your joy is my low

Things I have been putting off: posting the rest of the Dragon*Con photos, working on costumes, responding to LJ and dA comments, painting the 80+ pegs I need to paint for MAGFest which is at the beginning of 2012, cleaning anything and everything, rearranging things I want to rearrange, selling lots of old stuff, finding all the stuff I want to give away, RP, everything ever.

Now, I am a lazy person and I will admit that, but for the past couple months, all I have done is sleep - no real video game time, no crafting time, just couch + tv + blanket. And that is not like me. This is one of the reasons I didn't finish everything I wanted to finish for Dragon*Con. This is one of the reasons I have gotten absolutely nothing done since Dragon*Con. I get home from work and sleep. On the weekends, Nate comes over and we watch something and then I would say I needed a nap and sleep for five hours.

I even put off writing this damn post for six days. Every single day it was, "I will do it in a bit." And then I slept.

I finally went to the doctor last week and they did blood work. They called me Friday to tell me that everything looks fine except my white blood cell count is high, meaning my body is trying to fight off some sort of virus. Cool story bro. So, I'm going back tomorrow (they are supposedly running more tests) to let them know my head and neck and the upper portion of my back have been hurting like a bitch.

This weekend, after I did my two exams on Saturday morning, Nate stole me and brought me to a town about an hour south of where I live to a hotel. He wanted me to relax and not be stressed about all the shit I still need to get done and whatever is wrong with me and all that jazz, which I was very grateful for. We ended up at a Wal-Mart Supercenter at 11pm last night to get dinner (since I had slept from like... 6pm to 9pm :|) and we bought food and a nerf blaster and Halloween plates and went back to the hotel room and he shot nerf discs and I looked at a cookbook full of recipes you use lots of cream cheese in.

(Seriously, we went to a state park on Sunday and walked a trail that was 0.3 miles around a pond. We even stopped and sat down near the pond a couple times to look for turtles. After we finished this trail, I collapsed in the car. >| 0.3 miles. With stops.)

There are two things - media-wise - that have been keeping me sane. One is Foster the People. I kept hearing "Pumped Up Kicks" on the radio and I was all, "That song is kind of cool." So I went to Amazon and listened to samples of the rest of the album. It sounded alright. I needed new music so I said what the hell and bought it and it has been a lot better than I thought it would be.

The other thing... Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is one of those shows that I've always meant to watch. Then it showed up on Netflix's Instant Watch and I added it to my list. Erin, Ronnie, Jeremy, Roger, Beth and Denis were talking about it on Twitter awhile back and I thought, "Oh hey, that's on my list." Nate hadn't watched it yet either. So him and I started it. Aaaaaaaand pretty much got sucked in. Now, we started out both loving Zuko dearly because he was a bitch.

Buuuuuut, after the whole series we had three new MVPs.



We couldn't resist Iroh's awesomeness, Sokka's... Sokkaness, and Suki's kickassery. Plus, you know how I feel about warrior ladiezzzz and their completely doofy boys with lol so so amazing jokes.

So next year, along with the giant Avatar group Erin started talking about on Twitter, Nate and I are really effing excited to be putting these together for Dragon*Con 2012:



Nate knows he's gonna do WARRIOR SOKKAAAAAAAA, but he hasn't decided if he's gonna do the helmet yet or the awesome facepaint he wears in like one whole episodeeee (see inset, hehe). The facepaint would hide the fact that he is almost as pasty white as me, so there is that. Plus, it looks slick.

But yeah, that show has been a big part of me not just being a complete lump. I've watched the whole thing and love it to pieces.

(We're planning on doing this costume set at some point too, okay:



YUP.)

I am trying to finish my D*C photos and everything. SOON I PROMISE. ;-; Hopefully something good happens at the doctor's office tomorrow.

LE CON OF DRAGONS.

