Now that that post is out of the way, I should say something about the happenings in my life as of late. Admittedly, I have been motivated to keep this updated again due to Finley starting a blog (hi, Finley!). But that’s neither here nor there, really.
Finals week is approaching fast (as I mentioned moments ago), which also means my first semester of college is nearing an end. I feel I should reflect on this.
So far, I have learned a good deal of things. More life lessons than anything. For one, I need to put more effort into my art classes, specifically Drawing. Never once did I expect to get a B in an art class, much less in my specialty. Even though the class is easy for me, I have admittedly been slacking in class. This must be resolved by next semester. …Though I would really enjoy NOT having this teacher again. Alas, I have no choice. He is the only professor who does anything even remotely close to making maquettes, which is something I have been told I will need for my future career in the gaming industry and concept art.
Secondly, I have learned that drama isn’t worth the trouble. It seems to me this lesson is taught to me each and every semester of each and every year of schooling in which I’ve participated, and yet I still can’t seem to get it mastered. The beginning of this year was brutal. Between rampant boy issues, Art History wiping the floor with me, feeling emo for ridiculous reasons, and getting sick to my stomach from either legitimately sincere heat issues or me being a psychopath, I was surprisingly beat down at the start of the semester. Now that I’ve talked these things through with friends and family, and gotten over the boy, the emo, and the heat/psychosis, I’m feeling remarkably better. In fact, I’ve come to the conclusion that college is monumentally wonderful. Why couldn’t I just do this at the BEGINNING of the year? Why must drama follow me everywhere? It doesn’t. I just keep thinking, “Oh, drama’s a nice person, perhaps I was wrong about it. Perhaps hanging out with it again will show me that drama and I are on good terms.” NO. Not good terms. Remarkably bad ones.
Don’t get my earlier statement wrong, I’ve learned lots within the curriculum of my classes, too. For instance, I know a lot more about graphic design and composition now. I also understand Adobe Flash, which is much easier to use than I thought. Time consuming, but my point is made. I also understand communication on a much more stable level. Granted, I found the points in the book that had virtually nothing to do with the main class points much more interesting than the actual…main class points. However, at least I’m learning things I can apply to my future goals.
I’m not particularly looking forward to finals. I wasn’t kidding when I rattled off that list of what I have to do next week. In Humanities, I have to finish more than half of my expertise paper on Alchemy. Do you comprehend how difficult it is to write a paper on Alchemy? Alchemy isn’t even real. They believed they could create gold, make a stone that would prevent aging or cure all diseases. On top of that, it’s so difficult to understand what anyone is talking about when it comes to the topic. I had to milk all I could out of Paracelsus’ theories because I could actually understand some of what he was saying. Basically, for my last 8 pages, I’m going to have to talk about how Alchemy appears in popular culture today. I know a surprising amount about this. Between Fullmetal Alchemist, Harry Potter, and Xenosaga, I think I can manage to make 15 pages.
After that, I have a speech to write for Oral Comm. I’m not terribly worried about this speech, it’s a persuasive speech on a topic about which I’m very passionate; why the stage version of Phantom of the Opera is better than the movie. The problem is simply going to be sitting down and writing out the outline. To add to that, I also have to finish my take-home final for that class. Take-home final? YES. As much as I usually dislike that teacher, I love her for that. There’s also a minor assignment I have to finish for Tuesday, which will be the first of these assignments that I will finish.
After that, I have my Flash animation for 2D. This is just WORK. It’s not difficult by any means, it’s just time consuming. I have most of the backgrounds drawn, and I intend to work on the moveable images this evening. Animation will be next week, and that will just take time. Honestly, I find working in Flash rather fun, so I’m not worried. I just have to DO it.
Lastly, over the next weekend, I have to study for my Art History final and my Humanities final. Art History, though a rather difficult class, is really not worrying me that much. After my calculations, I discovered I can get a 50% on the final and still have a relatively high A in the class. On top of that, I have a friend who will be taking the final before me, so I can get the scoop on it beforehand. And the professor is totally okay with this, that’s the best part. Humanities is also not going to be awful. A 40-ish point scantron? Multiple choice and true/false? God, I love J Rob.
The very last thing I would like to finish sometime this week or next (to quote GLaDos, “that was a joke, haha, fat chance”) is Christmas gifts. I have to draw something for at least four people. Dang. Well, I suppose that’s really only three, as I showed David his unfinished picture. I can’t actually finish it until I buy some new blue Prismacolors (stupid Wailord). The other three…I had MEANT to color them, but it’s looking like I won’t be able to do so unless I finish lineart for Christmas and postpone actual giving until they’re colored. Also, I NEED a picture of the trio of destruction before I can even START Finley’s. So.
I don’t mean to sound like I’m complaining. I’m actually very happy! Classes are going pretty well, I LOVE my social life, my art is at a very good point right now, I have beaten a new video game (woo!), all is right with the world. :)
Oh, last thing. I came up with a new story idea! Actually, lots of story stuff has occured. I actually went back to Miles 7 for a little bit. I started fixing up issues with character appearances. I recently went back and changed how Lakai, Tek, and yellow half-demons in general look, which means I had a lot of editing to do. On top of that, I had to revisit the first chapter and make it less stupid. Why in the world did I think it was a good idea to put in two full paragraphs describing Lakai’s CLOTHING? No. Especially not now that I’ve somewhat changed her clothing style. And hair. And eye color. It’s much more well-written now. I also had to make sure my terms were consistent, as well as my captialization. Councilmen/councilman was my worst word inconsistency. I think I was somewhat motivated to fix it up due to Finley starting to read it. God, no one has read that story in forever.
Anyway, new story idea! I saw Casino Royale, which kind of got me on a card suit kick. I decided I was going to do some kind of story involving the suits. I thought I would do a fantasy story, perhaps create four characters who represent each suit. Then I got a much better idea. The story features Sarah Morlen and Jim Veras, my Silent Hill (originally) characters whose interactions are actually REALLY well designed. I decided I needed to use them in a story. On top of that, I tied in Keia Samson and Jacob Thelm (who is basically a new character whose personality is basically the same as the made-up personality I used to give Reno in our FF7 fanstory). I had originally planned to have them in the same universe as Sarah and Jim, so it worked out rather well. The plot is a crazy combination of Casino Royale, Tomb Raider, and National Treasure. I’ll be brief, but they each represent a card suit (Keia is Queen of Hearts, Jake is King of Diamonds, Sarah is Queen of Clubs, Jim is King of Spades) and they have personality flaws and bad luck based on their suits. And there’s this crazy artifact that can only be accessed by these four people. Aaaand there are evil people and good people who want to find it. That’s the gist of it, and I think it’s gonna be a really good one. It takes place in modern times, and it’s more gritty than my other two stories, I suppose. I’m excited!
Well, that’s all for now. I think I good, solid 1500+ words is fine for today. I shall catch y’all on the flipside, as it were.
