Whitechapel - The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-01T03:18:55-07:00

Twenty-four hours ago I was stressed, looking at what I could sell, researching pay-day loans, and facing the grim reality that my gas bill, electricity bill, rent, and phone would all go unpaid for another month, and with no idea how I would pay for transportation to my college to purchase my books for classes which all start on the first of September, not to mention how I would be feeding myself.

Freaking out and at the end of my rope, I decided to.... fuck it and sit down and draw for the first time in month.

Earlier day I found out classes have been postponed a week due to flooding.

Ok. Some breathing room.

Then, in the wee hours I found out the money I was waiting on came through "like whoah". The burden of the past THREE YEARS has finally paid off, and I find myself suddenly comparing stats for things like a new computer, a new camera, and dental insurance.

It is dawn, and I am about to sleep SO FUCKING WELL.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-01T07:42:58-07:00

That's so wonderful, Rachael. :)

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-01T08:50:03-07:00

Rachael - Here's one huge virtual vile hug. My experience with the Social Security process still gives me anxiety just to think about it. I'm glad to hear things are working out. Good luck with school!

My daughter made it through the night for the second night in a row with no bed wetting! I'm not going to get all cocky and say she's house broken, but DAMN!no urine soaked laundry this week. Her mom picks her up tonight and then I have a three day weekend with no kid.

I'm also looking at a comic I outlined about four years ago and I'm going to write all 8 issues (artists be damned) because I like the story. There was one element that really bothered me as I read it now. I think I've figured out how to pull that out and replace it with something that accomplishes the same things without being quite so... blech. Tomorrow night, I sit down in my favorite bar with my laptop and make the changes. And then... I get to start scripting!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-01T09:59:47-07:00

BOOYA! RACHAEL! booya

uh... i jammed with my creative partner and am having curry for tea....

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-01T20:26:40-07:00

David: in answer to the post from last month, yeah...I know. Just...I'm a double-mozzarella gal (pop some feta on that if I'm feeling really naughty and want to break out the tums). It'll be hard. And as for soy/almond milk, I've actually been drinking soy instead of cow milk for 3-4 years. I don't drink much...mostly just in my tea, so it's cool. When I ate cereal I enjoyed almond milk though.

Dork: Hmm....I'll try that cheese out.

Today I went boxing again. It was actually a pretty uneventful and rather boring training day, but it was my first time going in about 2-3 weeks and DAMN it felt good. I'll always love that endorphin kick after a good workout and WORSHIP the shower afterwards. Lovely!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-01T21:51:50-07:00

@ oldhat- yeah, the good old endorphin rush is priceless. It can be a bit fickle with me yet when it comes on it is like the pharmacy in my central nervous system/brain thingy is having a closing down sale. I had a hit of it yesterday morning. I'm a Northman viking and i could smell the ocean and the arrival of autumn..it was fucking great!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-01T23:41:07-07:00

right on Rachael! love it when shit just falls into place letting you have room to breathe!

Improv class tonight, more opening up for strangers, more thinking on my feet, compliments that left me glowing and sure I'm on the right track. }:>

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-02T00:16:20-07:00

Rachael - really good news, pleased for you.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-02T01:57:32-07:00

Thanks, everyone, for your congratulations!

What I think is best about today is that...

IT'S JON CARPENTER'S BIRTHDAY!!!!!

WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! Hooray!!!!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-02T03:57:02-07:00

Been stressed out lately, and today I got up after tossing and turning for quite some time just to find out that my internal calendar had been totally messed up - instead of Thursday or maybe Wednesday, it was Friday. Gaming and reading today, maybe diving tomorrow, then on Sunday a trip in the woods to pick some mushrooms.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-02T04:55:13-07:00

Thanks Rachael! I think it'll be an extended birthday weekend, as today's a bit of a write off and my poor other half was too busy being stuck on a drip in hospital to buy any presents, but she's home now which is all I could wish for...

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-03T00:09:26-07:00

@ JOnCarp3nter..Phew!! I actually had to think to tap that in! ALL THE BEST FROM THE DAWN OF SHEPHERDS BUSH LONDON! Me hope the wife is ok. I got health issues so...

I just "TURNED" (sounds as if on a birthday you become a vamp or a zombie) 47 and find birthdays surrreeeel! I may be 47 in "real time" but in my mad little universe i'm about 12.

WE WANT TO PLAY!!!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-03T04:20:20-07:00

Happy happy For Rachael! You certainly needed a break.
For me the good thing happened yesterday. Had my annual physical (which I haven't had one since 2008 WTF?) Anyways my exercise and diet change program that i started 2 months ago has paid off. Not only have I lost 37 lbs in that time but my blood pressure has improved (it's a normal 116/70 instead of 130ish/80ish) but my cholesterol/triglyceride levels have improved immensely since 3 years ago (from 206 total to 164 total with HDL -the good stuff - going from 47 to 53) and my glucose level is back into the low normal range.
All this from cutting out all grains, and junk food, and exercising regularly.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-03T13:05:45-07:00

You know what I think is a good thing right now?

