i am a virus

playmate lauren anderson >>

*wiggles eyebrows*

some of you may know that i've been busy with family and things lately. i was gone for a few days in pymatuning, and out of 23 people, i was the only one entirely unaffected by a nasty stomach virus that went through, in and right back out of everyone there. poor vomiting sick people. maybe it's because i'm vegan. maybe it's the noni and acv. i was more than exposed. i expected to be one of the next to get sick, but it never came.

you can infect someone. today, i'd like to announce patrick has taken the final step to becoming completely straightedge, and he too is a new vegetarian and doing well. i'm proud of him. look at how much you can change. let's be amazing. they don't shine like us.

i just heard word that joshua's conditional release went through. this is fantastic news, and all of you out on the east coast, i'll be coming to visit while he's in maryland for his 5 month training.

oh, and our fifth wedding anniversary was this saturday. sometimes i feel that we've hardly known each other that long, but then i look at what we've built together.

title: audioslave - bring em back alive

when will you stop and realize

i'm amused at today's title song lyrics. sounds a little hardcore for talking about pms... like maybe i had something good to say, or something to vent about. nope.

this one is for becky, and all the other cranky females. i like to use natural, safe and intelligent solutions for whatever problems need solving. i was reading a bit about holistic remedies and treatments for various ailments, and i know becky is one to not want to take medicine for her pains.

• exercise - it improves blood and oxygen circulation, including through the pelvis, and releases feel-good endorphins.
  
• get a massage - massage therapists can target your abdomen to ease the tension.
  
• avoid caffeine - it constricts blood vessels and increases tension.
  
• eat less dairy and meat - antibiotics we add to certain foods may make cramps worse.
  
• spice with cayenne - cayenne pepper also improves blood circulation.
  
• b vitamins, which may also help with nonmenstrual cramps.
  
• primrose oil - widely used in europe for pms symptoms, it packs healthy omega fatty acids; so does borage oil.
  
• jasmine oil - another pms symptom-soother; use it to massage your abs.

these may not be as effective as popping a pill, but they're gentler on your liver, and mean less toxic chemicals going into landfills. not only this, but avoidance of the animal products and caffeine, and getting good exercise are just plain good for you.



title: 401 kill -rise against

whatever we want whenever we please

everyone loves pam anderson, right? check this video out.


i've been pretty busy with workywork and running.

joshua was home for abour 24 hours this weekend. father's day was like christmas for him.


i'm inspired to art more, so watch for it! watch me on deviantart.com! more coming soon!





title: nofx - mattersville

smoke pours out the stack

reading some news headlines, taking a break from work and cleaning. i'm feeling a wee bit depressed about things, and especially this:

Four Nations Attempt to Become Carbon Neutral

World Environment Day is being marked around the world today. It comes as four countries are competing to become the first nation to go entirely carbon neutral. Iceland, Norway, Costa Rica and New Zealand are all attempting to reduce their net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero. Jeanette Fitzsimons of the Green Party in New Zealand said great progress has already been made.

Jeanette Fitzsimons: “Our electricity system is nearly 70 percent renewable now, mainly from hydro, but with some geothermal and increasingly a little bit of wind. We have a goal, a government goal, to raise that to 90 percent renewable by 2025.”

Meanwhile, Reuters is reporting the United States will announce next month that it cannot meet an international goal of making big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020. Chief US climate negotiator Harlan Watson said, “It’s frankly not do-able for us.”

the united states' stance is pretty much 'we don't care, we give up, we're not even gonna try.' how can i be a proud american? *puke*

however.... today is still full of good things:

baking applesauce bread on a ridiculously hot and humid day
shopping for the best father's day gift ever... done!
dancing with penny
joshua is coming home tonight
and we're having company too
listening to a new love; metro station





title: letting you - nine inch nails

as the sun retreats to the hills

i'm procrastinating again.

i got back from kentucky again, last night. fell asleep at 6, woke up at 11, and was awake until it was getting noticibly light outside.

i bought a subscription to deviantart.com, yay. you can check out my gallery.

jessica grey also bought one. we kept each other company last night. she is also an amazing artist, and you should check out her gallery too.

i started a major overhaul/redesign of my website, ottsgraphics.com.... go check out the 'under construction' page. it's looking good already!



title: wester - afi

we don't question what we've become

i've been busy landscaping and arting and reading. much to do. listening to lords of acid, and it's not majorly inspirational. it is cloudy out, and i'm in a damp mood. this must be remedied. however, i am a bit excited about zombies in columbus.



title: nofx - we march to the beat of an indifferent drum

immune to your consultations

yay! i found my lost pencil!

