No More Netflix

The Hub (husband) and I decided to, a couple months ago, cancel our subscription to Netflix. Now, this was not because of the absolute stupidity of the people in charge, it wasn't because of the price hike, it wasn't because there was nothing good on it, no it was because watching television was sucking the life out of us.

I would come home from work, wait around for the Hub to be done working, maybe exercise, kind of throw dinner together, and while we ate we would sit on the couch and begin the netflix. We had all sorts of stuff on our instant play and we watched our way through seasons of Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and so much more. We would finish eating, throw the dishes in the washer and then sit down again and continue watching. Until we had to go to bed. Wash, wince, repeat. This was my life. Downtime on weekends would be spent watching movies.

We would discuss and dream about a time without Netflix but we were reluctant to give up this luxury. We don't have cable, we don't buy DVD's (not anymore, I will do a post on my mini-quest with minimalism eventually) and we only have rabbit ears for the TV that don't work well. To get rid of Netflix was to forgo television itself. Could we do it? Did we want it bad enough?

Looking around the house and at ourselves we found things being neglected, our dog for one, laundry, fixing things, putting things together, dishes, our hobbies, and ourselves. We sent back our last disk and hit the cancel button.

We haven't looked back.

Let's start with some unimportant things... my dishes are getting done (they are still the biggest pain ever and I wish my morals would allow me to buy paper cups and plates to throw out but I just can't do it!) laundry is actually being put away when clean, my garage has been organized and cleaned, and the bar my parents bought for us, I put together myself (Hub helped at the end holding the doors for me to screw on, thanks Hub!). I feel as if I have time to actually get things done, Hubby actually cleaned out a lot of the detritus from past projects that was in the yard, even going so far as chopping wood. There is still more out there but every week it gets more and more cleaned out.

As for our hobbies and ourselves, things are going so much better. I have been working on the webcomic more, I've even started drawing my own things again slightly, and I've been a lot more active physically, with training for a marathon. I'm running three days a week and I'm trying to do something else at least two of the days I don't run. I also became a meet-up planner for the Geek Girls here in AZ and now plan something fun at least once a month. So I am also more social because of this! I'm also reading, I have two books I'm currently reading and just finished a graphic novel series. Das Hub is also improving himself trying to get a business started on the sidelines and is working out with me and rollerblading with me when I run. He's also playing Skyrim (and loving it). We also go on walks with the dog. We cook more too.

So as you can see we filled our time with LIVING, not just numbly sitting on the couch as the box spewed entertainment at us.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not condemning Netflix at all. I have bought my parents a year subscription for the past three years, they love it (my dad especially, he was telling me all about the near Oscar winning film: "Hobo with a Shotgun"). My friends all have Netflix or cable and if there is truly something I want to see, like "True Blood" then I ask a friend if I can come over and we make it a social experience too. So Netflix works for a lot of people, television works for a lot of people, it just doesn't work for us. Not having it also forces us to think of additional things to do, like today I was bored and didn't feel like drawing, didn't want to go to the gym, and didn't want to read...so I went on a two hour bike ride. I could have zoned out in front of Netflix if I had had it (and most likely would have) but I chose to take a relaxing bike ride instead. 

To each their own I guess, but I make it no secret that I'm glad we made the choice we did. I haven't regretted it for a second. I'm accomplishing so much more now than I thought was possible and I'm so happy and proud of myself because of that. Netflix was inhibiting me from achieving my goals and making that decision to get rid of Netflix allowed me to see how important the goals are to me. So I'm just going to keep on going until I have accomplished all that I have set out to do and then do more.

Back to the Blogging Grind

Hello Non-existent reader world!

I miss blogging terribly and have decided that I am going to start again with renewed vigor! I have so much to say and so much going on that it's hard to focus on WHAT exactly to blog about. To get readers it seems I should just choose a singular topic essentially and blog about that. That seems boring to me a bit. I have a life of varied interests, hobbies, and plans that just to pick ONE topic would be leaving out 98% of the rest of my life. I want to blog about what is important to me, why it's important to me, and how I incorporate it into my life.

There is just so many things that I love to talk about and want to share...

such as (and in no particular order):

Exercise and Fitness
Healthy Eating
Working as an Art Teacher
My own Arting
MirrorWorld
Married Domestic Life
Geek Girls
Travel
Living in Phoenix
Scarves
My new Origami of the Day Calendar!

and much much more!