My son not losing a bollock.

Couple of nights ago, he came downstairs and told us he had unexplained pain in his scrotum & was worried. We phoned NHS Direct, who said 'take him to Casualty, just in case'. We did.

He had testicular torsion. Basically, testicles can sometimes just twist around inside the scrotum & the blood supply to the organ is cut off. Unless you correct this surgically, the testicle basically dies within 6 to 8 hours. He was operated on in the middle of the night, with about 2 hours to spare.

He's home now - sore and bow-legged but basically intact.

So, two things.
Thank FUCK for the NHS.

And, boys - any unexplained pain in your nutsack, get that shit checked out FAST.

(Yes - I've seen that Venture Brothers episode. He hasn't - yet.)

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-03T13:50:59-07:00

Glad it was nothing too serious Cat.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-03T14:32:17-07:00

Yeah, I slag off the NHS yet if it wasn't for them I would have died 9 yrs ago.Thank you Chelsea and Westminister( is that spelt right?) Hospital!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-03T14:51:47-07:00

@kperkins: cheers.

@flecky:
Without the NHS I would have lost a foot and half a leg to diabetes-related gangrene after a martial art injury some 9 years ago. Still get baffled & angry when Americans talk about their medical system, on their behalf.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-03T15:12:14-07:00

@Cat:
I know what you mean. I've read what people have to go through on this site just to get a blood test etc.in the states. Saying that though i've seen the NHS pull off some well dodgy shit. I used to work in a "old" peoples home and it got a bit heavy. Most of the staff were cool yet a few shouldn't have been allowed to work their. That was a long time ago..shit,I sometimes freak about getting old(er)!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-04T03:21:03-07:00

@flecky: Oh yeah, when they fuck up, it's usually really bad. But it beats not being there at all - mostly.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-04T23:13:12-07:00

At Dragon Con in Atlanta. Holy shit, what a time.

Got in at 6pm, registered, and went shitting around. Tried and failed to get in to see Abney Park. Got shitfaced. Today--well, yesterday--I got out inexplicably early, shitted around some more. Met Seantaclaus, my first Chaplain and a hell of a cat. Trying to wind down now, as me and two buddies are driving back at noon.

I'm sore as shit and am very, very happy.

@rachael and @cat: good news all around!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T02:09:18-07:00

Writing. Writingwritingwritingwritingiseatingmybrainwriting. Fun, creative, setting me on fire. Woo! Down side? Not only is it totally useless writing (*cough*fan fiction*cough*)(don't judge) it's killed me for getting anything productive done for the past couple of days - and I was already horribly behind where I wanted to be a week ago. usually i'm so shit for writing I get an idea and can go for a couple of hours but it winds down and I just about never pick it back up again. And usually I'm never so clear about what I want a story to do. This time I've got an outline, scenes, interludes... crazy, man. Any other day I would have said my strengths are in creating characters and settings and I'm weak on plots. This time the characters and setting are all good to go and I'm jammin without any hitches.

just hope it wraps up soon so I can get some shit done. I really don't want to come back in a week, sad because the only productive thing I got done was a short story that tap dances on copyright infringement.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T08:20:56-07:00

See that "listen to advance metal now" album cover? Yeah that's mine. As in, I drew it. And it's on the home page of Decibel magazine's website.

NO BIG.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T09:20:02-07:00

I'm alive, I moved, I've got a new laptop. Taken without context, this is not news, and frankly, a lot of it happened last month. Still, last month I got robbed at gunpoint while sitting on my front porch, came home to find a different guy running out of the apartment my girlfriend and I share with a lot of our other valuables, and got shot at when I chased the guy down. All in the same weekend. I've been through two grand jury hearings (the police caught both of the guys), the laptops are gone and my wallet is currently sitting in an evidence locker. The local paper got the details of the second incident wrong and described me as a gun-toting resident who tried to shoot the burglar. One way or another, they now regret the error. Now I'm living in a nice neighborhood across town, where kids play in the street and the folks make small-talk while tending their gardens. I'm typing this, and some book reviews for work out on a really nice new laptop, and my girlfriend and I are celebrating our first year of being together. All things said, I've got a pretty damned good life, and it's good when events remind me of that. Also, I missed Whitechapel.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T09:52:49-07:00

The brain sometimes kicks in enough to remind where to go when I need it. Like: here.

@rachael - that is fucking brilliant! I am so happy for you!
@cat - yay!
@dorkmuffin - no big at all! wonderful!

