Hero. NIC3!

[Listening to: The Nurse Who Loved Me - A Perfect Circle - Thirteenth Step (4:04)]

Just got back from watching Hero with Elaine. Dooood. It’s sooo pretty. The story takes place during the period of Chinese history called the 7 kingdoms. It is really artisticly done, with amazing art direction. The kung fu scenes are really cool. It is almost like a violent ballet it is so beautiful. If you go see it be prepared for the fact that it is a very art driven film. Thus it is not for all tastes. But it is so worth watching, at least once just for the lovely art direction. I give it 8 out of 10 fluttering colored silk flags.

Got up friggin’ early today … may have todo the same tomorrow. But the trian is a really nice way to travel. Uh. now for sleep. Take care all.

Eye … twitching … Gah!

I think this lack of sleep and increasing stress of school is beginning to show. No, I’m not about to have a psychotic episode, but I do think that I need to employ stronger enforcement of the sleep rules. It tends to happen when the muscle in my lower eye lid begins to twitch. Gah! Annoying! Well as soon as this stupid essay is done, I’m … gonna read my friends blogs and go to bed. Sounds like a plan. Later all.

Whew!

The first week is over. It started on Wednesday but I am pooped! Although I sorta went into it kinda sleep deprived so that probably has something to do with it. Nevertheless I have all the classes I wanted and am quite content. I also get to see my girlfriend for rather extended periods of time during the school day so I’m happy. The, slight, bummer is that I now have class on Friday. Normally I get Fridays off. This was very very good. Now I have a 5 hour drawing class. Although I am not complaining. But my right arm in now rather sore. That and the model came late so some of us students had to fill in for a few moments. Holding a pose for a minute is quite difficult. Also most martial art poses are really hard to hold for extended periods of time.

Tomorrow I may be going out to dinner with my pretty lady and her family, should be fun. Apparently it’s Chevy’s for dinner. w00t! I also need to write a 3 page essay before Tuesday and do readings for two classes, and have preliminary sketches for painting 3. Oh I also need to buy brushes for Intro to Watercolor. yay. joy. ugh! When school hits … it hits hard! Till then take care all!

Oragami Convention?

Again from the “Only In Japan” file.

An oragami Convention! Sounds odd … but strangely compelling. I found the story here {Slashdot}. If you have a slow connection you might want to skip the Slashdot article, you can always hit the related links:

• Main convention page.
• A page of amazing personal works.
• Last convention
• Oragami philosphy

Who knew you could do this sort of stuff with paper? The best use I have for it is drawing. And even that is a questionable use of it. I like it because it has an astonishing transient quality. It’s only paper so if anything happens to it, well it’s pretty much hosed. But at the same time it is imortalized in memory which although fickle is still more permanent, and far more rich, and the object itself. Which seems to be a much better ‘definition’ of art, I think.

Missing … stuff

Well naturally I’m missing my girlfriend. She called yesterday, and I actually picked up. She’s doing well. Having a blast and a generally good time. I’m happy for her. I remember my first cruise, quite fondly . Now … I’m a little envious. Oh well. ::shrug:: I’ll just enjoy her that much more when she comes back. ^_^

Here’s one you all probably weren’t expecting, I miss Tetra. For those who are confused she is the female priate captian from The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker. Technially she’s still there … but to explain that would be to give away the plot. I hate spoiling good stories. But nonetheless, I miss her. She was plucky, hard core with a soft center (I know that’s an oxymoron but you know what I mean), and in her own way kinda cute. No, not that way. Clean up your minds. Yeeesh. She’s a cel shaded video game charater. But they gave her such a likeable attitude and personality that you miss it when it’s gone. Oh well. Hopefully she’ll remain strong. ::sigh:: The Windwaker has me winded now … time for non-waking, aka sleep. Take care, all!

I’m such a dork! I’m talking about missing a video game character! Who’s a gamer geek? ::points to self:: Who’s a lamer geek? ::grumble:: ::points to self:: And don’t you forget it. ::mutter grumble::

Lame …

Today was my girlfriend’s birthday. She was gonna call me. I missed the call. I was helping my Mom with her computer … and my phone was at the opposite end of the house and on the second floor. ::sigh:: ARGH! GAh! BLWWW_wwwwpfhh! ::sigh:: Oh well. Hopefully she’ll beable to call me tomorrow. ::bangs head against desk::

Hurray for Visits

I’m currently dog/house sitting for some friends and my girlfirend came down to visit for awhile. I know, I know. “So what.” Well, she’s going on a cruise! She gonna be gone for a while week! I miss her already, and she just left to go home. ::sigh:: No cuddles for next week. ::pout:: Oh well. I guess there’s worse things. But still … gonna miss her. I can’t even call her. >

But I got to give her, her birthday present early. I got her a Nintendo WaveBird and Zelda: Four Swords Adventures. That game is soo-o-o-o fun! It was quite the distraction till her GBA battery died. There have been some static from the game community about the need for everyone to have GBAs to play multiplayer. This is an annoyance, yes, but it really does change the game dynamic. Consider, since it is a co-op/competative game it allows individual players to spread out and be focused fully on their game. They can choose to stay with a friend or they can follow their own agenda. Could this be done with a split screen? Yes. But if you are planning some thing nafareious or something better done in secret then having your own personal screen is nice. Even for exploring it’s pretty cool, spread out and search everywhere quicker. Plus the competition for the force crystals can get down right nasty if you have one “evil” player. But the plus side is that the rest can gang up on him if need be. Then again if you’re all kinda “evil” then it could be really interesting. Either way it’s realllllllllly fun. So if you have a GBA it is so worth it. If your friends have GBAs then you, my friend, are golden! And I envy you because I want a GBA. Although I’m kinda holding out for a DS. ::drool::

I was kinda hard not to open her WaveBird and play with it. A wireless controler … that actually works! There are other wireless controlers out there but none have matched the quality of the WaveBird. This is partly due to Nintendo’s quest for playability. It is a thing of beauty. It’s a bit like magic how it works soooooo well. You put the receiver in one of the standard game ports, make sure they’re on the same channel first, then turn it on and play! It is easier than wireless networking. You can even use 4 of them and have no interferience, as long as the player isn’t an ass and tries to fiddle with the channel nob. It is fast and responseive. SoulCaliber 2 is hella fun with this! Although you’ll hear the cry of “Bull S—!” if the batteries die mid fight. That’s the one down side … batteries. But they found a way to get HOURS of use out of them. So as long as you keep a few close at hand you should be set.

