Microwave Baking and Home Improvement

I've really been missing my oven lately, so much so that this is beginning to look like a good idea... my only issue is getting my hands on a bundt pan that won't emit sparks in my microwave.  (Maybe it's a good thing I can't do this - could you imagine the damage I could do with cakes that can be made in 15 minutes?  I can feel my waist expanding from here...) I haven't done any projects lately so I don't have much to report I'm afraid!  You ever have one of those days where it's just hard to focus on anything, let alone summon any energy or enthusiasm?  That was my Tuesday.  I managed to make myself clean somewhat, but then spent half of the day asleep, and the other half in a stupor (I hate Tuesdays).  I think what I'd like to do is start working on the spare bedroom, maybe make it less of a closet (have you seen my spare bedroom?  There's random junk all over like a garage sale threw up in it).  Finish painting it.  Put some furniture in it (no, the ladder in there does not count).

I've been watching old cartoons, specifically Daria, and I'd honestly forgotten how excellent this series is.  Especially DeMartino, who I think any CSR will recognize as themselves (at least occasionally).

Batman and Marriage

So!  We went and saw Batman this weekend.  And we were kinda late!  I was totally expecting the theater to be packed, but to our immense surprise it was totally empty.  There were about fifteen other people there (more streamed in as the movie started), but still.  The movie was excellently amazing, probably my favorite out of the trilogy (which was already really really good, in my opinion).  I'm not a huge Batman fan (I know the basic facts), but this is probably one of my favorite movies ever.  Anyway, go see it.  That's all I'll say.


We're celebrating our second anniversary next week (I can't believe I've been married for two years - it's all gone by so quickly)!  It's been an amazing joyride, I totally love being married to my best friend!  We're going to the ocean to celebrate, which is super exciting since I haven't been there for several years and he's never been.  I love the ocean - water is so calming.  Plus, this is perfect beach weather (it's currently sunny in the high 70s)  I am totally hitting that pool for at least a few hours of swimming!  Here's hoping the weather is as amazing next weekend as it is this one.

Thunderstorms, Slow Cookers and Air Poppers

We woke up this morning to a thunderstorm, complete with big fat raindrops and flashes of lightning.  I love storms, though I have to admit I love them a little less when it's 6 in the morning...

So since we have no oven (we're kinda ghetto like that atm), we've been relying heavily on our slow cooker to roast chickens, make lasagna and do neat tricks like chicken and dumplings.  Growing up my family didn't really use slow cookers, but I have to say I think they're pretty darned amazing.  Who doesn't love the idea of spending 20 minutes in the kitchen in the morning then walking away and coming back at 6 to a roasted chicken?  I was also recently informed you can do cakes in them.  Is there no end to their awesomeness?  Seriously.

In other news (this is a mostly food/kitchen gadgets related post today), I really really really want a salad spinner.  And an air popper.  The first one would be fantastic because, well, you know, then I could make my own salads (and possibly hash browns, which would just rock.  Why am I paying $2 for 8 ounces of grated potatoes again?).  The second is practically a necessity - we almost live on popcorn in this house (seriously, we bought a Costco sized tub of popcorn and it's almost gone.  There are only two of us in this household.  We have issues.)

Writing, Batman and the Cake Is a Lie

So when I first started this whole thing my initial plan was to write for 2 hours in the morning, then go about my day to give my ideas time to refresh.  However, I'm starting to find that I want to spend my afternoons (usually reserved for illustration) writing as well - which is awesome, because to me that says: progress is being made.  I am learning to write every day because that is what I am - a writer.  Which is pretty awesome.  I think it's important to chronicle your journey because there are days where you will wake up and go "I've done nothing with myself", to be able to look back and realize that you did is incredibly motivating, moreso than any book or TV program.

I tried scrubbing my kitchen floor clean today and found out how disgusting it really is (hint: very very very much so).  I kind of want to tear it up (seems to be just a sheet of vinyl) and put down Pergo, but I'm not sure how well Pergo would hold up to spills and certain people in our household (me!) dropping things on it all the time.