Been doing the abdominal massage thing again (the last time I did this consistently: no cramps, no PMS, soft belly - all happy things) and I think it's a two tea day. Hm. This could be fun.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T12:15:23-07:00

@Rachel. Yay! I wish I could have helped you more, except being in another state thing.
@dorkmuffin. That image makes me want to pull out my Motorhead album, and listen until 2 in the morning, while drinking a combination of cheap beer and vodka, and smoking clove cigarettes. More later at the "when Nathan was 19 thread."

I have a new computer that runs on the tears of orphans, I call it "God's Computer" or Debbie for short.

I start actual work at SECRET GOVERNMENT THING, which frightens but at the same time, kinda makes me glad. Mostly because part of the work there, is actually helping people with government programs.

I got the first book of "Game of Thrones". Really excited to read, because I HATE fantasy (Won't dive into that, since that's for another thread.

Got to spend Labor Day Weekend with my mother. Would have been better, except for the many trips down "guilt" lane.

Other than that, glad to be back to the chapel. Since moi's internet decided to have a breakdown, and live with its parents for a while.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T12:41:26-07:00

Who's awesome? You're awesome!

Meanwhile, BOAT! I may have mentioned my dad and two of his friends own a lovely old 30-foot sailboat, but unfortunately said friends have now purchased boats all their own, and so it went on sale. As luck would have it, the buyer is extremely willing to just buy 2/3 of the vessel, and he also lives in Helsinki (my dad -- and the boat -- is in Turku, some 100 miles away). What this means is: starting from next summer the boat will be located in Helsinki at least part of the time, and someone may have to sail the thing between Helsinki and Turku a few times per summer. I think I can live with this dreadful responsibility.

Also, a friend of mine is taking a trip to New York in March, and fuck yes I'm going too. I'm thinking about doing a tour while I'm at it, seeing as I've already hopped the Atlantic at that point. Details to follow. Meetups extremely welcome. <3

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T12:50:14-07:00

SI IS BACK, vile hugs all around!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T12:58:07-07:00

Oh, and I got a new computer, it's an i3 2nd gen and I am very excited. So far everything is happening too fast, I'll speed my self up eventually but goodness. Compared to my 2005 Gateway pentium it's a fucking arena touring rockstar.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T13:20:21-07:00

Things aren't brilliant right now, but amid the woe, my little girl Ruby started pre school today and apparently loved it so much she didn't want to leave. Which is the opposite of what I thought would happen... she's looking forward to going back tomorrow and I'm hoping she'll still be cool with it when she's left on her own for the first time.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T15:25:21-07:00

I'm beggining to get things a back on track at last. Gradually working my way through the backlog of books I have and hell I might even get round to going through the graphic novels I have prior to setting off on this Comic shop venture.

Speaking of. We have Broadband and the card reader working at the shop now and we intend to open on the 17th if all goes well. I'm hoping that it's give me a stable platform to go out and do stuff to balance out that I have anchored myself to my hometown.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T18:06:23-07:00

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-05T20:40:16-07:00

@dork, SO freakin' awesome about Decibel! Woo!

Today I did handy stuff by figuring out what was wrong with our cable, switched TVs and hooked everything up to it so it runs all smooth-like. My reward was Jell-o.

I also cooked for the family, which was wonderful partly because I like cooking and watching Food Network for most of the day got me in the mood. I made chicken fingers with the breading being from flax and wheat bread crumbs, corn on the cob and Lemon Meringue Pie! Everything was delicious.

And now I'm home, suspecting I have a cold and have realized that I left my jacket at the gym. But oh well!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-06T00:26:54-07:00

@ oldhat, hope the cold is not to feverish for you.

@ Cat. ALIENS vs N.H.S...Newt: "They mostly fuck up at night...mostly!". he he..

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-06T01:22:53-07:00

@dork - Awesome work on the album cover and woot! muffins!!

Nice chill day with the fam and entirely too much barbecue'd food. And then rootbeer floats. }:>

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-06T03:08:11-07:00

My first professional short story was published today in Rudy Rucker's FLURB. It's called "Walls Between Worlds" and the company its keeping both terrifies and amazes me.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-06T11:55:28-07:00

Go, you!

I has apartment.
YES.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-06T14:10:13-07:00

I just got off the phone with my new employer, a guy I used to work with at a different software company. He's hired me to be a technical writer at nearly twice what I'm making now. I get to give notice at my current soul-sucking job tonight. I'm giddy.

I might have done a happy dance around my living room before typing this.

I also have a very lovely weekend filled with friends, food, booze, my son and kayaking on the Willamette River.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-06T15:31:37-07:00

Had a good talk online with my best friend. We haven't really seen much of each other lately and both of us had sort of worried that the other was starting to distance themselves away. Turned out to be not the case and we talked about a few things, even starting to plan a "for the hell of it" trip to Ottawa to celebrate our Birthdays.

