just a quick little blog...

....I have been soo busy this week! That deadline tommorrow is gonna be a tight one to make....lotsa work to do today....anyways, I've just been storyboarding all week...and designing my characters....I have to go back to the chiropractor today...last time, on tuesday, he cracked my neck...which was...crazy!! I was like...oh god, what if he does it wrong?? lol...I know he wouldn't but...necks are scary places to hear that many bones pop..lol...anyways, gtg to school...My paul is coming to visit tommorrow...=) so i get to chill out this weekend...before the real crazy school work starts....I just realized I don't have a penny to my name left this month...lol....argh. And I can't believe it's almost october! whoa..time's goin by too fast! Have a good day everyone! =)

(sigh).

Akk. There's these people who live right above me who always feel like indulging in their abusive relationship at 4 in the morning. I've only heard them a few times, and I think it was cuz my window was open, but there is always tons of yelling, which is hard to hear over the indechipherable but obvious swearing, and the occasional crash and bang. What a nice way to wake up. And they scream so soooo loud, like....waiting to yell at 4 in the morning makes no friggin difference when your neighbours can still hear you, dumbasses. And why, I just can't seem to wrap my head around this, but why do people stay in these kinds of relationships?? It's like they enjoy screaming matches...I mean, I could see if it was just him yelling at her, that maybe she felt like she couldn't leave...but she yells right back at him. Sadistic, I tell you. What a waste of time. Argh! Sorry, had to rant...it just annoys the hell out of me that people put up with other people who have no respect for them.

Anyways, I came home so I could eat Shreddies and finish my board. I could eat cereal 24/7. K, well...not quite...but almost 24/7. =) And it is official....my cable is cut...well, i still have some decent channels...buut...goodbye to Project Runway...and Flip this house..and Intervention...and Extreme makeover (which i only watch to get a good laugh...I am totally anti-plastic surgery...it's just so funny how these dorky people think a new face will make them un-dorky)..and Miami Ink...and, yeah. All the channels I watch are gone...*sniff* Least i think I can still watch the OC. Which is going to suck this season. And I think Grey's, but I was so sad after last season's finale, I dunno if I even wanna watch...he he....anyways. Time to watch tv? What hopeful thinking...lol...I am almost done my storyboard, which i feel like ripping into a million pieces so i don't have to revise it anymore..I mean, I haven't had to revise much..but I'm so slow! And I still have yet to do my character designs and leica reel for friday..plus, I have to catch up on weiner lip sync, and start layout, and my boyfriend is coming to visit, so that totally chops into my time, but in a good way...=) And my back is good, I woke up on Sunday surprisingly in no pain at all...just have to go back a few times for the next few weeks and I should be all good....anyways, off to work I go. =) Night!

adjustments...err, inconveniences

Sooo...went to the chiropractor today, and he said I was doin good...only a few more bi-weekly visits then just maintenance, cuz i caught it early..(whew)....but then told me that he was gonna do three major adjustments to the shoulder/hip areas, and implied that it may be a lil sore afterwards...and I was like...naw, it hasn't hurt yet...so then I proceed to go to safeway on the way home and lug a giant box of frozen chicken and some other stuff (they had major sales goin on..had to stock up) uphill to my place, and I felt fine, til i left for work, and my hip, the one he was trying to get back in the right place, was totally hurting everytime I took a step...I mean, not intense pain, but enough to make me not wanna put all my weight on that side....and all my upper leg muscles were totally tense...and the clincher is, I started going for jogs last week, so the muscles on the front of both my chins and ankles are all sore, too...lol..so here I am, feeling like I'm hobbling like an old lady, walking fairly slowly, uphill and downhill all the way to and back from west van to work....at which I had to learn how to use a new computer till with line-ups of people waiting for me...and scooping ice cream with the arm/shoulder, that he said may be sore, for 4 hours. Ouch. But really, this must be good, cuz if my hip feels different, that must mean it's in the right spot now..ha ha...So anyways, my day really was good, lol....despite the soreness....After all, I got to eat a few awesome chocolates, i got Newfoundglory's new cd, and am lovin it...I'm sure I've been playing it for at least 3 hours...actually got to eat a meal that i made here, at my house...which doesn't happen often anymore...(school..argh)...and was reminded that the Little Mermaid is coming out on October 3!!! =) and cleaned kinda obsessively for a bit...and now, I get to do homework....buuut..i have to agree with Kelly that final film is fun at the moment, even though i will not be sleeping much this week....so it's fun homework...=) That's all...akk..I'm scared to get up from the chair i'm in, must hobble to the couch...Hope everyone's weekend's goin good..=)

normal schtuff.

