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Personal Blog

Must be Gremlins…

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Today I went and used the art supply store gift certificate I got for Christmas. I picked up some colored pencils and some watercolors.

Now, I had purchased a set of watercolors a long time ago, and used them now and again, and then one day found they’d gone missing. Before buying a replacement set, I gave them a year to show up. I looked in every conceivable place, at home and at school, and gave it plenty of time to pull that “Oh, I’m going to show up now that you aren’t actually looking for me” stunt. A year later and still no sign, so I figured it was safe to buy some more.

I’d be willing to bet money that now that I’ve bought a new set, the old one will magically appear in a place I’ve looked a thousand times before.

In other weird news, my parents’ keyboard is acting very strange. Sometimes weird things type out on their own. You know how sometimes you type something and it doesn’t show up right away, then later it all types out at once? Kinda like that. Maybe there’s some ghost trapped in my parents’ computer, trying to contact me with secret messages. Very odd.

Personal Blog

Meeeemorieeeees

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Even though I was a total slug yesterday, I’ve been getting some work accomplished today. I’ve been going through my piles of stored junk and sorting it…stuff to keep, stuff to find a new home for, stuff to throw away, stuff to store…that sort of thing

I’m particularly proud of myself for finally getting my large pile of photos dated and organized into an album and an “extra” box, it took up the bulk of the morning. Dating pictures is one of those things that I hate doing, but know I’ll regret later if I don’t do it. Nice to have that pile finished with.

After sorting together a bunch of random papers and bits of memories–programs, newspaper clippings, notes, etc.–I pondered, “What can I do with all these scraps of things?” Scrapbook, duh >_< So that's another project to contend with, though I think it will be a good one. I love keeping stuff for memories, but have no good way of storing it beyond throwing a bunch of papers in a box; a scrapbook would work nicely. Another big project will be going through my piles of notebooks and school papers. I keep EVERYTHING, right down to high school, because I like to go through my papers and snip out the little doodles I've drawn. My papers have backed up considerably through college, so I'd like to get through them quickly so I can cut out the drawings and doom the piles of paper to recycling. I've already cleared up several storage boxes--only to be refilled with different items, of course, but oh well. Well, back to cleaning, I suppose.

Personal Blog

Loot

Another holiday completed. Christmas this year was very pleasant, in spite of my initial sadness due to lack of Carleton. Crazy family time kept me busy and my mind off it.

I got a few books I’d wanted, some other nice things, and my mom got me yarn (so I can knit her a scarf ¬_¬ ). I enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and spent the evening with some friends from high school I hadn’t seen in awhile.

Now that the holiday is over I am overwhelmed by the fact that I still have a week of break left. I have a feeling I will get little accomplished, as I am very tired.

I am excited about winter term, it should be fun to design props and make puppets and such, and it will be nice to have no evening obligations. However, I feel I’ll spend most of that time sleeping and resting. I suppose there is a possibility I will suddenly become motivated, perhaps work on figuring out what I’m going to do with the rest of my life, and all that. So much to think about, so exhausting.

I suppose I’ll postpone thinking about all those big things a bit longer, and just work on thinking about what I should buy with my gift certificate to the art supply store.

Games and Game Development, Personal Blog

Christmas

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday!

Carleton’s visit was awesome. Granted, most of it was spent playing Final Fantasy X, but all the better to have time to waste playing video games. We did manage to make it out to visit all my friends, and had very tasty meals thrust upon us. Granted, I was sad to see him off this morning, but the fact that it’s Christmas helped to cheer me up.

That, and the fact that I still have the rest of Christmas break left! Woowoo! Maybe I will get that site redesign underway…or at least get some cleaning done.

Stay safe and warm on the holidays, everyone!

Personal Blog

For Really Real Life

Another tasty Thanksgiving dinner complete. Hooray! It’s always nice to see my family, especially since I’m in school and don’t get to see them much. In spite of all my fears about graduating, today I’ve been feeling pangs of want to be out of school. I want to clean out my room and Stuff Collection and sort and throw things out. I want to clean the basement and set up a workplace down there. I want to go through things, and see what can be given away. All these things would take a longish, extended-stay-at-home time that I’ve been craving for awhile, though.

