100 Post Check Up

While I am physically up in Chicago, I'm not up in Chicago yet. But by the end of the week my stuff will have joined me for a year long stint up here in Wheeling, Il.

That's a little terrifying and a little exhilarating. I am finally getting out of Georgia. New area, new people, new role. Farthest away from family I've ever been (my father's stores in Wisconsin don't count).

Throne Art

Okay this is actually for another project that I am working on but I am just so damn proud of this throne that I wanted to share it here as well. Some of the shading on the arms and seat make sense with when viewed with the guy sitting on it but I'm not including him for this blog. This is all drawn, no borrowed textures (though there are so many references used, most notably on the back wall). I think my happiest parts are the center top portion of the throne, the velvet back of the seat, and the front piece of the throne. I hope that the ground looks like marble. I tried to remember a technique I've seen done before on painted wood that made it look like marble but I don't have enough control over my brushes in photoshop to replicate it exactly.

Enjoy!

Superhero Powers?

My favorite superheroes are the ones that aren't born with powers or mutated/radiated into powers but build their powers up with incredible intelligence and butt loads of money. Mostly because I wasn't born with superpowers and I don't want to take a chance with radiation or vats of acid or mutated insects. Lots of money is somewhat reasonable (fingers crossed) and I can always buy super geniuses with my buttload of money. Well, I just found an article that may support my dream of becoming a technological super hero.

This article covers the technological advances that mimic some known super powers such as invisibility or super strength or flying. All seem fairly plausible and will probably continue to be improved over time as technology continues to increase.

Now I just need to earn/find/win the money and then I'm set.

Society that knows God

I swear this is not a rip off from Avatar. I had this idea way before that movie. This is actually a relic from Tero Ne's background story.

So as I've described, the elves and humans are very different in her world. They are the difference between wine and beer, both alcoholic but with way different connotations and flavors. But as both elves and humans are humanoid with fairly compatible biology and do interact any more, of course there could and would be interracial relationships. Over time this would blend the two cultures through half-elf children. So I decided to prevent that by allowing their biology to bear children but very specifically. (I had this idea checked by a biologist and as extreme as it sounds, he deemed it plausible.)

Download your Brain

So I had an interesting conversation at work with the head engineer about an article he read that talks about how our computing power will become powerful enough to be able to 'download' the human brain, effectively eliminating death. I mean, the biological body will still cease to function and it will still die but we are more than our bodies, right? So the part that makes us us will continue on.

Dragon Changed

          Background: When a dragon is dying there is a way to prolong his/her life but s/he will only be a mere shadow of their draconic self. There is a spell which attaches the dragon's spirit to a human, imbuing the new host with specific qualities, but the spirit begins to sleep and is only called upon by the human counterpart. The number of time the dragon's spirit may be used varies based on the dragon's natural life span and power before the spirit fades and human host is released. The human does not have to be willing, but the rewards are great. Dragons usually try to groom a host before death for this purpose.

Artifact

The artifact never collects dust.

It doesn't matter how long it sits in underground tombs or on the back of shelf at a musty library. Dust never settles on its surface. It doesn't collect in the fine edges of the filigree that decorate the metallic surface. It doesn't rest on the sweeping cradling curves of its handles. It simply doesn't touch the artifact, leaving a clean void in a halo around the object regardless of its setting.

Age does not touch the object. Oxidizing tarnish never blemishes it's mirror like surfaces, leaving it as bright as the day it was fashioned. Time does not diminish it at all.

Through the rise and fall of civilizations it has been treated with respect, awe, disdain, hate, reverie, desired, coveted, and more. There have been attempts to destroy it, to collect it, to harness it, to break it into pieces, to lock it away. But it still exists with not a scratch on it despite having wars clash down around it, over it.

It is a symbol of power, a symbol of hope, a symbol of ruin. It is an eternal symbol that stands for whatever label the passing mortals deign to place on it.

It wouldn't exist forever. It would just maintain itself just until its intended user and intended purpose came to pass. And then people would finally see it's true glory.

Until then it sleeps. It rests undisturbed by anything. Even dust.

Song Mate

Wow, another unearthed treasure. I have some notes on a story that I was building in my head. A lot of the details have now been lost but I'll still throw this up here.

Whisper

It started with a whisper in the dark.
"I want to be free."
With more voices it grew to be a quiet murmur still unheard by the noble ears of those on high too busy listening to their own prattle.
"We want to be free."

Tero Ne Peeks

I found some old writings as I was packing for Tero Ne.

          The cool air brushed over her arms and face tangling itself in her long hair. The olive tresses fluttered behind her as she stood into the wind. The salt that was carried up from the sea spray kissed her lips. One arm hung lightly from the rigging, letting her keep balance against the rocking of the ship. She smiled as she watched the seagulls dance in the along the wave crests. The reminded her of women in the market squabbling over prices of the latest fashion.

Resonate

There are certain people out there that when I am around, I do better. I am calmer, I am smarter, I am more creative, I just do better. Other times this phenomenon comes across as odd timing. Like after 30 minutes of no discussion both parties, my friend and I, will start typing at once. Or my dad and I will try to play a silly game that we both simultaneously remember (I win). I only make these connections with a couple people and they don't always occur with an established person. But I feel it is significant when these moments do occur.

No Moment is Wasted

No moment is ever wasted because you are living it. Some actions are weighted more especially in the eyes and values of society. But when you choose to do something, the moment is never wasted. Even if it is just lounging on your couch after a long day, or stopping something else to have a quick conversation with a friend or stranger. The moment has value because it is something you chose to do. It might not be curing cancer or building a star ship or solving impossible math problems or feeding world hunger but that doesn't matter. It is for you. You are the hero of your own story. You are the narrator to your life. The author of your auto-biography. Which means you get to do what you want with your life.