The Dark Knight Rises is coming out Friday!  I am super psyched - I think Catwoman is awesome sauce (though surely I'm not the only person who thinks she looks like a cosplayer...)

Finally, is this not possibly the most awesome site in existence?  Gourmet Gaming takes food from games and makes them real (ex Portal Cake, Rations from Metal Gear Solid,and the TF2 Sandvich).  Seriously those all look delicious.  Except that sandwich with cereal and turkey and jam.  That's kinda whoa.

Looks like someone has a case of the Mondays >:C

We just finished Silent Hill 2 over the weekend and I'd forgotten what a wreck that game leaves you (this is the only game I've ever played that continually gives me nightmares).  The whole series is disturbing but Silent Hill 2 is truly the icing on a psychologically damaging cake.  I think it's probably one of the scariest games I've ever played (if not the scariest, period!).  Probably the only other one that comes close is the remake of the original Resident Evil for the GameCube (which perfectly nailed its atmosphere).  But even REmake can't compare to the journey taken by James Sunderland, and after some discussion with my husband (bless him for being so willing to listen to me ramble about made up characters in a made up world) it's because nobody is a Chris or Claire Redfield, or a Jill Valentine.  But a lot of us, potentially, could be a James Sunderland.  Under the right circumstances (or the wrong ones, depending on how you look at it).

Does it make a story more interesting when there isn't a clear cut "bad guy"?

I've been writing (because that is what I do) and the deeper I get the more I realize there isn't really a designated bad guy in my story; there are just people whose views and situations are all different.  And they need different things.  And sometimes those needs clash with the needs of others, and that is where our conflicts come from.

Though some people are just asshats, too.

I had a breakthrough today.  A long overdue one, but late is better than never (at least that's what I've always been told).

I never realized how hard it is to write a good character.

That is, I never realized how much work actually goes into learning about your character. And not just memorizing their eye color, weight and favorite food but actually learning their habits, their motivations. What's their favorite memory? Why do they behave the way they do? One thing I've always struggled with is getting inside the heads of my characters, learning their motivations and driving forces. I'll scratch the surface but not dig deep, and digging deep is what you have to do if you want a strong story that resonates with a reader.  This is really what this book is about, I think - learning to dig deep.  I get lazy, and want to stop at the statistics.  Because we are so much more than our weight and eye color, aren't we?

I've been mostly working on my outline today, getting down the history of each of the main characters as well as some secondary ones (that's where this whole spiel came from!).  I feel like I've hit my wall and broken though it - woohoo!

Sunny weather and coupons

Have I mentioned how much I love the sun?  I live in the Northwest so we see the sun approximately 2 weeks a year (and that is our summer and we like it).  This weekend is forecast to be sunny in the mid-70s -at the risk of sounding like a 4-year-old, I totally think this would be a great weekend to go picnic somewhere.  That is seriously one of my favorite things to do - sit on a blanket under a tree, eat and fall asleep in the summer sun (well that and ramble endlessly).  I love it so much I even went and mowed my lawn (have you seen my lawn?  No matter where you live, the answer is yes.  It is that large.) so we could sit outside yesterday and eat on our blanket.  I love it.

I'm not sure how many people know this but I've really gotten into budgeting over the past year; I even went and taught myself excel so I could have a spreadsheet (make no mistake, I will be one of those old people running around going "back in my day we didn't have smartphones or apps and we LIKED it).  I feel like I could be better at using coupons, though.  My real problem is it seems like coupons are always for things I don't never buy/don't need.  What I've been trying to do is pay attention to when meat we actually use (mostly chicken) goes on sale and stock up then.  Right now our menus are done in 4-week cycles (ie I shop once every 4 weeks for 90% of our groceries.  We weren't having luck with just doing one big trip every month so every other week we run for milk and fresh fruit/vegetables), but things aren't always on sale when I'm ready to shop!  I believe I could cut costs down further by stocking up when stores place things on sale.  Even though it will mean an extra trip, it might be worth it to save an extra $5-10.