Argh....I should not have come home to work, i was on a role at school...he he..I got distracted by some tunes here...on to the board in a second...anyways, not much new...My guy is like, 3 hours away from me...so close yet so far....but I get to see him next friday! Who-ho! Soo..i decided to stay workin for a bit...I've already told them I can't work for about a month, cuz of visitors and deadlines...and only 4 hours this Saturday is good. I cut my cable and internet down, cuz I won't be around here soon anyways...(argh..hate slow computers..it's bugging me already...) and am planning money stuff, etc. for when school is done, cuz it's one less thing to worry about now...peace of mind is a good thing...=) off to Chiro again tommorrow, to double-check the back thing....then I gotta work, work, work...Aiming for my storybboard to be approved, at the latest by tuesday...So that I can start the next phase (layout) almost a week before it actually starts. Ahhhh! Film! It's still hard to believe that we've started, cuz it feels...surreal? i'm sure it'll hit me soon..what a crazy amount of work we are in for. Til then..music, chocolate, enjoying the last few days of TLC and Life network channels if I can manage it, and playin a lil bit of catch up. Geez...how come there are so many good songs??

normal schtuff.

Argh....I should not have come home to work, i was on a role at school...he he..I got distracted by some tunes here...on to the board in a second...anyways, not much new...My guy is like, 3 hours away from me...so close yet so far....but I get to see him next friday! Who-ho! Soo..i decided to stay workin for a bit...I've already told them I can't work for about a month, cuz of visitors and deadlines...and only 4 hours this Saturday is good. I cut my cable and internet down, cuz I won't be around here soon anyways...(argh..hate slow computers..it's bugging me already...) and am planning money stuff, etc. for when school is done, cuz it's one less thing to worry about now...peace of mind is a good thing...=) off to Chiro again tommorrow, to double-check the back thing....then I gotta work, work, work...Aiming for my storybboard to be approved, at the latest by tuesday...So that I can start the next phase (layout) almost a week before it actually starts. Ahhhh! Film! It's still hard to believe that we've started, cuz it feels...surreal? i'm sure it'll hit me soon..what a crazy amount of work we are in for. Til then..music, chocolate, enjoying the last few days of TLC and Life network channels if I can manage it, and playin a lil bit of catch up. Geez...how come there are so many good songs??

money!!

Argh...what a pain......sooo, I was planning on quitting my job tonight, cuz as soon as I got the final film schedule in my hands on Monday and realized how much work it is...I was just like..i can't work...no time! But thennnn....I got a notice that my rent is going up $40 a month come January...at the convenient time when my loan interest will be insanely high, and I will almost be run dry for money...and don't know where I'll live or who I'll live with later...and when ya got nottin, $40 is a lot...rent is a lot anyways...sooo...I think i should try to keep the one day for a little longer...at least it'll force me away from the animation desk..I don't know!! Plus, I tried to call them tonight like 5 times, and nobody answered, and then I got the rent notice...so maybe it's some fate-related, you-are-meant-to-keep-making-money thing? everything happens for a reason, right? Money...everytime I think about it, I'm always like...why don't we just use M&M's instead, or something?? But then, it would just end up the same..cuz some people would eat their M&M's as soon as they got em, and not have any left...and some people would want to have the most M&M's...but, I mean, at least then, we would all have chocolate. Oh! On a lighter note, I started going to the Chiropractor today...i am fixable...it is a crazy feeling, man! Hearing all the bones in your spine pop...yikes! I feel good though...He said my left hip is slightly twisted, which makes my spine lean the other way to correct this twist, which, in turn, put out one of the discs in my spine near my shoulder blade, which is inflamed and disrupting the way my nerves send signals to my brain. Whew. who knew it was all so interconnected? Well, I mean, I knew it was interconnected, but not to the extent of having your brain subconciously have to correct your spinal alignment to what it thinks is right, but is really wrong, every single time you move. Wow. I am enlightened. Sorry for the rambling....if you have job advice, please let me know!! =) I have only been doing 1 day a week. It has been standable...=) night!