Talking to the puppet folk at UConn left me in high spirits, but I’m certainly going to have to spend a good amount of time, a year at the very least, building a portfolio. Whether I do this by getting a related job (John Hickman worked for a puppet place in Tennessee for a year and suggested I check it out) or working on my own (can’t wait for Dave and Brendan’s combined playwriting efforts to complete, wee!) I do not know.

There are all these looming things about my student loans if I don’t go straight to grad school, and I’m going to have to find some way of supporting myself in the meantime. I’ve considered looking into places that need digital image database work done, since that is the sort of work I’ve been doing for the college’s slide library. Just have to find a place with a need, I suppose.

At any rate, I’m not as panicky as before. I would fret and fret about my senior show, and Sheldon would comfort me not to worry too hard about it (but his method of doing this was pointing ahead to post-graduation, which I should spend more time worrying about) but I’ve stumbled upon something that could make for a good exhibit. So no, though I’ve made at least 5 glass armadillos, that certainly won’t be my senior show (it was a good method of clearing my mind), color fade vases might be the right direction.

I still have much to meddle with and figure out, but I think things are going to be okay. It’s just that, after spending your whole life looking ahead to these very short significant time slots–grade school to high school, high school to college–looking ahead and seeing “the rest of your life” waiting ahead is rather intimidating. At least I’m not in the boat alone.

In lighter news, some friends from high school are visiting tomorrow, and I am very excited to see them all. It’s been a year since I last saw any of them, and I’m looking forward to catching up.

Happy Thanksgiving, all!

Personal Blog

Straight-Short-Haired Lisa still eats Candy

This weekend was nice. Since it has been established that I will be spending fall break in Connecticut, I wanted a chance to hang out with my friends in Louisville. So, Saturday I spent the day with Brendan and Ken. It was just the refresher that I needed.

Having just gotten paid, we went to the comic book shop with the sole intention of me buying myself a treat (I’m trying the whole goal-reward system with all this work I have to do. I got a lot of work done this week, I get a treat. A little operant conditioning never hurt anybody ^_^ ). I bought the first four volumes of the Bone comics. I love this series soooo much, but I always get my fix from Brendan’s collection, and I decided I wanted to start getting them for myself. Four volumes at a time seems reasonable, don’t you think?

Anyway, after chilling and reading comics and being sucked in by VH1 at Ken’s place, Brendan and I went back to his home for a sketchbook party. It was really nice to draw for fun again, and I think it was very refreshing for me. I spent that night eating buffalo wings, going through my books, and having a pleasant phone conversation with Carleton (which are always fun and awesome).

A successful weekend: I got to rest and be refreshed, but I did not do so by being a slacker and idling the whole time. I was hoping to be able to catch some time with today since she was in Kentucky, but the paper I have due tomorrow, the midterm I have tomorrow, the improv show I have tomorrow, the newspaper copy editing I’ll have to start on this week, and the constantly increasing pile of programming assignments I have due makes it seem like that will not get to happen. Curses!! Alas, back to work…

Personal Blog

What was that?

Today has been packed full of fun times. I spent a greater portion of the day at a Kempo clinic, which was awesome. I missed all my Kempo peoples, it was great to see the second fam again.

This evening I hung out with Ken, since we were both exhausted from our days (Ken () has been busy at work down at Glassworks). We happily chilled and watched cartoons, then went to the Pie Kitchen, where I fretted and debated over whether I wanted pie or icecream, pondered getting both, decided that would be splurging way too much, and ended up getting two pieces of pie instead x_x ‘Twas good, though, and we ate our pie and watched cartoons for the rest of the evening, joined later by Dave.

I’m beginning to feel the fun, creepy Halloween spirit tonight. Last night still held remnants of the summer, as the tree frogs and night critters were out making pleasant music. Tonight, though, it was nearly silent, with a few lingering crickets. We were also graced with a few calls from our local fox, which greatly added to the atmosphere. Have you ever heard a fox call? It sounds like a screaming child, especially when muffled slightly by the woods. Mmmm…must think of good Halloween costume this year.