Daily art after the jump

It is the middle of 2012. Where did the first half go?

This year is going by fast.  I swear I just bought my house and painted it (wait that was a year ago...)

What have I learned over the last 6 months?  Probably not as much as I could have, but more than I expected to (so I guess that means I break even).

- I've learned you can't wait for things to magically fall into your lap, you have to go get them.  Because if you do that, you'll spend all your time waiting.  It's better to go out there and get started, even if it seems overwhelming, because as long as you keep moving forward you'll reach your goal eventually.

- I've learned that failure isn't permanent, unless you want it to be.  I like to think of it as part of the learning experience, something that helps you become the person you're supposed to be.

- I've learned there are things more important than a steady paycheck, like being happy.  And not making your husband crazy by grinding your teeth at night because you're so stressed out.

- I've learned how to budget, because when you are on one income that is what you do.  I've learned to enjoy doing things that I might have passed up in lieu of spending money (going to the park, wandering around the mall).  In the same vein, I've learned how to enjoy the little things like cooking and walking the dogs (unfortunately I still haven't learned how to enjoy my garden).

- I've also learned that paint gets everywhere.  Somehow, magically.  It doesn't matter if you're painting your bedroom, paint will inevitably end up down the hall in your dining room, too.

Daily art after the jump >>>

I is for insurance. And idiotic.

Since I quit my job (remember that?  Like a month ago?) I've been trying to get insurance.  Which noone told me is actually a full-time job in of itself.  (Don't get me wrong, I'm a pretty healthy individual.  I have no idea what people who actually have conditions do...)  I actually can't even get past the paperwork stage because ehealthinsurance and the insurance company I'm trying to apply with are in this vicious cycle (it would be funny if it wasn't true) of: submit paperwork, the insurance company is behind 2 weeks and the paperwork expires, the insurance company says they need new paperwork, submit paperwork, repeat.  Repeat repeat repeat.

This has been going on for a month and they are making me crazy.  I mean, come on.  When YOU take two weeks to get something done don't go back to the person who submitted the paperwork on time and go "whoops that expired now we need a whole new application :B".  Lame.  Lame lame lame lame lame.

Okay enough of that rant...

So we've been going back to old games on the PS2 lately and we actually started Silent Hill 2 last night.  I'd forgotten how excellent that game is, from the graphics (which don't really show their age in the CGI cutscenes) to the story to the voice acting to the puzzles.  (I'd also forgotten how much I hate the combat, but since I've already ranted today I won't yell about it too much... plus right now I hate the insurance company waaaay more than I hate the bad hit detection >:O) I remember it being way more difficult, but that might be because I was a kid when I played it.  It's still a lot of fun.

daily art after the jump

Ramblings

I would like to make a cartoon someday.  It is something that I've secretly been rolling around in the back of my head for several years, and would require a lot of pre-work work (I'd need to learn programs and how to write a script, which is totally different from writing a story!).  But I think it's something I can do.  Maybe Definitely not alone, I'll need help.  I'll need voice actors, just to name something that is glaringly obvious.  But it could be fun.

So I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead last night and I liked it more than I thought I would.  Basically a guy named Joe is a terribly sick and overweight man who decides he's going to eat only fruits and vegetables in the form of juicing them for 60 days, three meals a day.  That's pretty hardcore dedication.  My favorite part was when he mentioned how he only did the fast for 60 days but the desire for healthy food has remained with him beyond that.  That's really the important (and hardest) part - you can do anything for a set period of time, but once that time has passed unless you picked up better habits you're just going to lapse back into your old self.  I think what I'm trying to get at here is while it's really hard to change bad habits, you have to just take it a day at a time and remember what you're gaining back (maybe your health, maybe your time).


Daily sketch after the jump --