-Michelle

Hellooo...

Hope everyone's doin good...you should all go check out Mandy's new website ...she just got it up and running (yes, Mandy, I got your message...I was at school, then sleeping, then at home animating, then sleeping..he he....will call you later this week) and it's so cool! =) Speaking of, mom..I got your message too...I was at school...I won't be home tonight to call ya back, though....Anyways...didn't get a lot done yesterday, cuz I got to school and felt horrible...tired, headache, etc. So I decided it would be better for me if I went home and slept, then worked a little...rather than staring at my desk doing nothing anyways...soooo..I do feel better today, cuz I went to bed at like...9 pm, after a 3 hour nap, buuut...now I have tons to do today!!! It'll all get done...and then no rest; cuz film starts!!! It was nice to not work this weekend though..well, not work work..I still worked..i just didn't happen to be wearing a purple uniform. =) Oh! saw three skunks this morning..soo scary!

normal saturdays...

Yay! I booked a chiropractors appointment today! So excited! Well, kay, hoping my back is not seriously messed up, but I'm excited that it may stop hurting me after I draw for 16 hours at a time, cuz I will be doing that often soon...I went in to school for a lil bit today, cuz I have a giant project to finish; a talking, moving weiner...but sometimes..I just crave...just need a normal, boring, at home day...a normal saturday. I mean, normal now, not like normal woulda been before school and pre-apartment; cuz now I have to clean and buy food and do laundry in a public building...lol..Sooo anyways...I borrowed an animation disc so i could draw at home, and rented some reference movies for my film, and have been cleaning, doing laundry, and watching a "flip this house" marathon. Gawd, i wanna flip a house. A profit in the five digits would be worth all of that work. And, to anyone looking at buying a house, get an inspection! They never do, and stuff always goes horribly, expensively wrong. (sigh). I am such a homebody....he he...I like hangin out in my J's, in my own little place. Anyways...I scrapbooked a few days ago...I realized I will not be able to stop, so i'm gonna do my film backgrounds kinda multi-media...paper, paint, sewing, texture paste, etc. If they scan well, that is. Cuz I know it'll be fun for me to do, and will look cool...this is the page I did that few days ago...a crappy picture of me and Mandy in grade...10? I was watching a special on primetime or something about how bitchy and mean girls are to each other nowadays, and one girl said "every girl wants to be like, that alpha female..the popular one"...and I was like....huh? Every girl?? Cuz I never wanted to be. In fact, I tried my best to look exactly opposite of these girls, and I still had friends, and still got guys. So they are all wasting their time, really..trying to be people they aren't...just to fit in. Silly. and petty. Girls were never as mean in highscool as they are now. Anyways, the point of it is, this is an art journal page, so i had to write my thoughts down quickly...it only took 40 minutes, as opposed to my normal...10 hours(?) lol..And the other point of it, the even better point, was that Mandy was there when I had blue hair, 50 rubber bracelets up my arm, and sewed my own pants together...lol..she is the bestest...=) hope everyone's weekend is good! I'm off to do some animation! who-ho!

survivor theory...

