's coat being near the top of my list in original and alternate colors.
11. Relocate the subbed version of Howl's Moving Castle that I lost. T_T (I don't know how it got deleted, but I want it back. >.<)
12. Figure out how to make a ROM work. It'd be even better if I could get my old system back, but I need something until I can get a new one. I miss playing Sonic, Pokemon, Crazy Taxi and.  . . *sniff* Pen-pen. I can't even continue this list. It's too sad. Oh, dear, I need a life.
13. Fight world suck with united awesomeness. I want to do my part to join the other nerdfighters in this cause. If you don't agree, please just pet a kitten and try not to agree with getting rid of world suck.
14. Learn how to write and speak several foreign languages. French, Spanish, German, Japanese, and Loxian are just a few. This is one area in which I need optimism.
15. Stop bugging people with the things I've learned. I'm pretty sure that's gone from somewhat cute and interesting to oh-em-gee-this-girl-won't-shut-up-and-she's-such-an-uncool-dork. I don't think I'm all the way there yet, but if I mention math outside of class again, I'm going to get slapped. :P

I'm ending here because I think you get the point (though I could go on and on because I like planning and organizing those plans). I'm pretty ambitious. I need more lifetimes. :P

Done blathering on and on about lists and the junk in my head. It's time for other stuff on the internet.
~~~



I can't find Tom Lehrer singing this, but this is my favorite lipsync.


That tune came from this song. It gets stuck in my head. :P






Until the next post, and as always, take care. 8)

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Nature day and a thought about Christmas :S

Yesterday my family went out to the Waffle Barn, a yummy restaurant, and explored nature. My aunt and I did not come home with a Quaking Aspen, but we will have one in the backyard someday. Anyway, here are some unedited pictures. Enjoy. :)











As much fun as I had, I wish I had tried to sneak into the Junior/Senior retreat. Instead, my family failed to find Bigfoot, decided against going into the green hot spring (well called), and almost got lost had an adventure exploring the forest. The only wildlife we saw was a bright orange and black beetle. No deer, squirrels, chipmunks, mountain lions, bears, birds-- rien, nada, nothing-- in the middle-of-nowhere forest. -_-

Oh, I haven't mentioned anything about my knitting lately. I took a bunch of stuff up to Eleven B a week or 2 ago, made a couple cute hats for myself, and finished a scarf. I'm now working on a laptop case for Scott. I think the next items on the list are a scarf for Isaac (who is leaving for Texas in a little over a month), a scarf for a classmate's fiancee, a yoga mat case, and whatever I feel like making for Eleven b. I'll get the list straightened out soon. Christmas is in exactly 2 months, after all. :S (Christmas is one of those holidays that cause the thank-you card Nazis in my family tree to fall from above and deliver their messages of "YOU FAILED!". Naturally, I'm contemplating how I approach the holiday well in advance. Nazis like octopi, right?)

Until the next post, and as always, take care. 8)

Friday, October 23, 2009

A music meme and other musical things

This week's Delightful Deviant is  iNeedChemicalX because her photography is sweet, soft, and nostalgic. It's like seeing someone's memories in a frame.


A gentle moment by =iNeedChemicalX on deviantART


Make a memory by =iNeedChemicalX on deviantART


Keep me up all night by =iNeedChemicalX on deviantART

~~~
I think it's been established that this blog is on shuffle, or rather, the blogger is on shuffle. Speaking of shuffle, I've never gotten around to this meme, but it's one I feel like doing at the moment. I had a similar one in my e-mail, but it went poof the moment I felt like doing it. I just found this one on a Google search. The really interesting stuff will follow. I'm just doing it for fun (which is why foreign titles and embarrassing songs will be included).
~~~
Take your ipod or mp3 player. Set it on shuffle. Use the songs that randomly play as the answers to these questions.

How would you describe yourself? My Name is James
What do you like in a member of the opposite sex? Calling It Quits
How do you feel today? Dai Katsugeki
What is your life's purpose? Tonari no Totoro
What's your motto? Kaze no Oka
What do your friends think of you? Other Side of the Radio
What do your parents think of you? I See the Moon
What do you think about very often? Sing It Back
What is 2 + 2? Beggin' Me
What do you think of your best friend? Dream Star
What is your life story? Sakura Biyori
What do you want to be when you grow up? Angel
What do you think when you see the person you like? Overture
What will you dance to at your wedding? A Summer Song
What will they play at your funeral? Framed in a Still Picture
What is your hobby/interest? Dancing on the Berlin Wall
What is your biggest fear? Fragrance of Nature
What is your biggest secret? February Sea
What do you want right now? Kakkou II
What do you think of your friends? Kaze no Toorimichi
What will you post this as? He's a Tramp
What time is it? Sogno Agitato
~~~
Well, that was fun for me. I did not rig that first one, by the way. That's a song from James and the Giant Peach, a movie I happen to love and own a couple songs from. Moving on, I'm learning how to play the guitar and I'm hoping to get a viola in a few months, but I have one tiny problem: I don't listen to much guitar music. I like the piano and cello the best followed by the viola, violin, and hang drum. I hate the quartz singing crystal bowl. I'm getting a headache just thinking about that instrument. As far as the guitar goes, I'm indifferent. I'm only learning it to prepare my fingers for playing the viola (callouses) and because Andrea has a guitar that she's not using. I've learned the E major, A major, B7, and D major chords, I think. I'm not 100% sure of the "major" part, but I'm just trying to figure out how to enjoy this instrument at the moment. I'll work on getting the chord names down later.