Well that’s about it for now. I’m gonna go get some food, then get my Smash on! Smash Bros. Melee that is. ::sigh:: Not nearly as much fun as hanging out with Elaie but then … what is?

It’s that time again.

[Listening to: Life and Love and Why - Switchfoot - The Legend Of Chin (2:52)]

If any of you who actually read this and have been keeping up every now and then you can probably guess what’s next.

Time for Another Bout of Self Doubt

Yep. It’s been kinda eating at me for awhile now. Not that I think I’m some horrible beast … but every so often I wonder if I’m actually doing the right thing. Here’s my most current thought on it. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul spends the whole section talking about love. For some of you this is old hat. We’ve heard about the “Love Chapter” since we were old enough to get the “birds and bees” chat. Yet, recently it has become apparent why it exists and why it is ordered like it is. It’s is a lot of typing but if you want the full text it is here. The part that people really love to quote is the section of verses from 4 to 8a (the “a” indicates the first sentence or only the beginning of the verse). I’ll mention the first one right now because that is the one that is kinda hitting me. 1 Cor. 13:4a “Love is patient …”

Why’s that so important to me right now? Well I think I’m beginning to understand it. I’m not going to explain why … suffice to say my girlfriend is opening whole new vistas for me. But after camp I got the chance to go see her. This is very very good! I like it. I realize that kinda goes without saying but it does present some new situations for me. One of the first of which is that she finds me physically attractive. (Still getting used to that.) Plus she is very physically affectionate. Nothing taboo but very very cuddlely. Anyway. My personality is what some people affectionately call the “pleaser”, which means that we tend to do things that we’re really not too sure about or even don’t want to do to make the other happy. She’s told me that it’s okay to move at my pace but … sometimes I push myself … because … well my “title” says it all, the “pleaser”.

The point! Yes, the point. I know you all have lives to live.

“Love is patient …”, love takes its time. Love doesn’t need to rush itself anywhere. Love exists independent of time and place. Love is constant. Love is action. Love is patient. It waits for appropriate timing. I’m still learning this. Slowly, but surely, God is beating it into my skull. Not that it’s bad, that I have done anything “wrong”. I don’t feel accused but also being a perfectionist I’m always afraid of being wrong. So the point is, if you’re “in love”, take you time. Be patient. If you think the other is worth waiting for. Actually wait! Don’t half ass or crap out near the finish line. Persevere. Stand strong. Pray. Then trust. That’s all. Take care all.

Oh and I have a new post in the art blog too.

Something new and interesting?

Many people are under the impression that Christians are all about clouds, harps, and wings. Well that’s only partly true. Some of us like to actually laugh now and then. But the term “Christian Comedy” seems almost like a oxymoron in the modern lexicon (go look that one up, it is a very good word). But with people like Brad Stine, that may take some revision. Is he correct? ::shrug:: Donno. Haven’t really heard him but he seems like he’s on to something. I picked his name up from Paul Boutin who writes commentary on the world today. This is his mention of the very through article by The New Yorker.

Adventure Camp

Well this is my yearly tradition, I spend the last week of July at Adventure Camp. The camp has been running for 11 years, I have only missed 2 of them. Both times because I was out of the country. This year was much like the others, which is good! I love this camp. I was way the heck back in Cabin 9, which is nicknamed “Cabin Take a Hike” since it feels like a hike to get there. That also means that I have the oldest boys, they were all 4th and 5th graders, mostly 5th. It was a lot of fun. Besides with these guys I can still pull the size card on them if need be. I can’t do that with Jr. Highers. Luckily for me one of my co-cabin leader types was Nate, he’s a 255 lbs, 6′ plus, lineman football player. Yeah, the guy is literally twice my size. Which is kinda fun, especially when all the kids want to attack him. It is quite amusing to watch 12 4th and 5th graders take him on. They have supriority in numbers but they hardly ever use it. Normally they just leap in one at a time. Some times they get up as high at 2 or 3. The other problem they face is that they feel like they have to jump to attack. This removes whatever base of power they had, so they get tossed around like rag dolls. Very fun to watch. ^_^ No one got hurt, well nothing above a bump or a slight bruise … and I don’t remember seeing any of those either. Good clean fun the got them tired for the evening.

Yes, the evening. When they throw candy and give them cookies and milk before bed. ::groan:: To whom do we give this dunce hat? Normally it’s not too bad, they usually get a sugar crash after awhile so it still works out. But I found the best way to get them to lay quiet and go to bed is to tell them a story. Not some weak little kiddie bedtime story. Nah. I prefer tales of high fantasy or sci-fi techno ninjas! w00t! Or something like that. Really what I do is keep talking until the whole cabin is snoring or so quiet they gotta be asleep. This way I can also drag the story out over multiple days. I learned this trick early on. And the kids seem to love it. ::grin:: Plus I get to indulge my abilty to improv and story tell. Yay! Hopefully I don’t suck. I may tell more about the week later. Take care all.