I miss Nip/Tuck! I really do. I don't even know if they just aren't playing it in Canada anymore, or yet, or what...but I love how screwed up it is, and I miss it. I may just have to rent it, but I have no time.....sooo...I'll settle for what's on tv, I guess. I actually watched Survivor tonight..which I haven't been able to sit through for years....just cuz when it debuted as "reality tv", I was kinda peeved...cuz I know they have a film crew, the cameras aren't just floating around by themselves...and where does Mr. host sleep? I bet it's in a trailer, and not in a hut he made by himself of bamboo. And I'm sure, with all the crew, they have some kind of eating and or bathroom arrangement other than a hole in the ground and a hand-made fire; cuz that would be pretty difficult/nasty with that much crew. And then they build that fancy little place where they have the meetings to cut people, and they definately needed some construction equipment out there to build that. And to make all the challenges/obstacle courses...and so, when I watch survivor, this is what i think. Every time. And that, due to the demand of the viewing public, they keep going to a different place every year, tearing more trees down and upheaving the wildlife to build their crews' stuff and the set for the meeting things...and. yeah. That's not reality to me. Plus, they must need some kind of electricity to get all of those cameras working and to at least re-charge the batteries they may use in the cameras, and, if they use any, lights. And how do you get electricity in the middle of nowhere? Wreck trees and stuff to get it there. Waste of good nature, that's what it is. And they gotta have some kind of medical crew out there, don't they? What if a camera man gets bitten by a snake? Employees need some kinda job security. People sue nowadays. This is all not 'reality tv" it's all a big facade. I mean, it's not scripted, which is obvious, but they edit it all together to make people seem how they want them to seem. Not reality. Wow, this is getting long. I mean, don't get me wrong, I like the occasional "reality tv" episode of the vast array of shows out there now...buuuut. This is not really reality, so why is it called that? maybe that's what really bugs me. And the fact that they hide all of the behind the scenes stuff. To make it seem like it seems. Anyways, my mom and sister think I'm crazy, cuz they love it. But i can't enjoy it cuz this and countless other things run through my head the whole time...this is what it makes me think. There is a crew. Just like Criss Angel. He has a crew, but they call them "consultants". lets not even get me started on Criss Angel. We have an ongoing thing at school about him. the "illusionist". hah. Wow, am I that skeptical? Tell me what you think about survivor....? Night!

ahhh...

Calm before the storm? I think today would be it...yep. today. Pretty relaxing...school ended early, we had sound intro....which means all we did was listen to our teacher play guitar for almost an hour...dude's so energetic and all over the place! Anyways, made me wanna go home and break out my guitar again...only, my guitar is not here, I have no time, and I can barely even remember the chords I learned from the year I tried to learn how to play electric guitar back when I was...err....16? Soo..I settled for blasting some music instead. And watching some trashy talk-shows while attempting to pick some colors for my film....which is fun...=) And, yay! Lucas won rockstar! Not that I'm a hardcore fan, I barely watched the show...but he does know how to put on make-up waaay better than I ever will/want to.....he he..I just love his style...he is sooooo rockstar...anyways, off to look up some chiropractors, paint some more, and watch Pinky and the Brain..again....."Gee, Brain, what do ya wanna do tonight?"..."the same thing we do every night, Pinky, try to take over the world!" Love Brain. Love his monotone voice. And his monotone expression. Love how stupid they make the humans in the show, also. And that Pinky is smarter than Brain. =) he he...

Oh! And have to share some Dashboard love;

"I've hidden a note,
it's pressed between pages that you've marked to find your way back.
It says, "Does he ever get the girl?"

Those may well be my favorite lyrics ever. Kay, no. I can't say that. But I love them lots...for some unknown reason. Dashboard always makes me feel all...highschool...

Plus, he's Chris Carrabba. He can whine all he wants. And his lyrics are way more fabulous than the crap they put out for the masses now ("Sexy Back". Gee, I really connect with that one.) And he has sleeves. =) Kay, no more blogging for me! Night!

What I've been up to...

...in the past few days:

Admiring the sunset: it's still kind of summer, but the days are getting shorter...so, on the rare occasion I am at home and not at school come sundown, it's so nice to see...especially cuz I have a feeling I won't see the light of day much during final film! This is the view from my balcony..



Last Friday, Robert Valley came into our life drawing class and showed us his unique life-drawing style; as animators, we're usually very concerned with the structure underneath the drawings, so's that we can rotate them and move em around, but he draws the silhouette, and does lotsa smudging/dragging where the light sources are...sooo....I had fun all class drawing in a totally new way...the drawings aren't done, so they look, well...not done..but I thought they were decent, considering the circumstances...and there are nipples missing on one of em...looks funny...lol...





Annnnd...i scrapbooked on Sunday night....well, more of an art journal page...even though i told myself I would not, that I had no time to...but I had to be creative..I mean, I draw everyday, but I had to be a different kinda creative..and the lines just popped into my head, so I had to get it down...An art journal is just that; a journal...but prettier...usually not as pretty as regular scrapbooking..but ya get to mess around and do whatever you feel like doing...So I spray painted. I am addicted to that using that stuff lately:



Annnd...I got a cute lil care package in the mail from my bestest grrl, Mandy...whom I've known officially for 10 years now...which is the longest I've ever known anybody i'm not related to...yay!....and, after hurting all day, I've decided my back hurts so much in one place that it is affecting my drawing sometimes....so I have to go see a chiropractor....before I become a cripple during final film. that's all...=) Off to work on some film stuff...(ahhh!)

tatoo crazy...

