Tag Archives: food

Personal Blog

Summer Review

Lisa, you used to update so frequently, what happened?

Well, I guess I got in the mindset that I shouldn’t do journal entries until I got all my Japan photos up, but I don’t think that’s reasonable anymore. Hopefully I’ll get them all up before the new year. So, how bout an update?

My new job is very good. I enjoy what I do, and the people I work with and the environment I work in is very positive and supportive. It’s a good place for me to be right now, while I work on personal things, and I don’t think it’s an accident that I wound up here. For the moment I’m doing quite a bit of programming, which I never thought I would enjoy as much as I do.

This summer was wonderful. I spent most of it working with Will on his infamous “secret project,” through which I have learned quite a few new skills. No you can’t see it yet. It’s not done. No no, it’s not going to be one of those projects that gets abandoned as we get distracted and work on other things. It’d better not be, at least *threatening glare*

The downside of the summer was my mysterious illness I posted about awhile back. It turned out it was just a viral thing that had to be waited out afterall, but the doctor put me on steroids for the pain, which was almost just as bad as the pain itself. It also fell inconveniently during the end-o-summer 2 week Workathon on aforementioned secret project. That didn’t turn out so bad, though, because the steroids made my carpal tunnels all better, so I could draw a bunch and not be in pain. Also, Will made for a good nurse in the more unpleasant reactions to my medication (thanks for that).

The upside of the summer is that I have become obsessed with cooking. Brendan wants me to start a recipe blog, but I dunno. I have a lot of site work to do, and I don’t want to go starting up new journal notebooks when my main site is so far behind in the overhaul schedule. Either way, cooking real food is a blissful new hobby, and any recipe suggestions for me to try out are very welcome.

In other news, D Flo has a new internet thing going on that is super awesome. Thinking of how successful Brendan’s Anacrusis turned out, I suggested D Flo do a similar project with his music, like 1 minute compositions. Thus, Miscelletudes. Go and watch. LJ feed here . My own follow-up project to this is that I will pluck these little 1 minute songs and make little 1 minute animations to go along with them, as practice. I have to set a goal deadline to start on that project.

So, all in all, things are going well, and I am trying very much not to take that for granted.

Personal Blog

Japan Trip Update Number 1

Well kiddie winkies, it’s that time! However, I am not going to do this “About-my-Trip” update in the usual sense. This is because everyone hates to read chronological accounts of trips. No no, don’t deny it, I know it’s true. It’s like telling someone about your dream–no matter how well you tell it, it’s never, EVER as exciting to other people as to you. So, I’ma update by topic! Pictures and stories will be all mixed up, but I’ll cover everything. And for those of you who insist, I will provide a chronological listing as my very last post.

Also, even though I’m putting them behind cuts for the LJers, I’m still doing linky thumbnails, cuz there are just lots of pictures.

Food!

Personal Blog

ATTENTION!

HEY CENTRE KIDS!!!!

I’m coming to town on Tuesday to see the senior art show. Is convenient because I have to drive to Lexington earlier that day to pick up a thingy, so i’ll roll into Danville around the 1-ish or something. The show doesn’t start till 4.

Meaning….

Will someone, ANYONE, PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD EAT AT GUADIE’S WITH ME!!!!!!!!!!!

You do not understand the craving, the yearning, it’s terrible. The Guad holds power over you long after you graduate. I MUST HAVE A GRILLED CHICKEN QUESADILLA!!!

Still, I have that whole “don’t want to eat there all by my lonesome self” thing, and I need to catch up with a lot of you kids anyway.

Anyone? Anyone? Pleeeeeeease?????

Games and Game Development, Personal Blog

Massachusetts Visit

I just got back from a weekend visit with Steph and it was a blast and a half! Or no, make that 2 whole blasts.

After a tasty lunch, we went to this awesome candy store. You can pick out your own assorted chocolates, so it’s like getting a box of chocolates, only just with the kinds you like, and no scary surprises. I also got a sucker in the shape of a lobster (don’t worry, it was not lobster flavored)

Steph showed me around Salem, MA, and we went to some dinky-but-fun history museums about the witch trials. We also hit up a comic store, where I *finally* indulged myself in snagging the last volume of Bone, only to see the new color reprints! Now I want the whole set all over again. We also rooted through a secondhand bookstore, snagging children’s books with inspiring illustrations out of the 50% off box.

We spent the rest of the evening playing various video games, with a brief break for sushi. After a bit of gaming the next morning, we went out for lunch, and then adventured on the shore (we did not find any critters, only a shoe-full of cold water, oh well!)

I’m really glad I got to visit! It was good fun, and I also got to see a bunch of Steph’s art up close, including her in-progress raven thief sculpture. I also got to meet her sweet little rat, Oreo, who is adorable and has inspired me to add rats to my “potential pets” list Yay for visits!

Personal Blog

NYC

I could talk about Singing Forest right now, but I don’t think I’m ready to talk about that yet, so instead I’ll give a simple weekend review.

I went with Carleton to New York to visit his friend, Mike. I hadn’t been to the city since the 6th grade, and that trip mostly involved me scurrying to keep up with my dad and uncle, occasionally gazing at the tall buildings because that’s what I figured tourists were supposed to do.

It was a nice train ride from Milford (which is just near where I work, and has free parking on the weekends for their station, woo!). Mike’s apartment is in the Upper West side of Manhattan and is quite nice. Friday night we went to the planetarium for some music-and-show-off-computer-rendering deal. ‘Twas nice.