Also got a chance to tell her how I feel about her, which is now on the level of a sister, and that I'm happy for her and the possibly potential new person in her life. As an ex-lover, I always felt weird and illogically jealous hearing about possibilities that she had after me. But for some reason or another, I'm now able to let that shit go and be happy for her. And I really think that not only is that a good thing for me, but also a good thing for our friendship.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-06T23:35:25-07:00

Thanks again for everyone's congratulations!

I'm pretty impressed with @Dorkmuffin's album cover! Woot!

Last night I went to see Crispin Glover at the IFC Theatre, where he narrated to a slideshow before his film "It's Fine. Everything Is Fine" was played, and then gave a loooong Q & A session before he sold and signed his odd little books. The event started at 7:30, and me, as the last person on line for the signing, didn't get out of there until nearly 1am.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-07T10:39:21-07:00

my box of dnd dungeon tiles arrived! its a pretty small thing but still... yey!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-07T12:01:42-07:00

@Alastair - Awesomeness! My group's summer hiatus is over and it's time to play again! Roll for initiative!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-07T12:25:37-07:00

Yeah so on monday, sigga and I celebrated our 3rd Wedding Anniversary! Whoo Hoo!

As it was a Leather anniversary, i got her a spa day and a pair of shoes, as they were cheaper than a leather jacket (which would have busted me moneyz wise).

That was followed by a lovely evening eatging fine meats and drinking fine wine at a top restaurant, followed by some Martial squishy events... again, more wooo!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-07T12:46:17-07:00

@icelandbob - Pics or it never happened.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-07T13:10:19-07:00

I called the IRS. the men in black were not deployed. The invisible elephant even decreased in size to that of a mouse.

*Whew*

It wasn't that scary at all.

I deserve the cigarette of victory* now.

*cigar in my case

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-07T15:52:38-07:00

@sleestak. its my second game ever, both of which i'm dming, with a bunch who have never played aside from our last game or even thought of playing.... you have to do some strongarming for dnd up here

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-07T19:38:04-07:00

I just spent some money I didn't really have at the Top Shelf sale. I now have Infinite Kung Fu and Liar's Kiss on their way to my home, I am excited.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-07T23:16:33-07:00

Relieved myself of some stupid crap in my life by putting it down and telling myself firmly that I don't care. Realizing I don't care shouldn't be this hard, but sometimes I miss the obvious. Ah...but I don't care. I can walk away now.

Worked out a plan for getting to do some of the things I want to this month. Shall require flexibility from me and my budgeting which I tend to find very stressful but I can stop being skittish about just what my plans are. Of course, I'm going to be a moving target for the rest of the month (and I can't fuck around any more, I have to pay attention and work), but I got to take aim at a terrific opportunity and soon it will be mine.

Felt good about my Japanese quiz today.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-08T11:50:17-07:00

I don't tend to enter much in here, as I feel too self-congratulatory if I do post, but of late, I'm feeling pretty full of myself. Over the last 2 weeks, with the exception of nights when I haven't been home, I've worked on "art", This might not seem like a big thing, but for me it is. I used to draw prolifically, my house was full of mounds of paper containing bits of work from as far back as my School days, and was constantly added to, I had shelves full of doodles, sketches, concepts, half visualised comic sequences etc.
One day, in 2004, I got in a colossal argument with my partner at the time, regarding the "Mess" that was was my collection of work, which rather than being a minor issue resulting in me tidying escalated fairly hideously into screaming and bawling proportions, during the course of which, I collected my arrangement of works and threw them in the bin, In a fairly insane act of... I'm not sure what. The next day, when I'd calmed down, I realised I'd better rescue my work, which, whilst it might have been a bugbear to my partner, was rather important to me, but it was gone. Rather dutifully, the binmen had been round and disposed of the contents of our bin, whilst I was at work. This episode has effected my work constantly since, Even working digitally, It's often felt like an uphill struggle, that I'll never ever recover the work I've lost, and subsequently, I lost patience with my work, and have often found myself deliberately convincing myself not to draw, when I've felt the urge to do so.
and so, aside from the odd foray, I've lost just shy of 6 years.

I'm not sure what has changed, But I feel massively inclined to work, and am going for it at a pace I find rather suprising, I constantly lose time having to repeat things, due to making technical errors, or having mishaps, and therein the other oddity. I don't mind. If I get set back, rather than looking for something to break, as I would have in my younger days, I seem to simply shrug it off, and continue.
I don't know if I'll ever be doing much more with this stuff than being a hobbyist, I'd love to give up working in IT and do something with this, but that may be a pipedream and at my advancing age, time is not probably on my time. But, I'm doing stuff, not hating it, and I'm doing it constantly. So, yeah. I feel rather fucking chipper.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-08T18:33:21-07:00

More small stuff:

1) Have given carbonated soft drinks up at the start of the month so far so good.