So this report will be shorter than all my other D*C reports most likely. The con was effing packed, esp. on Saturday, and I didn't do much in the way of panels and all that jazz. Plus, we brought nine costumes so a lot of it was either chilling in the room getting ready/being lazy and watching D*C TV or being dorks and taking pictures of the crap we put work into, haha~ XD I didn't even make it into the Dealer's Hall (expect for two seconds to get water) or the Exhibitor's Halls (except for a quick walk around one of them to help Ashley look for something). I went in the art show for a couple minutes to look at Erin's table. Besides those, I didn't use my badge for anything except one Star Wars panel. WHOOPS. Well, okay, and to get into the other hotels later in the evening since you needed your badge to do that - BUT YEAH~ ON WITH IT. :3


LOOK AT THAT LACK OF BADGE LINE, HOLY CRAP.

( Wednesday, August 31 - Thursday, September 1 )

THANKS TO HOMEWORK, I've had a crap chance to write my con report -- meaning the longer it takes to get written, the less I remember. I AM TRYING AS HARD AS I CAN THOUGH. :3

More soon!

So Tuesday happened to be the two year anniversary of my first date with Nate, which is crazy because it seems like yesterday I met him for the first time and he had just graduated from college. And he was telling me that the black t-shirt he was wearing was his only clean t-shirt and it was covered in fur from his parent's cats. I kind of adored him after that, I will admit. I AM SUCH A CAT LADY. D:

We went out to dinner and it was nice so we drove around a little with the windows open (I wish the weather was breezy and 70 degrees allllll the tiiiiime). We ended up near Micro Center which is this huuuuuge computer/electronics store and Nate was freaking out about it cause he had never been inside. He was all, "CAN WE GO? ;-;" I said yes, of course, we can. I had crazy flashbacks because last time I had been in that store was with my Dad and that was forever ago. I ended up getting him a Micro Center mousepad to send him cause I remember how nerdy he got in that store, much like Nate was acting oh my goodness.

Him: "LOOK AT THESE CABLES. AND OMG THEY HAVE A WHOLE GAMING SECTION, HEATHER--"
Me: "-- let's save the gaming section for last."
Him: "GOOD IDEAAAA. OH MAN, LOOK AT ALL THESE TYPES OF BATTERIES-- I JUST-- LAPTOP F-- CLEARANCE STUFF--!!"

It was like an adorable 6'3" kid in a candy store.

To match the Gentleman Octopus he got me for Christmas, he got me a Sombrero Octopus (THE MOUSTACHES I CAN'T RESIST HOW CUTE)! He also found a necklace of a robot holding a heart that sort of matches the one I made him out of sculpey last year. I made him wooden peg robots this year so next year I will have to think of something crazy~ XD

Speaking of bots, zhobot.net's (which is turning a year old soon!) forum has a logo! We might be looking for a new theme though... so I will update on that later. ALSO MAYBE UPDATES ON WEIRD PEG THINGS I MADE. Hehe. I had been having too much fun with peg people. Also, with chainmail jewelry. o_o

I haven't been able to sit down and catch up with anything here lately. Between running back and forth to the vet for the kitty (some little darling had to go on a diet to hopefully break up bladder stones so she doesn't need surgery *crosses fingers*), finishing up a project at work and moving a couple things around to try to make a better craft/costuming workspace for myself, I haven't been able to keep up with anything else.

Nate and I have also been trying to make zhobot.net and the forum two cohesive things which we haven't achieved yet because we are lazy slugs. We also need to get the photo gallery and shop up running on z.net too, which hasn't been done either. Hehe.

Then of course, the Video Game World had to go and release Portal 2 AND Mortal Kombat on THE SAME DAY. Not to mention I am still chugging through Fallout: New Vegas (have I mentioned how much I love/hate/love the White Glove Society?) and we rented Army of Two: The 40th Day from Gamefly so the television is my BFF right now. I CAN'T GET AWAYYYYYYY--

(Also, we finished Game #2 in the Centuria Challenge! Only 98 more to go!)