The next day we went to get bagels, at some place that Carleton spouts is the best bagel place in the WORLD!!! (Just tasted like normal bagels to me, perhaps my palette for bagels is just not sophisticated). The main mission of the day was to help Mike buy a betta. I wish I’d brought my camera so I can add Rocky’s picture to the growing list of “Friend’s Bettas”.

That night we went and saw Carleton’s Cousin play a set at some club/bar place. His music is very good, and we’d seen him play at a coffee shop in CT last weekend. This time he was with a band, and it was a very lively set.

We then retired to Mike’s apartment and watched City of God, a very powerful and awesome movie. Mike’s mom is from Brazil, and used to teach in the City of God, and apparently said that the movie is quite accurate as far as how things are there. The individual story is very uplifting, but the truthfulness of the situation is rather depressing.

Overall, a very nice visit. It’s much more pleasant to visit the city when you are with people who know how to get around.

Games and Game Development, Personal Blog

Food and Fun

Last night I had my annual/semi-annual gathering with Jaime, Laura, and Becca. We ate at Maido on Frankfort avenue, and it was AWESOME. Among the generic hibachi grills/sushi bars, it is the only “for-real” Japanese restaurant in Louisville. A little pricey, but for the amount and quality of food you get it is well worth it. I’ll be dragging people there for dinner on my visits home for quite some time now, I suppose.

We then went back to my house for a night of video game fun. We eventually played a bit of DDR, then decided to be innovative and attempt to play other games using the DDR pads as controllers.

Crash Team Racing worked very well. You could sit on the mat and hold your foot on the accelerate button, using left and right to steer and easily punching the fire button when you needed to. The difficulty came in the lack of the R1 and R2 button, so no secret hopping-over-ledges-to-get-a-boost and such.

Spyro the Dragon proved to be much more difficult. One person breathed fire, one person charged, on jumped/flew, and the other steered. Steering was really the most difficult part, and we often rotated positions to give the steerer at hand a break. We managed to clear the first world, though it took some time to do it. It is definitely something people need to do as teamwork activities at those terrible business retreats.

Lastly, we attempted Soul Caliber II. That mostly involved 2 people flailing and beating the DDR pads like the ape people in 2001: A Space Odyssey. But if you think DDR is good exercise…

All in all, it was a very fun evening. I’m mostly glad that I still see some highschool friends on a regular basis (even though it may turn out to be only as regular as once a year), it’s always a joy to gather again.

Personal Blog

Pie!

Tonight I went to Long Wharf’s “Season Kick-off” cookout. It was pretty fun, I got to mingle and get to know my co-workers a little better. There was a pie contest (not pie-eating, just who makes the awesomest pie).

I also met Dr. McAllister’s long lost twin, by my theories. Not only does he LOOK just like M.C. Allister, but he also has that constant smile that never ever ever goes away. His voice is different, and he’s an English/Classics sort of person instead of a Mathy sort, but otherwise, it’s definatley his long lost twin. Very bizarre.

Anyway, been making some new artstuffs. Playing with pastels. All fun and good.

Next week is the last week before the late-night pre-tech days at work begin, so we’ll see how well I like my job after that 😉

EDIT: Brendan is my hero

Personal Blog

“There are 2 good things about long weekends, the first is that the weekend is longer…” -Carleton

I really enjoyed my Labor Day weekend trip to Vermont, it really is a very lovely state. It reminded me a lot of Kentucky in some ways, with the exception of being surrounded by mountains. Carleton’s grandmother lives right on Lake Champlain, so he took me out sailing, which ended up being quite awesome. We also lingered around Burlington, ate at Ben and Jerry’s, saw a moderately decent and good-humored street performer, and ate lunch at the infamous Al’s French Frys twice (yes, they really spell “fries” like that). All in all, a good weekend spent.

Thanks for the support about my Nana, the surgery went very well and she is recovering in ICU right now.

I miss you guys back home (Ken, how is New Orleans?).

Personal Blog

General Update

3 Comments

The summer has been going exquisitely, in spite of some sleeping problems I had after Carleton left on his trip, but I think I’ve gotten a handle on that now.

It is wonderful, I have so much inspiration to do art! I’m working steadily on that painting of Fish, as well as a commission I am doing for Scott. I also finished up some gift art that I started for Flamestryke two years ago, but stopped when we lost communication. I decided to start over and finish it up, after I regained contact with him this spring. It was another vector-coloring experiment, to counter balance the oil painting and watercolor/colored pencil pieces I’m working on.

I also have an inkling to try batiking (or to make a batik…is it a noun or a verb?) I tried it once in high school with so-so results, but I had an idea of a door hanging that I would love to make, I just need to go buy supplies for it.

Last night I went to a tapas bar in town with Jaime, Becca, and Laura, and it was reeeeeeeeeally yummy! I had always wanted to try a Spanish tortilla, I’m glad I got a chance. Tapas are tasty!

I keep having dreams about the Science Center, which I am taking as a sign that I need to go there. I need to visit it at least once before I leave Kentucky for the year.

Other tidbits: I’ve picked Kempo back up full swing (it’s great to see everybody again), I’ve been making regular trips to the library, I am secretly writing a story…in secret, Dave () still owes me pie.

Personal Blog

This and That

2 Comments

Another Algorithms test complete. This time, although difficult, it was not the physical violation that the last test was.

Yesterday started out as one of those inconvenient days, as my glass slot was moved back in the day, not allowing for a dinner break. However, it turned out to be for the better, as my slotmates and I went out to Guadi’s after closing the studio. Now, Guadalajara’s may not be in the league of 5-star Mexican restaurants, but when you crave it, nothing else will satisfy.

My motivation level is dropping at large rates, like radioactive decay. But if that’s the case, then it will never be *completely* gone, so I’ll still make it through these last few weeks.