 Well, I think this song is going to be my goal. It'll take a while to get there, but I think I'd like to play it. I prefer it on the piano, but there's no harm in trying to play it on the guitar.


This one is nice, too.


I think learning this one in the future is a requirement.
I only like this song because of the movie Whisper to the Heart.

That's all I can come up with at the moment. I need to explore my collection to see what I can start with and work up to. It'd be sad to learn an instrument that I don't enjoy.

Until the next post, and as always, take care. 8)

Monday, October 19, 2009

It starts with madness

Yeah, I fail. I won't lecture you on everything I learned while working on my social psychology project as long as you don't ask.
~~~
Joe Hisaishi + 9 Cellists = Madness, indeed.



Hp is cool.
All I'm going to say is whoa.
Her Morning <-- Awesome video.

XD Pigeons

Pigeon Pilfer from Michael Stevenson on Vimeo.

I don't know what to call this, but it's in the realm of cool.

VIDEOGIOCO by Donato Sansone from Enrico Ascoli - Sound Design on Vimeo.

I had forgotten about this until I was going through some old links.


Find more videos like this on AdGabber


That's all for now. I'm going back to diving into Fullmetal Alchemist. Until the next post, and as always, take care. 8)

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Delightful Deviant

This week's Delightful Deviant is redbeard31 because he has crazy gorgeous nature photography.


9lily118 by =redbeard31 on deviantART


leopard198 by =redbeard31 on deviantART


leopard171 by =redbeard31 on deviantART

I have a social psychology project to do, so until the next post, and as always, take care. 8)

Friday, October 16, 2009

Excuse for Failure

Apparently I fail absolutely when I fail. There is no fuzzy gray line. In this case, I'm speaking of my "new plan" (currently scheming a new new plan because I don't want to fail). With my failure, I have a valid excuse to explain. I'll just start with Monday. . .

Monday
10:40 AM- Strange feeling during yoga. Nostrils not cooperating with breathing that requires the plugging of one nostril at a time. Big breath through mouth and shrug.

3:30 PM- Starting to feel sick because I'm in the doctor's office. I have a single task on my mind: explain that I want acne medication. Nada mas. Also, I nearly have a panic attack at the mere mention of a shot. To my relief, I was only signed up for a mist and that is postponed.

Sometime in the evening- Someone says something on Myspace that turns me into an angry, thesaurus-wielding firecracker. I resist the urge to introduce four-letter words into my vocabulary in spite of Scott's assurance that they will work and the person does deserve them. I fail to get my point across and the ignorance and arrogance continue. I *might* dedicate a post to the issue.

I hate Monday grumble session, anyone? -_-

Tuesday
Way-too-early-AM- Dear Lord, what is this feeling in my head? There is stuff blocking my ability to breathe. I am going to DIE. Ugh. *goes back to sleep probably because I lost consciousness due to a lack of oxygen*
6:20 AM- First pill for acne medication taken. Throat and nose malfunction simultaneously. Someone please tell me that the storm I hear caused the school to close for the next week so I can go back to sleep and not entertain the thought of suicide.
7:00 AMish- Nausea decides to join the weird cold symptoms. Aunt Tracy notices and orders me to take some medicine that will help counteract the effects of the other one and with my cold. I thank her, but I really want to thank her later when I don't feel anything. Numbness is an amazing feeling.
Lesson learned: I lack the ability to take the acne medicine on an empty stomach in the morning before breakfast.
8:30 AM- Amazing feeling! After cola syrup and Advil: Cold&Sinus, I can conquer the world! Plus, it's all stormy. YAY!!!
12:45 PM- Medication starts wearing off. Head threatens to abandon ship. U.S. History canceled. Woot. Library filled with people setting up an art exhibit. Too. Much. Noise. Relocation to lounge. I stare out the window with a couple other people in awe of the terrifyingly powerful yet beautiful storm. Ah. *sniff*
10:20 PM- Astronomy killed my head. A dose of Nyquil and I am out like a candle in the ocean.

I hate Tuesday grumble session, anyone? >.<

Wednesday
6:20 AM- Head not exploding upon consciousness. Improvement.
11:50 AM- Yoga: survived. Somehow. Cold seems to have improved significantly. Advil and Nyquil, I love you. *glomp*
11:51 AM- Panic sets in. U.S. History exam TOMORROW. :S Tuesday morning was less painful than this realization.

Males, I know why you have a nothing box. I envy your ability to use one. Upon realization of my inability to have one, I figure it out and feel an amazing feeling for about 2 seconds. My reality box is bigger than my nothing box. T_T

Thursday
2:25 PM- Exam: survived. It's Thursday? Oh. Meeting soon. Brain= relived and fried.
4:10 PM- Counseling appointment leaves me feeling less confused. I am filled with a desire to be Dr. Alyssa N. James (psychiatrist). The family does not hear the end of it starting when Scott picks me up. Also, I read in The Theory of Everything by Stephen Hawking that Murphy's law is proven by science: Disorder increases with time. Ergo, things get worse. This amuses me so much that I also have to tell everyone in the family about this. Most of them probably started tuning me out almost 18 years ago anyway. :P

What was I doing the rest of the night? Oh, yeah. Trying to find my life while doing homework with a broken brain. When 11:30 PM comes around, I look around with shifty eyes because last time I checked it was 7:00 PM. Life and homework must wait until morning. Title of Dr. James, I might achieve you in the future.

Today, Friday
Um. I made little progress on something I was supposed to be working because I was watching Jyu Oh Sei (also on hulu); I recommend it to anyone who likes anime. I actually needed that. My mind is everywhere right now. I'll be ready to return to tackling the list of things I need to do  tomorrow night.