I need to catch up on LJ and RP and all kinds of stuff-- not to mention updating websites and making a logo for the board which I've been telling myself to do every day FOR WEEKS NOW.

In other lol news, I think my Dragon*Con 2011 costume lineup might be somewhat finalized. You know this changes 900982390482309482034.7 times throughout the year but I need to hurry up and get it set asap since it's already almost May(!!!!!) - how is that even possible what is this

Nate has his heart set on a Traitor!Jacen Solo costume and we've been brainstorming amphistaff ideas (I get stupid giddy every time he mentions this costume, STUPID GIDDY) - the thing he's debating the most though is if he should go with trying to make a robeskin + amphistaffs (what Jacen's wearing in the book) as opposed to going with the gray jumpsuit (that Jacen is wearing in everything else including the action figure) + amphistaffs. He is debating with himself here and would appreciate any input on the matter. I keep thinking about it and I don't know which one would work better. IDEAS? Thankyousomuchinadvance~ <33333 XD

So I got a new camera last weekend. Then I did lots of homework (with Nate's help - dear Physics, I hate you, that's all). Then we saw lusa_thul and goofed off. And you know how we roll when we goof off.


HERE IS A CAT.


HERE IS A ME AND THAT ONE DUDE (HE SCURES ME).


HERE IS A lusa_thul. (P.S. to said lusa_thul - I am editing the rest of the photos and they should be up on my flickr this weekend. I have been editing them to fix some coloring/light issues. <3)

No really, you know whenever Emily and I get in the same space we always goof off with cameras and costumes and crap. Since I didn't get any shots of that Tenel Ka outfit besides random ones at con after doing those damn scales, I wanted to get a couple this past weekend. Emily offered to take pictures if Nate wanted to throw on a Jacen outfit. He did and we got a couple photos. THEN I LOOKED AT THEM.

Now, me being the tool that I am looked at these pictures and thought of 9234209.8 things I wanted to do to fix this costume. One of the asscapes looks funny (you can't see it in that photo CAUSE IT MADE ME ANGRY), I need to fix some stuff on the sleeves and give them more depth, remake the purple top to better accommodate the scales and make a freaking belt. Maybe a small scale addition too. SO I'LL HAVE THAT DONE BY THE END OF THE MONTH. And then I'll take final THIS SHIT IS FINALLY DONE MY HANDS AREN'T CUT UP FROM SCALES ANYMORE BUT I LOVE THEM celebration pictures and be finished with the 938492084.873 revisions I have done to that costume since however many years ago when I originally made it. XD

THEN we went to the magical park and I got a bunch of shots of Emily in her femme!Who which I love - also, I do not have the patience for that. She knitted that whole scarf, girl, I was like WORK IT (been watching to much RuPaul's Drag Race, sorry bros).

Also at the park, we finally got our first shot for the Centuria Challenge!


Lillian Prune. Psycho bitch? From Game #1 - Laura Bow: The Colonel's Bequest

ONE GAME AND ONE PHOTO DOWN. 99 MORE GAMES/PHOTOS TO GO! For more info on this adventure, check this!

So I'm taking a costume away from Katsucon and pushing it back - I've been putting so much into Santa right now that June is getting no attention (not to mention the new sleeves for the Tempest Tenel Ka and the fix-ups on Barbie) so I'll be holding off on June. I want to put effort into it and not just throw it together, hehe~ SO THE NEW PLAN IS...

KATSUCON: Barbie (Toy Story 3), Tenel Ka (Star Wars - Tempest cover), Santa (9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors)
THIS OTHER THING: June (9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors), Elaine Marley (Monkey Island)

Now THIS OTHER THING = my family (Mom, Duane, Valerie, Brian and then myself and Nate) is planning a trip. We all haven't gone on a trip together in foreverrrrr so this will be awesome. And apparently we're going on a cruise. I have never been on a cruise, but this is providing too many good opportunities for complete massive nerdery. JUNE AND JUNPEI PICTURES ON A SHIP LOLOLOL.

