Bad tidings and then possibly good ones

So last Friday, I was let go from my job. Their reasons made absolutely no sense, especially considering how well I had been doing for the past month. I understand what happened, however. I've got chronic illness and for a job that requires me to be peppy and happy and energetic every single day, being sick makes me incapacitated. I missed one of my classes due to this. However, I think that my constant sickness was considered a liability, so they decided to let me go for reasons that sounded like they were being made up on the fly. For example, my "casual dress". And showing up for work late. Saying this to someone who has never been late to start a class, and who went out of her way to purchase a brand new work-wardrobe, is quite insulting.

But there's no need to get angry. The fact is, I've got a second interview tomorrow where I've been asked to bring in a CD of my latest work, as well as my portfolio. The lady I'm in contact with seems very interested in bringing me on, and finally, it is for the type of job I've always wanted. An art and animation job. I'd finally be an artist! Now, my first job was technically as an artist... but this is a better one!! I'm very excited about tomorrow, and I'll be sure to wake up extra early, and try to get in a morning run before heading out to meet them at 10AM.

This week I began my diet anew, because I've been heavily depressed for the past several months and was just eating whatever was convenient. Luckily I haven't gained any weight, but, I know I will if I continue down this road. Also, unhealthy food choices aren't going to help my future spouse, so I put us both on a diet. It's not a horrible diet, I promise. I'm not torturing the poor man (although he disagrees), but I am making every single one of our meals myself, regardless of how much this takes out of my day. It's a small price to pay for a thinner waist and peace of mind, and lemme tell you, peace of mind is hard to come by sometimes.

Studio recording is going very well, and I'm proud to announce that our EP should be done by January. WHEW. It has taken forever, but given our busy schedules, that's just how it is. I tend to finish one song per session, so I've done two out of the four songs we've recorded. I'm really excited about the product, it's seriously going to be beautiful.

Still doing lots of wedding planning, including finding a suitable reception venue. It's not as easy as it sounds when you're on a budget like ours, but, I have faith.

Sorry..

I've been so lazy about blogging, lately. What with the economy crash, the election, the work force, and everyone is just INSANE about what is going on with our government, I've been having a hell of a time keeping up with the news.

What has been going on with me? Well, Blood Corps opened up for Edguy and Kamelot last week, which was the most beautiful performance we've ever had. I was so proud to be a member of my band, so proud to perform with my guys, so proud to be a musician. Our EP should be finished by December, but we had a minor set-back last week when I got a major allergy attack and was just SICK. Sick as all HELL, for the entire weekend. This week I've been fine, so I'll be back in the recording studio next Saturday to pump out another song. We've got three left (only 4 songs on the EP) and I tend to be able to do one per session.

Work has ben good, I've had some insanely good classes, but it's hard to keep up my energy all day. So I've resorted to using lots and lots of caffeine, which is probably bad for me, but at this point I don't care. I like my high scores, and I intend on keeping them. This weekend, for the first time in like.. months? I've got a free weekend. Completely free. It's... almost frightening. On Saturday, Willy is taking me to see Saw V, which is a tradition we've had since we first started dating.

A new Saw movie for every year we've been together. I hope they never stop making them.

Looks > Talent

Okay, so someone posted this on one of the forums that I frequent:

BEIJING — One little girl had the looks. The other had the voice.
So in a last-minute move demanded by one of China's highest officials, the two were put together for the Olympic opening ceremony, with one lip-synching "Ode to the Motherland" over the other's singing.

Apparently, some idiots decided that the girl with the talent wasn't cute enough to actually have her singing seen. So they hired another kid to lip sync it for her. How fucking lame is that? I am appaled. I can remember going through shit like this when I was in elementary school, when I was accepted into all of the honors choirs, got all of the solos and started working professionally as a singer as a child... and still was tormented by my peers for being the fat kid.

Gimme a goshdamn break, people. We should be past this already. China is not going to look bad because the kid singing has a few crooked baby teeth. China is going to look bad when you replace her, shoot your own citizens, and run your country with a ragime that you refuse to admit hurts more than it helps.

Seriously, fuck you China.

Full story here:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-08-12-1810460787_x.htm

Podcasting

So I'm now involved in a podcast over at Dorkgasm.net. The podcast involves myself and several other dorksas we review movies, comics, ect. Our first issue is rather convoluted and crazy, with myself and Rob getting into an argument around the tail end of what is WAY TOO LONG a podcast. Last night's recording however, was much better.

Except that halfway through, Willy kept messing with my computer, resulting in me squealing in the background while someone tried to soldier on through his comic book review. Sorry, guy.