2) Went into London and had a look around. Bought some books.

3) As above but I finally got and read Demo 1.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-08T20:58:01-07:00

Had a fantastic time at the Russian Red Army Choir & Ensemble concert. Definitely one of the most memorable moments of my life.

Also got a chance to dress up which, considering how this week has been with self-esteem, cheered me up a bit.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-09T06:37:37-07:00

how the fuck am i thirty-seven

how did this happen

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-09T08:26:57-07:00

Happy birthday, sir.

(I'll be joining you in a month, let me know if there's good stuff on the menu.)

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-09T09:35:33-07:00

how the fuck am i thirty-seven

how did this happen

Well first you were thirty-five... and then you were thirty-six... and then...

Happy birthday, regardless of how it happened.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-09T09:56:48-07:00

Happy birthday, youngster.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-09T15:56:56-07:00

I cleaned out the fridge. That thing was nasty as fuck, been meaning to do it since I moved in. Now I can use the veggie and meat drawers with ease ^_^

Happy Birthday Fauxhammer!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-09T22:16:27-07:00

Got a LOT... I mean a metric TON of shit off my chest to the friend I keep griping about in the Open Mic Nights. And it felt... really good.

Better than I've felt in months. Maybe a year.

The world doesn't seem as grey and heavy and granular as it used to. It's a little more musical, a little more liquid, a little more beautiful.

Happy birthday, Faux! Hope it's a good one!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-09T23:09:13-07:00

Happy Birthday, Faux!

Plans cancelled, so I had a night to myself. Bought some coffee beans, had a veggie burger and rented Alien and watched it for the first time. Simple stuff, but I feel good.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-10T00:35:16-07:00

Happy birthday Fauxhammer!

Saw friends in the middle of the day when I wasn't thinking I would (their messed up Burning Man plans worked out like that).

Gave a soul a cleansing, aka went to my company's play of our new show What the Moon Saw, which is our contribution to 9/11 remembrance. It was enough for me knowing that I would put my sorrow and thoughts into whatever i got when sitting through the play, but every media outlet has been making a point of bludgeoning me with remembering 9/11 (like i'd forget). So I needed the play even more. I thought I might get weepy in places. I didn't figure I'd cry for nearly an hour and be unable to speak at the end.

In any case, it all reaffirms that theatre and telling stories is what I'm about. It's how I make sense of everything and how I can tell the world what I'm seeing. Fuck yeah.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-10T07:27:44-07:00

Me? I'm nearly at the end of the first draft of my first novel. An urban fantasy set in Amsterdam. I'll be finish in the next 72 hours.

Currently it clocking in at a mighty 297 pages and 137,188 words. The sense of achievement I'm feeling borders on europhic. I'm aiming to have the book finished, edited, illustrated and printed by the last week in March 2012. Just in time for eastercon.
Christ. I. Have . Written. A. Novel.

Wow...! :)

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-10T08:59:42-07:00

Strangely, most of my stuff's stayed digital so seeing it printed to A2 and out in the wild always brings a warm glow to my day. Money, what money?..bah, irrelevant...Highlight of my week.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-10T09:41:03-07:00

my band played our best gig ever, in the attic of a little shit tip bar in inverness, we play noise-jazz and they were all punks. they loved us 'like frank zappa in a fight" was one guys opinion. It made me realize how much i love music.

AND! we got featured on the artists page of Blackout Effectors a rad company that makes fuzz pedals for bands like kylesa, torche and PULP! i m so goddamn happy!!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-10T10:02:28-07:00

I first read that as

in the attic of a little ship tit bar

and it made me very curious what that would be like.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-10T10:29:39-07:00

i think someone has to make that happen

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-10T10:30:50-07:00

I would live there.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-11T23:30:15-07:00

Got a lot done today - included a crying jag in the morning, but glad it wasn't crippling - and have set myself for a very busy week. Good lord I hope I'm up for it. Just trying to be moderately disciplined now is tough. No room for error tomorrow. Eek.

Moved out my sister's dresser to her apartment so my room is looking like a whirlwind hit it. Chances are sleep is going to involve sleeping on just a corner of the bed. But moved in my new bookcase. It has shelves left over which makes entirely too gleeful at the possibilities. But, first and foremost, my books are off the floor.

Brain that wasn't dedicated to moving was pondering a lot of theatre-y things, which makes me super happy. Reunited with my first love: Oh darling, why were we ever apart? It was that whore, Money, I tell you. She teased me and led me on. I'm such a fool! With your blessing this voice over foray will work and I'll be able to pay the bills without leaving your side. That is my intention, if you'll have me.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-12T21:57:06-07:00

Today I got some excellent email. Some from a boy, some about events and free food I'd forgotten about.