I am going tatoo crazy. Every since I watched the Miami Ink marathon yesterday...argh...I really really want a teeny cute little girly skull on my side..somewhere....this is my new idea...and I am kinda stubborn..so i don't think it's gonna change cuz my mind is in love with this tatoo...So anyways...that's all I could think about all day; and I know what you're thinking, a skull? But honestly...it's not a scary one....Oh! And did you know that it's possible to put two contact lenses in one eye? well, it is...Why, you ask? Because about once every few years I do it. Yes, I was sleepy this morning. But that really wakes ya up, i tell ya...like, 2 times as much vision in one eye and 1 times less in the other...whew...! Sooo...I really just wanted to post so that that damn grilled cheese is not at the top of my blog...buut...If you haven't scrolled down, check out the animation...It's the one I'm most proud of (...=)...) So ya gotta see..=) Annnd...I am officially all caught up today!! yay! I stayed at school til my last project was done...looong day....but it's all good...=) Night!

Kay, I know I already blogged today....*scroll down for some animation!!* but I keep seeing this Miami ink episode about the "virgin mary grilled cheese lady", and it just cracks me up every time. Deal is, one day, she got up to make her breakfast as usual, grilled cheese, and just as she was about to take a bite out of it;



And so, why not get a giant ugly tatoo of it on her chest?? lol...And who the hell has a grilled cheese sandwich as a regular breakfast everyday? And then keeps the sandwich in a plastic box full of cotton balls (see above) for more than ten years?? My god...I mean, there are days when I feel kinda like an oddball, but this...this just puts it all into perspective...ha ha. Oh, and Mandy...if ya read this....I started thinking that maybe I want 2 tatoos when we go in December...lol...(Lisa would agree with me here; 2 at once is cheaper!! lol...) I was trying to think of a design today...anyways, just thought I'd make everyone feel just a little bit more normal by sharing one of the crazies out there...=) Night!

Water Bucket

I was gonna put some life drawing I did on friday up, but I forgot it at school...sooo.....why not some animation? he he...this is the last project I did from FX animation last term...it's the project I was the most happy with so far...lotsa work for that quick little action, but it looks cool, so it's all worth it...=)

Guess who? Glen Keane...(sigh) And my all-time favorite - Pocahontas. I think I love the movie so much because Pocahontas is so different from every other disney princess; she's intelligent, grounded, sort of exotic-looking, and she does whatever the hell she wants...lol...Okay, okay....I know some animators are totally anti-disney...but I would work for them in a second if I had the chance...he he...anyways, the point of this was, I just found this Glen Keane blog and I am still so amazed by his endless talent even though I've seen tons of his stuff! Wow...Plus, there's some stuff from the new movie, Rapunzel...which looks awesome...(for those of you who don't know who Glen Keane is, he's the guy who animated The Beast, Aladdin, and Pocahontas...just to name a few)...Go check it out! =)

good day...=)

Today was a pretty good day, I have to say. Woke up well-rested, despite having slept through/hit snooze for 2 hours, which really usually makes me more tired...Planned the rest of my animation this morning...Then we all hung out and talked to Moose (my animation teacher) for a few hours, and he showed us some awesome films, as usual, and gave us an awesome model pack, as usual. Then we got some marks back; the infamous character pack, which I had not completely finished, but did awesome on anyways. Yay! And then I got an animation project back, which i thought was the worst one I'd done yet, and I was happily surprised cuz it was one of the better ones, apparantly. And, today, while we were talking in class, I actually drew stuff by my own free will. Ha ha...no, that sounds wrong, what I mean is; before I started school, I had truthfully not drawn in about 6 months, and then, I got here, and it was like learning a whole different way to draw, anyways, so I was just drawing the stuff I was being assigned to draw. That's all i had time to draw, anyways...and barely at that....So I actually just doodled for the fun of it today...which was kind of like...something clicked (finally)...I'm back into it...which sounds even funnier cuz I've been here for 6 months...lol...So anyways, then i sat down to animate, and it was going fast and well and everything i tried worked, so i put a big dent in the project. Ahhh..and it's still pretty early. This having-extra-time-this-week thing is starting to freak me out...is there something I am forgetting to do? I know there's stuff I should probably be doing...guess it'll catch up to me later....lol..but for now, ahhhhh...zen moment. =) Good night!

akk!