And Valerie says the opportunity for Monkey Island pictures on an actual Caribbean beach is too good to pass up - I would have to agree here since our only current shots are in a HOTELLLLL. XD

This weekend was spent cleaning and putting up new blinds and doing homework and cleaning some more. Although, we got in more Laura Bow in, which is good. Nate also hooked it up to the new tv - so I had Laura Bow on the big screen and I almost wibbled of nostalgia. ALMOST. Then Nate made a comment about "BUH. WHAT, YOU DIDN'T EVEN SEE THAT BITCH FALL BY THE WINDOW?" and my wibbles turned into cackles.

I GOT A WORDPRESS DUR DUR, I can't remember if I linked it here. But it'll pretty much be a home for entries of the boring blah blah creative type (photos, costumes, progress updates, shop stuff, craft stuff). Like the latest one where I ramble endlessly about making that flipping paperclayed-to-the-end-of-the-world lightsaber.

http://hexterah.wordpress.com

ANYONE HAVE A BLOG I CAN ADD TO THE (lol) BLOGROLL. BLOGTROLOLOLOL.


...I am so out of it. I think the cleaning products got to my head this weekend.

P.S. WHO HAS A DEVIANTART I CAN STALK? I'm hereeee. <333 Need more artists to stallllk.

So on January 1st, Nate and I will be starting what we're tentatively calling the CENTURIA CHALLENGE. Now, you might remember I started this thing called the Great Video Game Powerup years ago. I was playing some of the games and chugging through my list when I started going out with Nate. He said he would help. We kind of slacked for awhile.

Then we looked at all the games we played (like... 3), the ones we still needed to play and ones we played when we were younger and wanted to play again. We're starting the list over and expanding it to 100 games.

The games on this new list will hit many systems and we'll be keeping track of total playtime, number of deaths and other doofy things we come across while playing. This will all be a giant nostalgia bomb for both of us. It will also make us both more pale and antisocial than we already are (if that is possible :|) because we'll be playing freakin' 100 video games, lol hurrr.

Our main rules are:

1.) One game at a time. Doesn't matter if it's a 100 hour RPG or what.
2.) Must be played in chronological order of release date.
3.) NO PUSSING OUT. LIST MUST BE FINISHED. DOESN'T MATTER HOW MANY YEARS IT TAKES.

I'll post the place where we'll be attempting this silly goal within the next few days when we get it set up. I'll also post the magical game list. For now I'm just warning you that I'll be ripping my hair out over some old video games here soon, I'm sure. :3

Aaaaand here is where my body gets confused cause it feels like it's later than it is but I'm not completely tired and I should be in bed but I'm not and I AM GOING AROUND IN CIRCLESSSSSSS

Fading - Jacen Solo and Caedus by ~holler-you-home on deviantART

(LOOK I EMBEDDED SOMETHING the world is ending what is this)

I got this done which makes me happy cause I got something done. I still need to update a whole ton of websites and fix a bunch of photos (and finish the Long Walk calendar for Cafepress) and CLEEEAAAAAAN. But I have been sort of bleh. Like I find myself just sitting around. Maybe staring at the tv. Or the wall. Or the ceiling. Or where the wall and the ceiling meet. It's been pretty awesome. :|

But I got this done. And I also started on my new sleeves for my Tempest Tenel Ka costume (after forever, lol). So they are small things. But they're a start.

They're better than staring at where the wall and the ceiling meet.

(I know people totally make fun of Tokio Hotel, but I'm sorry. I am a closet fangirl for some of their songs. D: ESPECIALLY THIS ONE)

SUP BROS

(i need to upload the rest of these photos lol, esp. caedus with glasses)

So I finally updated this thing with Dragon*Con 2010 costumes (and updated a whole bunch of other crap on there). I also made a new layout for the mess of J/TK fanthings site (om nom jared & bryce). And put a new necklace up on etsy! Now on to the new layout for echuta.net~!