One particular email was sent in various forms to myself and quite a few of my good friends, letting us know that our artwork had been accepted into the 2011 Counterform exhibition. Both the books I submitted made it in. Yay for getting into art shows!

It goes up on the 16th and will stay up until November 13th. (I think there's one other person on whitechapel that might live in Salt Lake, but I'm not sure. If anyone is close: 4th floor of the University of Utah library. It should be a good show.)

I don't know if they're having a proper opening, but I hope so. It would mean the friends that got in would come up, and I miss them.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-13T17:07:44-07:00

Today after a couple of gruelling days in the office, I treated myself to an all-day breakfast. Sausage, eggs (sunny side up), toast and homefries. With coffee. Mmmm. I love me some all-day breakfast.

Also, according to the scales I am 14lbs away from my goal weight! Woo!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-13T21:10:27-07:00

Computer is making an awful whirring noise. Dead fan, prolly. However, this computer is so fucked and hugely beat up that whatever repairs are done run the risk of a) breaking my entire computer and b) costing more than the computer itself is worth.

Which leads me to the good part.

My mother is, as a combination birthday/Christmas present, going to help me pay for a large portion of a new computer.

Also, I started a blog.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-14T03:27:42-07:00

Intense pair of days. Most of it offline and thus a little anxiety inducing. Friends' lives in turmoil and it has implications for me.

But the past two nights I had training in two theatre forms - Viewpoints and Suzuki - from SITI company members. Long explanation skipped, my body is absolutely aching and sore and angry with me and my brain just can't stop firing on the all the possibilities these forms hold for performances. And there are still four more classes to go!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-14T07:59:57-07:00

Successfully ordered copies of SVK for both me and KK (who is in need of a little cheering up). Hurrah!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-14T17:51:25-07:00

Oh shit....

I'm drunk, on a worknight.

Filet Mignon Fajitas & frozen margaritas!

& the girlfriend is @ the store getting me cider.

GovSpy isn't sure about work tomorrow.

Also possibly the sex tonight. Life is good.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-14T18:40:33-07:00

- feeling this incredible, overflow of optimism for the future (part of this is weather related)
- Meeting up with my best friend for the first time in a month and having a really good talk with her.
- SUSHI! A HUGE Veggie Bento Box for very cheap, paid for by friend.
- More awesome talking outside and on the train ride home.
- A warm mug of tea and a kitkat.

BLISS.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-15T02:41:31-07:00

@Oldhat - This sound great. Keep at it.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-15T09:24:52-07:00

last Friday, around lunch time, someone sold me a ticket to see the Dropkick Murphys at Fenway Park for almost half price. The show was that night. By the end of the work day, I was feeling too sick to go and couldn't even find someone to give the ticket away too. I spent Saturday through Tuesday in bed and slogged through a work day yesterday, miserable. I finally feel like a human being again. A human being with some sniffles, but I'll take it.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-16T06:11:06-07:00

Oh, my god--to miss DKM at Fenway you must have had Hanta virus. My condolences.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-16T14:06:14-07:00

Done the day! As soon as I finish the Porter my work bought me, I'm off to the pub to drink a collaboration beer between two breweries and some pumpkin ale. Then I'm off home to get naked, loaf around and watch the Transformers animated movie (something I've never seen before but for some reason own).

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-16T17:33:54-07:00

Finished my second week at SECRET...hell I'll just say something, I intern at a Senator's office. So far I haven't decided to throw myself out a window, or become incredibly depressed. I actually got to meet said Senator, I'll post a pic later, maybe if there's a new SPIT. It actually feels good to be at a place where they treat me like a adult, and we get to help people. Now if I get rid of the nutters on the phones, I'd be in paradise.

Other than that, saw "My Fair Lady", and discovered the beauty of Audrey Hepburn. Dear God, she's incredibly striking and talented.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-16T17:55:36-07:00

@Soviet Rocket: Oh hey, you must be in my part of the world, then. Unless you're working in the good Senator's home office?

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-17T14:57:59-07:00

LYIN' ON THE FLOOR, I'VE COME UNDONE

I've discovered that house cleaning can be fun when you're in fishnets, heels, and listening to the Blue Album by Weezer.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-17T16:43:04-07:00

@Alan Tyson. I'm in his Orlando Office. Are you in FL?

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-18T12:02:25-07:00

Saw my parents, aunt, sister, cousins, great uncle and great aunt today for a meal/skittles. They all adored my little girls, especially the littlest, who turned on Teh Kewt for the whole afternoon. Very nice to see them all, and to see the girls just having fun and being kids, and a nice change from stress.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-18T13:23:23-07:00

@Soviet Rocket: Nope, I'm in the unevenly-beating, diseased heart of American politics, Warzhenten DeeCee.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-19T00:36:26-07:00

I have finished a story called "Shadowboxer," my first attempt at crime fiction, and at roughly 27,000 words, it's not the longest thing I've ever written, but it's the longest piece of straight prose that I've ever completed. I'm feeling a little bit sick, but also relieved, exhilarated, scared, all the things I've always been sure I'd feel whenever I brought something like this to a close.