So much for me being caught up by the end of last week...ha ha...it's almost the end of this week...!! Buuut...all we have for class right now is animation, and I can be there all day saturday, too, so it'll happen. I keep trying to finish, but, having not planned my animation very well because of lack of time, and trying to animate unplanned things I have never animated before (which is much like walking around in the dark and tripping all over a million obstacles), I figured, instead of wasting time being frustrated, I can go home, act the stuff out, thumbnail like crazy, and I will be prepared tommorrow to finish the 1 project I have left from last term. And 1 is not so bad. =) (sigh) wish me luck! I need to finish so i can re-fuel before film starts! We have our first production meetings next week! akkk!

evolution of cow...

This is my cow. Well, my work in progress cow. (you'll have to scuse me, I don't have a scanner...the pictures are kinda funky). The clean drawing on the bottom was done about 3 months ago now, when my story kinda popped into my head, and, now realizing how crazy film really is, I am totally trying to simplify cow so that my film actually gets done. Sooo...the top drawing was quickly scribbled today, after I finished (ha ha) my storyboard...hmm...a reflection of my mood, perhaps? and, Hmmm...how ironic that they both have the same expression?....lol.....Sooo...I have a little while to decide what cow actually looks like for sure, and then design her world, and then finish a board that I can't change. Because after doing that one today in a mad rush, I realized how unplanned it really was, and want to change the whole thing. But I will resist the urge....I will never ever get anything done if I do that!! Still trying to catch up on my third term stuff, so I gotta go draw more! =) At least ya know what I scribbled all day now. =)

he he....

Whenever I come home from work, over the Lions gate and through Stanley park, I always crack up at the sign that says "Vancouver; A nuclear weapons free zone". Isn't that kind of an odd thing to put on a sign? It makes me feel like saying, "Ohhhh, (big exaggerated sigh here), thank god! I was so worried about that! Glad it's all cleared up now!" he he...silly. Just thought I'd share. Off to finish my storyboard now; yes, I did have an extra week, but it is always a last minute thing. I should never board professionally ever! lol..=) Good night!

Friday!

Hello all! I realized I didn't update about the contest...I didn't win..=(....no biggie, though....Still had lotsa fun, made some cool art...it's all good! I've been busy; got a whole animation project finished last night, albeit, not the best lookin project; buuuut one down, only one more to go...and then my film storyboard, and I am caught up! And it's a long weekend, so that seems possible...ahhh...no stress...I came home right away today to have a well-deserved movie-and-pizza night, cuz I'll spend all day tommorrow at my desk workin...annnnnd..I only have to work for 4 hours on sunday and 4 hours on Monday...which I was happy about..I mean, money is good, but so is sleep and sanity; for which I need rest. ha ha...anyways, I actually got the header on my blog finally...took a lil bit...i know absolutely nothing about html, so I just mess around with stuff til it looks alright...lol...that stupid green box beside the description is giving me a hassle. It'll go sometime...hmmm...Sooo anyways...I was posting some pages on Two peas tonight, when it hit me; I am a total scrapbooking geek. I mean, I knew that...but today in class, we, well, Jared and Kelly, were sounding all star-wars-mega-fannish, and I made a comment suggesting that they were star-wars-mega-fannish...buuut...what the hell? I know everything about every paper company, and when the craft shows are, and what product does what the best...sooo..I'm a geek too, guys. ha ha...only, a different kinda geek. We're all geeks in some way then, aren't we? Video games, scrapbooking, photography, animation.....everyone has something they geek out about....lol...what a silly revelation...so, Kelly...I just meant that you guys were kinda geeks. But s'okay..i am, too...lol..anyways, I guess I really can't try to explain to my boyfriend that scrapbooking really is cool now. lol...so, on with the geekiness; this is one of my fave pages ever, even though I did it a few years ago....this is my little brother (I specially love this picture cuz i subconciously make that same concentrating-really-hard face sometimes, too.....lol). I'll put drawings on here soon, I promise....=) off to fix the rest of my blog and/or watch some movies!! Happy night!

trying to make some blog changes...they are finally kinda working!! yay! =) more later...