i'm feeling like i need to change my studio office around again. it's still not perfect. also, i think i may curl my hair for work today. i've never done that before. once more, things are changing and starting to fall into place again.

there is much to look forward to. next week is vacation with nicole for her birthday! that will bring good stories to tell, and hopefully lots of photos. let's hope i remember everything i need to pack. i need more than this snow-white tan.



title: david bowie - changes

i want to ride my bicycle

i have an update on the troubadour tetra set! i worked on adam a bit at work yesterday. i brought him again today, but it's 8 o'clock now, and i doubt i'll have time before i leave to work on him. i don't have a scan here, but i swear i posted one on my photobucket. well, crap. i'll do it later. last night i did a quick sketch of a zombie, so i suppose i can post her instead. again, i'm sure jen would appreciate this.

yesterday was mother's day, and i worked. i got the cutest little plaster mold of penny's hand. she and joshua met me after work and took me out for dinner to applebee's. their menu is very veg-unkind, and i ended up with a boring veggie burger that i'm almost sure wasn't vegan.

today, i put in my two weeks notice at kasper. i will no longer be their receptionist ninja. i will be working strictly for myself and freelance. [commissions welcome! contact me!]

[note to self: acceptance letters to hogwarts community college]

title: queen - bicycle race

you don't need one word to talk to me

a few things:

- joshua may not be able to come home until october, unless there are special circumstances

- retailtherapy and techtherapy *nerds*

- dinner with meg

- my good laptop needs repaired

- i wanna arts. too lazy today

- i email myself shopping lists and to do lists

- i want warm and sunny

- feeling semi-accomplished today

and

- ZOMBIE PINKIE PIE! [haha, it's old, for jason by penny]

title: cibo matto - king of silence

you can't always get what you want

joshua is fighting with me, more or less, and i'm trying not to fight back. i'm still losing. i hate sounding emo, but i'm feeling numb. so i'm going to self-medicate by posting an old watercolor i did back in high school.

here's some penguin love, and i dedicate this to jen.

relax.
deep breaths.
aromatherapy.
carrietherapy.
gratefulness.

i really just want to yell at him and make him see that i'm not worthless and it hurts me that he's mad at me. i'm over it, and i'm not being selfish by choosing to let it go. i wish he would see that although i'm far from perfect, i am good enough. count your blessings and don't dwell on the petty things. xanax, i wish you were here.

for the honor of love

psh... honor? love? right now that sounds like a load of crap to me. getting over it, though.

just got back from kentucky, and it was a good visit except for this morning. the weather was beautiful and we had a no-pressure evening to relax.

here is another old assignment: number 5.

i'm bringing my watercolors to work today. i hope i don't get in trouble.




title: she-ra theme song... it's stuck in my head.

i could not get enough

here is assignment 4 from last month, for you to enjoy. for carrie.

i scanned some pages out of some old old sketchbooks, and i think i'll be posting those to deviantart.com when i get the time.

i'm off to kentucky on a last minute run. i'll bring little black.

"water goes over a dam and under a bridge, you blabbering school boy."

title: under the bridge - red hot chili peppers

whatever you think of me

how to win a street fight

this was rather disappointing. i was ready for an article on ass-kicking. pshhh. i'm going to recommend my little brother Chris for further and better 'if you're ever getting attacked...' tips, tricks and information. i'm sure he's on myspace somewhere. watch me not link you.

i want to go home and paint. hopefully i can do some drawing here.

i'm setting up a myspace for my dad's band. this makes me feel slightly silly.

oh yeah...
there is a show (not my dad's band) on friday night at the underground, and you all should come out. mmyes.



title: new order - as it is when it was

time to apply your magic touch

i started outlines for a series of watercolors yesterday.

i started painting today, and really, that's all i've done besides take a shower. i've got pandora.com hooked up to the big amp, and i'm working away. i'm mostly satisfied with the first piece, and i hope i finish them all soon. i have to play receptionist tonight, and i cannot take them with me. maybe i'll try, though!

here is a photo of the progress, and a couple links to additional photos of 3 of the set:

draft outlines

progress

title: boyfriendgirlfriend - infatuation dot com

you're older than you've ever been

and now you're even older, and now you're even older, and now you're even older. you're older than you've ever been and now you're older, still. time is marching on, and time, is still marching on!

how did i forget to post this? we are the official mascot of alltel in norwalk. the allel ninjas!

mah leg has fallen asleep, my throat is tight with frustration at something i have no control over, and i should sleep now. maybe a bit of reading. yes. but she keeps popping up on my screen. deep breaths. i can handle this.



title: they could be heroes