It's gonna be the first in a series of crime stories set in eastern Iowa, where I grew up. I want to do one for each month, meaning I've got eleven more to go, and that if Black Hawk City Stories is ever published as one volume, it'll be a fuckin' brick. Now, though... now that seems like less of a pipe dream, and more like a possibility.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-19T00:40:06-07:00

Hung out with my best friend.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-19T07:08:20-07:00

Spent saturday doing volunteer work except ended up just drawing most of the time. Added bonus was the bands playing in the car park which I got to sketched a little. very happy endorphins all around and wrapped it up with gourmet burgers fer dinner.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-19T13:52:20-07:00

Lovelovelikealot my new apartment.
Parents are helping me out a bunch - also I get to be clear about what I want/need in order to succeed here.

There is light green tile in the bathroom.
It is so good.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-19T13:58:34-07:00

@waxpoetic I am packing my bags as I type this (a hard task). Seriously though, glad you're loving the apartment!

As fer me, yesterday I prepared salmon for dinner which ended up being very tasty! And today...nothing really. Getting ready to go to the Toronto Executive Council Meeting and hearing people tell a disinterested Mayor Ford why he's a bad mayor all freakin' night.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-20T06:52:17-07:00

In my 2+ hour drive into work I got two amazing phone calls. The first was my mom telling me my sister has gone into labor. So I get a new niece (hopefully) today.

The second was my ex-wife. We ended up talking about the custody situation and made a huge-giant-wicked-big step toward resolving this like two adults and avoiding a nasty fight in court. Nothing is actually settled yet, but in theory, we agree what needs to happen and it's just a matter of working out the details. For the first time in a couple of months, I feel like I might actually be able to move on with my post divorce life.

Fingers crossed.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-22T18:36:17-07:00

My niece is superfreakingextrawonderfully adorable and not yet too old to let me tickle her.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-22T21:33:16-07:00

Today I went to the library and worked out the start of what might be a successful recipe for my Pumpkin Coffee Ale (working title Percolatin' Pumpkin Ale). Feeling more confident that I was for Audacious Bitch.

I went over, for probably the third time in two days, Mapplethorpe's collected polaroids in this book, which, considering Amazon is selling it for $20 cheaper and including free shipping, I may very well try and save up to purchase. By learning more about him, I'm noticing him trying to work his way, along with all the other influences, in being a part of my aesthetic. I'm excited about that, as I've been feeling stagnant with my process lately.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-23T11:36:39-07:00

@oldhat - That beer recipe sounds AMAZING. Can't wait to hear how it turns out.

The New Job is going well so far. Nice bunch of folks, despite the fact that they're tossing me right into the deep end after only 2 1/2 days and flying me to Monterey, CA to start figuring out just what our client has purchased. I'm hoping that I won't be working 24/7 and that I'll have time to visit the aquarium there. I hear it's lovely.

Deeeeep breaths.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-23T12:29:59-07:00

icecream. it is mine. cherries even.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-23T19:41:06-07:00

Me and my brother have been invited to Games Workshop Game Day. Provided I can work out how to get to Brum in time without a car.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-23T20:56:35-07:00

Took the afternoon off from work and "prepped" about a dozen model rockets for a big launch tomorrow.

My "get away from the computer" hobby is a lot of work and a lot of money but damn fine fun. And the weather forecast looks good.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-23T22:02:20-07:00

Niece continues to be adorable. Ice cream is awesome. Here's hoping the kid doesn't pee in the bed.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-24T03:25:07-07:00

StefanJ:

Oh, you do model rocketry also? I shot some rockets a few years ago, I still think I have a few engines unused. Should get around to building a camera rocket finally, digital cameras are getting to be so dirt cheap and small.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-24T03:26:25-07:00

Slept for 13 hours, unable to wake up in the morning even when I tried - every time I blinked, I fell into a new vibrant coherent dream, and I just now woke up feeling rested and serene. Damn. This is usually only happens in the cabin, and is partly what I go there for.

Also, I think I compiled a piece of weird flash fiction in one of the dreams. It was based on an idea I got in another dream earlier this week, but as it was then, it didn't work, but I think this time I got it right :)

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-24T13:25:17-07:00

Went out to the location dictated earlier by young Ms Fishelle - 42 miles from home at a bearing of roughly 2 o'clock (14.00). Took pictures. Had most extremely lovely pie for dins as dictated by Mr Alan Tyson. Went home and am now sitting at the machine, drinking square beer and wondering how to fit maps into blogs.