Anyhoo, there's a link to the podcast in my links section, so if you're a fellow dork, go ahead and check it out! It's kinda fun, but no worries; better shows lie in waiting.

Finally, an update!

So I've been gone for a while, and for this I apologize. I spent the this week teaching, and the week before that I was in South Carolina with my fiancé. Yup, you read me right! Willy has gone from being my boyfriend of 4.5 years to my fiancé. He proposed at a place called The Crab Shack in Myrtle Beach, which, despite it's name, was actually a rather lovely classy place. After he proposed with his mother's engagement ring, we both drank champagne. I kept one of the tiny bottles.

My ring is beautiful. It was half as much as he was going to spend on a ring, because the more expensive a ring is, the more the cram it with big diamonds. I have tiny hands, so big diamonds look awful. Besides that, all of the designs were very ugly. My ring is pretty and stylized, with a nice design on the sides so it looks beautiful from every angle, not just the top.

Right now, we're working on planning the wedding. And by "we" I mean "I". I don't mind or anything, wedding planning is turning out to be one of the most fun things I've ever done. I get to decide on what my bridesmaids wear, where we host the wedding and the reception, what we'll be eating, how we'll decorate, all that stuff. Then ask Willy if it's okay, which it usually ends up being. I plan on wearing a dress with red in it, and having my bridesmaids wear red, while the men wear black tuxes with orange vests. The theme of the wedding is warm colors. There will be bright reds and yellows and oranges everywhere. Wherever we host the reception, I have to make sure that they can make paella and good sangria. My band is going to play for the ceremony, so despite the fact that it will be in a HUGE Catholic church ( St. Matthews Cathedral ; where JFK had his funeral ), it will also have a little bit of us in it.

Sometimes I think about what it will be like to be married, and I get scared. This is going to tie me to someone else's life until we're both dead. I will never be able to date again. Then I think... I haven't dated in 4.5 years. Have I really missed it that much? And, would I be happy if I didn't have Willy?

The answer is no. The thought of not having him is one of the scariest thoughts I've ever had. We almost broke up once, and it nearly destroyed me.

So, I'm very happy that he wants me to be his wife. I plan on being one of those old couples who are still in love, even after years and years and years. I want him beside me, when my band makes it big, and to be a good daddy to my kids someday in the very very VERY distant future. I want him to be jealous when other men flirt with his hot-ass wife. And now, I get to actually plan for it.

This one's for you, kid

So I've noticed that throughout the years, my stance on religion and what is right and what is wrong has never really changed. I think I've got the same beliefs I had when I was five, which is that treating everyone with kindness and respect is the best way to praise God. Now, take into consideration, I don't care if anyone else believes this or not. My friends range from athiests, to wiccans, to Buddhists, and there's even a Satanist in there. Does that make any difference? No. Because again.. same beliefs that I had when I was five.

So when I found out what gay people were, I was like 10. I was like, huh. So it's okay for me to think boobies are hot? I could be gay? The whole "being gay is evil" thing never occurred to me, because again, those same 5 year old beliefs existed to me.

I gave this some consideration. I've been pretty artistically obsessed with boobs since I was little, and the more I drew the more I focused on women. Okay, I thought. Maybe I'm gay. Then I became a teenager and the boys happened. I found myself not attracted to any girls, and instead discovered the joy of boys. The more I dated, the more the truth was reinforced. Nope, totally not gay.

Even through college! With all the crazy drunken parties and lesbian showcases some of my friends did, I felt cool about the fact that maybe, MAYBE I'm gay. Or at least bi. How was it possible to not be, when I loved the female body so much?? It was hot and beautiful and perfect. Men are awkward. Women are curvy. It makes sense, right? Totally gay? Bi? Anything?

Nope. Totally straight. I've resigned myself to the fact that I am, in fact, completely straight. I do appreciate a woman's body, but that's pretty much as far as it goes. I prefer to draw women, I'm not shy of women, and that's all there is to it. How anticlimactic, huh?

Now for men.........

Check this out.

Yeah. I know.

Well it's been a while since I've done a costume, but hell, this one was too good to pass up. Watching a recent episode of the Venture Bros., I became inspired to dress in Dr. Mrs. The Monarch's new costume. I've already bought the boots, the wig, the gloves, and the leotard. Once it's all here, all I have to do is assmble that baby and bam! Dr. Mrs. The Monarch for Otakon, and maybe DragonCon. Willy and Craig are gonna be my minions. I'm pretty excited about dressing up again, plus it gives me motivation to stick to my diet. The last thing I need is to look fat in thigh high boots, yanno? But I'm 121lbs right now, so by August maybe I'll be down a few more pounds. We'll see. Either way, this should be a fantastic costume.