~~~
If you don't understand my excuse, I'll sum it up in a few words: Sick, stressed, and scatterbrained. My new-found nothing box was crushed too quickly by my reality box, so I have nothing particles messing up my system. I think the weekend will get me back to normal (whavever that is).

Anyway, I have some internet finds to share.



I missed TBBT this week. :( Still, XD.
If you haven't seen the utilikilt, you're missing out.
I still want to learn the dance in this song. I'm hopeless. . .


That's all for now. Until the next post, and as always, take care. 8)

Monday, October 12, 2009

Birdo

I learned about this yesterday. I think someone once told me that Birdo is male, but I don't think I was listening very closely.


From this, I get that Yoshi is gay and Nintendo history would probably be an awesome history course. Gaming culture never ceases to amaze me.

Until the next post, and as always, take care. :)

Sunday, October 11, 2009

How to find an article about male nipples

See? I'm sticking with my plan. Let's see how long I can keep this up.

Shelbi, I hope you're reading this because this post is for you. Msn is deciding that you are not allowed to know what Google did to me. Thankfully, Blogger is on the fun side (Facebook is on msn's side >.<).

I'm working on a project for social psychology on gender differences and similarities. Naturally, I turned to Google to find an article about how males and females see color differently. I typed in "color male female scientific american" because the article I remembered involved those words. Of course, Google decided that I was being too lazy (I had the link already in my ginormous bookmark organizer). It gave me this article. Yes, Google knows me now. It knows that I want the strangest article possible. I'm not sure why Google wants me to know why men have nipples, but I'm thoroughly amused.

Also, I like Nadine's belt and this made me laugh hysterically (in my head). Lastly, I've witnessed this.


Until the next post, and as always, take care. ^_^

Saturday, October 10, 2009

The Artistic Nerd's New Plan

Who is the odd one out of the bunch? (Hint: It's blue.)
Hello, blog. It's been a while. I have a new plan that should take care of that. You see, I'm an internet hound. I search, read, and watch things every day. I send most of the links I find to Shelbi. I've been neglecting this this thing because I've been reading a lot and too terrified to write (U.S. history -- don't ask). This is where my new plan comes in. I'm going to share at least 1 thing I've found every single day. Once a week, I'll have a deviant artist spotlight thing. Maybe I'll even say what's up every so often, go on a rant, tell a story, or share a conversation--anything goes. To kick off yet another restart, I'm going to do the deviantART spotlight and share a few links and such.

This week's Delightful Deviant is . . .
Sooper-Deviant because he captures nature with enviable skill. Some of the animals are downright cuddly-looking, so I cannot resist thinking ":aww:". Just have a look. His gallery is drool-worthy.


Sharing Time


For the Love of Typewriters from The Art of Jordan

Marc Johns is fantastic.

Serious kudos to these guys.




Music video for Black and Gold by Sam Sparro Seeing the clip from Fame made me want to look up the song. I really like it.

I saw this weeks ago, but I'm sharing it now.


I was shocked when I saw this on Glee. I can't find the clip, so you'll just have to find the episode to see what I mean. I was impressed. This is just the song, so you can hear why.


I want to make this.


Nat is back!!!!!!!!

That's all for now. Until the next post, and as always, take care. 8)