Life is good!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-24T20:46:46-07:00

Sunday morning...too early but I finally got this. woo!

6 months worth the wait.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-26T03:22:30-07:00

Romanticalish day. No, not for me, more of a contact high. Finished up a show with a sweet romantic gesture leaving me all "awww..." And then my sis let us know her fiance (wedding date is set for 5 weeks from now) made a "formal" proposal this morning: on his knee, stuttering and proffering his grandmother's ring. Awww....

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-26T14:41:50-07:00

I had a really good workout today!! I had upset stomach last week and couldn't work out at all because I was either having constant tummy aches, or would get light headed from having not properly digested my meals, and not eating much.

Also my spring form pan came in, so now I can make matcha tiramisu for my birthday this weekend ^_^

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-26T15:11:36-07:00

Matcha tiramisu... is that HALF as good as it sounds? Because it sounds REALLY good.

A friend of mine informed me that he has a brewkit that needs a recipe to run through it. I just happen to have a few recipes. We came to an agreement, and made plans for a road trip to the nearest homebrew supply store. I've been wanting to brew my own beer since college, so this is fantastic news!

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-26T16:31:27-07:00

I don't know yet, but I hope so. I will definitely post with the results!

Hooray homebrewing! My dad and I are hoping to give it a shot this winter. Mmmm...

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-26T21:38:24-07:00

My friend Push and I have rented an art/creative space that consists of a walled off section of loading dock and a semi trailer.

This is the space. Our section is the second square of light from the left. We have that, and a semi trailer. I posted about this in the Open Mic a bit ago, but am expanding on it here because, since then, our trailer has arrived.

This is not a hallway in a survival horror video game. It is the trailer of our art/creative space:

There are two doors in the side of the trailer, but they are permanently bolted shut.

I think it used to be some kind of circus trailer, as evidenced by the ghostly legs that have been left behind.

In the back here I taped out the footprint of a loveseat I was thinking of putting in here. It actually takes up a lot of room.

It will probably need to go up against the wall.

The speakers are in the back there to see how they might be positioned.

I'd like to turn that back wall into a big whiteboard for planning sessions, and have a roll down movie screen above it.

Please Drive Safely!

I spent the day Sunday giving myself blacklung by sweeping this hulk out without a filter mask. We have interesting plans for it.

It makes me inordinately happy.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-27T19:30:13-07:00

So. I was dead set on moving, mostly due to a need for crickets, trees, and porch, and secondly due to frustration that I seemed to do an inordinate amount of cleaning up after a rather messy roommate, and ended up feeling frusrated, a bit burnt out and... unappreciated, I guess. I nearly took two different offers of housing, turning them down at the last minute because, while I have some money at the moment, I really couldn't justify the expense given my longterm shoestring monthly budget, and I really do LIKE living with the people I live with, and it seemed stupid to walk away from. I felt terrible for stringing one of the potential houses along, so I attempted to paypal them a portion of the $250 holding deposit they were expecting. By accident, I sent it twice, and it ended up as $200.

Dammit.

I did get a nice email from them, and a promise that they'd email me if ever they got another opening in the future, and the owner of the other house I nearly moved to has become facebook friends with me, and also promised to let me know if there's ever another opening in his home, so that's pretty fabulous, actually. I was feeling a bit demoralized, though, and terribly poor.

Then upon talking to my current roommate, he'd realized that if I moved out he'd probably have to hire a cleaning lady, and so, my rent is now decreased by $200 a month for doing all the cleaning. So my $200 came back to me, and will CONTINUE to do so!

I might be able to afford a CAR at this point, and I'll be able to just DRIVE myself to nature when I want! Whooo! It all worked out awesomely! I'm hoping things will continue to come together like this.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-27T19:40:38-07:00

@oddbill, that is AWESOME!

Today I fixed up the Photography page on my site and now it has (wait for it, now) PICTURES on it.

The crap part today is that I'm sick. But to keep me company I bought Season 1 and 2 of DALLAS. My first time watching the show and am absolutely loving it. Also my mom made me cocoa. <3

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-28T01:54:13-07:00

A week ago I made this happen.

Best job in the world, I tell you.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-28T08:21:02-07:00

The anthology I sold a piece to later this year was released on Monday.

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-28T10:28:21-07:00

@Ren Thing
Was it about time travel?

The Vile Hugging / Good Things Today Thread (Sept 2011)

2011-09-30T10:41:25-07:00

PROJEKT CHECKLIST

-Drafting: CHECK
-Editing: IN PROGRESS
-Beta Readers: RECRUITED

All I need to do now is fuck around with formatting (using Caliber), get feedback, and fire that bitch off to Amazon.

This is a Good Thing in my life.

Now to see about sabotaging it.