Lifetime Story

So, I've had a story come into my head some time ago. It's a long story that follows two characters through early childhood to and through adulthood. The characters change and mature over this time because happiness isn't always immediately in front of you. Presented in outline format to try to catch pertinent details.

Two kids, a boy and a girl
The boy is scrawny and nerdy, needs glasses, mussy hair, tall for his age
The girl is a tomboy, all rough and tumble. She's shorter than the boy. She has long blonde hair up in pony or pigtails usually.

work anniversary

Today is the one year anniversary of my time here at work, one year sitting at a desk asking myself, "What am I supposed to be doing?" Sometimes that question is answered and I get work done. Sometimes that work isn't even in the office and it's elsewhere and I get to travel. Traveling is a lot of fun. I've been to San Francisco, Chicago, Burnside, KY, Canada, Durham, NC, because of work. Other times though, it feels like crickets chirping back at me when I ask that question. Or they throw a fifteen minute assignment at me for the eight hour day. So instead of going insane, I started writing. and writing everywhere. I have my originals, I have my fan-fiction, I have my fan-projects, and I have this blog.

And still I find myself bored at work.

Black Dreams Part 3

I’ve resigned myself to watching the Nothingness when it presents itself to me. I stare almost slack jawed into the abyss of my mind, but no matter how fast I get out of it or how long I linger, there is still nothing there.

I had a record of nine trips last night. I wonder how many I can get up to, though I will probably have to do to bed earlier than usual.

The Nothingness is so much quieter than the usual jabber of my mind. I always have too many stories running at once, too many for me to give attention to especially while I was trying to juggle the rest of my life. During my waking hours my mind continues to spew out characters, themes, and plots, most without connection to each other. It’s maddening that it won’t shut up except for in the Nothingness.

Black Dreams Part 2

It happened again.

A week after the first incident, I was having a perfectly normal dream. The usual sequence in which my band of heroes try to save the day. Except they succeeded before morning. And those damned credits starting playing, flying too fast to read or remember. And then it turns off. That horrible nothingness lulls my mind into staring blankly. I think I managed to ‘change the channel’ faster this time. But I am still reminded of the phrase “I stared into the abyss, and the abyss stared back into me.” Or however that is supposed to go. I hope it doesn’t happen again.

Black Dreams Part 1

I had an off dream last night. That is to say, it was odd to me. People tell me that I have weird dreams because most of my dreams are stories and adventures spawned by the books I’ve read, the games I’ve played, and the stories I write. I have very lucid dreams where I switch perspectives between characters. The worlds are usually a fantasy setting over real life, but well constructed with normal physics and interactions. I don’t have those ambiguous, nonsensical dreams that I hear about from other people. I love my dreams, but this recent one I consider weird even by my standards.

Old Poetry

Old poetry from my high school days. Still not sure whether to cringe or pat myself on the back.

Room Studies

Aeacus and Alke

Two best friends squishing faces together in a world where there are no cameras. I don't know. Expression sketching. Reference.

Spring Day

The springtime air caresses my skin with a barely there breeze. It's one of those days that I could wear anything and be perfectly comfortable. Or I could just exist in my own skin and let the sun that isn't too close, too hot, touch every inch. Hard to find enough privacy to do that, but the desire is still there. So I slip into a tank and short. I grab the latest book that I am reading and relax out on my porch to enjoy the golden afternoon sun. 

I lose myself between the pages of the book, slipping into the adventure of the story, imagining myself as the main character, wondering where the path of the plot will take me. The subtle soft rustle of the trees around me and sweet songs of the birds as they also enjoy the springtime mood does not disturb the bubble of fantasy around me. I stretch my legs and shift around in my seat only between chapters, at natural pause points, but I don't stop at the teasing cliff hangers, I have to keep reading, I have to know what happens.

Hancock Inspired

I really enjoy Will Smith films. One of the ones that has great background potential is Hancock. I've always enjoyed the concept of immortality and how that would effect a person. That paired up with how normal humans would view immortals plays right into the concepts in Hancock. In fact, it is bluntly mentioned by Mary when Hancock asks her what they are: "Gods, angels... Different cultures call us by different names. Now all of a sudden it's superhero." She also goes on to mention how Hancock was built as the protector, which leads me to wonder what were some of the other roles that the immortals were given.

Witch's Son

Source (Auroaronkitten)

A Guy and his Duck

The small bird trembled in his hands. It was hotter than he expected. And softer too. The yellow down looked fuzzy and blurs the duck's outline, leaving its beak, eyes, and legs in sharp detail. It blinks up at him, tilting its head up. It's beak bumps against his thumb. He has to stifle the urge to coo over it. His female friends who surround him have no qualms about it and start up a chorus. Every once in a while a certain note catches its attention but otherwise the baby duck does not stop staring at the young man cupping it in his hands.

"I think it likes you. Maybe it thinks you are its mother," one of the girl's chimes in.

"Me? A mother? I'm surprised I haven't killed it yet."

"Don't say that!" she sounds genuinely distressed. "I think you would be a good mama duck."

"What on earth am I going to do with a duck?"

"Cuddle it. Feed it. Teach it tricks. Name it."

"Yea! Whatcha gonna name it?" someone else chimes in.

"Oh geez, why am I naming it? I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl."

"Pick out something neutral."

He sits there watching the duck as it watches him. "It's a Sam."