Oh, and an Update: I may now safely count the chickens, i just need to figure out which way to incubate them 😉

Games and Game Development, Personal Blog

Fun-packed week

This week has been a wonderful homecoming. On Monday, I was happily reunited with Brendan, Ken (, Dave (of being-hit-by-a-TARC-bus fame), and Evan. There was much hugging and grand tours of new apartments, and plenty of Halo of course. Brendan, Ken, Dave and I made dinner that night like a family, then we went to Evan’s for dessert. Tuesday was even more fun, with the infamous D Flo() come to visit, featuring Emily Tate. All was joyous and partyful.

Though I will be sad that most of my friends will not be returning to Centre, now that they’re bound to the real world, I’m happy that they will be so close. I’m also excited about the schoolyear, though a bit frazzled by having to move back tomorrow.

I spent Wednesday night with my parents. We got buffalo wings and watched Two Towers together (sorry Carleton, I was so excited about the prospect of actually *eating* the buffalo wings that they were completely devoured before I thought about taking a picture ^_^). Today I had lunch with my mom and grandmother and cousin.

I also went to the doctor today about my Achilles tendon. It seems it is merely a case of tendonitus (boooo!), and I was given some drugs and shown some stretches to do to get through it. Stupid tendonitus. Ah well, if that’s the worst that will happen it’ll be all good.

I also managed to get my website updated, so go look at that. https://www.wertle.com

All in all, it’s been a very fulfilling week. By next update I should be back at Centre!

Games and Game Development, Personal Blog

Home at Last!

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After a grueling 15 hour drive, Whitney and I got out of the car only to be greeted by that pleasant sound of crickets and tree frogs and night bugs which had been so noticeably absent from Massachusetts. I have never felt so very happy to be home.

I arrived safe and sound (with the exception of my Achilles tendon, which was bugging me all last week, got worse at strike, and which Ken () suggests I get looked at so I don’t end up unable to use it properly. A crippling leg injury is certainly very low on the “Things I Need Right Now” list.)

I was going to make a big list of things I learned this summer, but as I am still pretty tired from the trip, and as Brendan is bouncing all over the walls waiting for me to come over and visit, I’ll put that off to a later time (I’ll also get around to the rest of those interview questions, I promise!)

It’s going to be a busy week, with unpacking and updating websites and preparing for school, but I know one thing to be true: Carleton gave me Dynasty Warriors 4, and I plan on spreading its addictive powers to every friend I can summon, muahahaha!

::ninja backflips out the window (carefully, due to her injury of course)::

Personal Blog

Easter stuff

As my third year as the official family Easter-egg hider, I once again took careful count of the total number of eggs (there were 18, just 18, seems like a manageable amount), and once again there were two missing by the end of the hunt. I carefully checked all my hiding spaces, and at last had to tell my cousins that it was the work of the mischievous Easter Weasel, who’d come in and stolen them for himself. Next year, I plan on creating an accurate map of the yard, and plot all egg locations. Maybe I could employ some GPS, just for good measure.

On another note, I’ve discovered that the limit for who my grandma gives candy to is not based on age. It must be based on when you get married, for this year my brother did not get a huge bag of Easter candy, and I did. Unfortunately, I’ve found that I am no longer able to metabolize the huge amounts of candy I receive like I used to, so I’ll be doing a lot of sharing this week.

I have gripes with Easter candy anyway. It’s too shape-driven, and I’m particularly upset with those speckled, bubble gum eggs and the similar looking malted milk ball eggs. They’re like frickin identical! They’re both tasty in their own right, but biting into one while expecting the other is not a pleasant experience. Bleh!

As far as candy-holidays go, I’m still with Halloween. It seems to cater to general, commercial candy much better. Just look at M&M’s. You have red and green for Christmas, pink, red and white for Valentine’s, pastels for Easter, but for Halloween it’s like they relax. No pressure.

Back to school with me..