Between sites and writing and pictures and costumes and moving all the furniture around in the gaming/craft/costuming/workspace area (THEN CLEANING IT ALL, OH GAWD FOREVER LATER) I have been so busssssssssssssy. I guess that's better that staring at the wall though. XD

ALSO, FALLOUT NEW VEGAS IS A WEEK FROM TODAY. So that on top of everything else - and by everything else I mean I WILL FORGET IT ALL UNFORTUNATELY and crawl under a pile of blankets to wander the Vegas Wasteland! I'm coming for you, SUPER MUTANTS. <3

Alright, overall D*C was pretty good this year. There were many highs and there were a few lows. HERE LET ME SHOW YOU SOME.

HIGHS: Hanging out with people (roomies, sister and brother-in-law, SW PEOPLE <3, etc.), taking goofy pictures, getting tipsy off of one drink, having people recognize Franklin and flip out, seeing Patricia Quinn (Magenta from Rocky Horror) multiple times in the Hilton just chilling, the Aquarium! - AAAAAAND OH GOODNESS I SAW CELLDWELLER IN CONCERT AND HE WAS AMAAAAAAAZINGGGGGGG. I have loved Celldweller since 2003 and he usually just doesn't tour so to hear he was playing at Dragon*Con, both myself and Nate freaked out like little fangirls. THE CONCERT WAS GLORIOUS. <3


LOWS: Three hours in line for a badge? Really? And then missing people like iamsooverrated and zombifiers both of whom I saw for a couple minutes and then made the mistake of saying I'LL CALL/TEXT YOU LATER -- since apparently everyone's phone service sucked and texts/calls either A.) did not go through at all or B.) show up like 12 hours later. BUT MORE ON THAT LATER~ Another low was OH MY GOD I CAN'T MOVE ANYWHERE GET OFF THE WALKWAYYYY. Where did all these people come from, yo? Didn't help that all the football people were milling around watching the "LOL FREAKS" (and also stealing the con rooms at the D*C room rate :|) - that was a giant problem. Too many badgeless people taking up PRIME CON SPACE. XD

Another big suck was not being able to take pictures in the rat tunnels between the hotels, which I fully support so that people don't stop and muck the human traffic up -- but I saw some of the best costumes in the tunnels and couldn't do anything about them! Noooooo!~ D:


SOME HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

1.) see_aphy_be hitting Stan Lee in the face with feathers ON ACCIDENT(?).

2.) Meeting Klayton (Celldweller) and Bret (Blue Stahli). ("Bret got to our badges first and signed them!" - "Bret gets to everything first. I was making out with this girl and I started to pull her shirt down and it said BRET WAS HERE." Klayton says as he points at his neck. XD)

3.) Hearing Valerie continuously say, "Heather, shut up." or "Heather, stop moving." or "Heather, stop acting like a dumbass." I LOVE MY SISTER. <3

4.) Standing in the food court holding an armful of lunch with see_aphy_be waiting for blood_sorbet to get her food so we could go meet the rest of the Strike Team for lunch and having a guy come up to me and go, "May I ask what character you are?" And then him grinning and going "I knew it! Awesome!" and taking a picture when I told him Tenel Ka. I was sweaty (sf hot in the food court D:) and gross and trying to balance two lightsabers and food and a drink too, lol.

OH MAN I KNOW THERE'S MORE -- they will pop-up in the con report, I'm sure.

For now here are a couple tiny versions of (only) a few random photos from my camera while I start scribbling my report (BIGGER VERSIONS WILL BE IN THE REPORT). ;D







(from t to b: Tobias, Chewie and Mace hanging in front of D*C TV - Ashley blue me and I'm disturbed by Nate's non-gothness - Tahiri force pushing Caedus' chair while Ben watches ALL BESIDE FIREEEEEE GUYYYYYYYYY!!!!1)