So I'm going to be blogging again and if I ever actually get readers we can have discussions in the comments about what you want me to blog about more of or discuss why these things I talk about in my blog are important (or unimportant) to you.

Here's to a new year of following my many passions!

Comicing

So I've talked about Mirror World many a time on the blog but I thought I would perhaps explain what am doing now as opposed to the first three pages that I've done. In the next batch of pages I'll post some pictures of the process.

So the first three pages I worked on individually from start to finish. Get scripts for page 1, thumbnail page 1, get approval of thumbnail for page 1, scan page 1, ink page 1, color page 1, shade page 1, word balloon page 1 up, and send page 1 to Connie.

As you can imagine I was freaking sick of page 1 by the time I was through. It is so boring to look at the same page day in an and day out for several hours at a time (especially since I am still figuring my process out, it takes way longer than you would think)

So then Connie got me the scripts for pages 4-7. I tried doing page 4 completely differently but I ended up having to start over to not do it SO differently. But while avoiding the redo of 4 I began 5, 6, and 7. Once 7 was drawn out I went and did page 4 again.

So then I currently had 4 pages that had gotten approved and were drawn out and ready to be inked. Do I just work on page 4 or do cycle through the whole batch?

I chose to cycle. I inked all the pages first, then I colored the backgrounds, then I colored the characters (I broke these into pieces as well: clothes, skin color, eyes, eyebrows, hair, etc...cycling through the pages on each part), then I colored the misc items that got missed. Then I straighten up my layers (I need to start doing that as I go) now I'm working on straightening up my edges of the panels, then shading, then word ballooning, then I'm done. So I'm like 85% f the way done with 4 pages! My goal is to finish the batch by Wednesday. Cycling seems to be the way to go, I feel like it moves faster that way.

The even better part is that Connie already got me the scripts for pages 8, 9, and 10 and I already worked with her on the thumbnail and got those approved. So as soon as I am done with these 4 pages I can work on the next three...and I'll post progress updates with pictures!

Con Report, Phoenix Comic-Con 2011

So we had a glorious 4 day convention that was super fun and super helpful with learning on what to do an what not to do.

But we have learned and we will grow and I suspect any con that we do now will go oh so much better from now on!

Alright, so the Wednesday before we went and picked up our badges, which was helpful because we were able to figure out parking and where our booth was located.

Thursday I was super late with the prints because I blew out a tire. So I got there and the preview night was in full swing. We were next to this guy : Inch by Finch aka Patrick and this guy: Vince Deporter . Both were super cool and I think Vince and my hubby are new best friends. I had Vince draw me a picture with Sponge Bob in my art room, which I'll post on another day when I discuss the art I've bought or brought into the house.







Friday and Saturday went by like a blur, I figured out to have free sketches t talk to people (and by drawing on the back of our flyer!) and then Saturday I put a "Tips accepted sign" which actually worked quite a bit. I have no complaints. I ended up selling one print, and a few drawings of super heroes that I whipped out and laid on the table.



I talked to Randy of Something Positive a few times. He is a scary hairy man, but he is so sweet and nice and gave us some suggestions and a fee sketch, I bought an issue of Super Stupor from him and he gave me another issue for free! You're awesome, man!



I eventually got to meet Danielle Corsetto of Girls with Slingshots and bought a little print off of her, she is way nice as well!

I also mingled my way up to Joel Watson's booth Hiijinks Ensue and bought a print off of him.

I didn't stand in line to meet any celebrities but I did get to speak with Will Wheaton (which I may do a video of me talking to fully express what the heck happened and how awesome it was).



Then a surprise happened for me...J. Scott Campbell was there. HOLY CRAP. J SCOTT CAMPBELL! Creator of Danger Girl, artist of many issues of Gen 13 and basically hot woman drawer extraordinaire! I bought a print off of him and got myself a pic with him...hooray!






I met lots of nice people and got many compliments on my stuff, people were really interesting and it was super busy. I was very tired after 4 days but I was able to get through it and look back fondly on it! I drew lots of different things (including an Angry Bird giving a wedgie to a Gnome) but I just thought of it as practice! I really can't wait to do it again. We have already purchased our booth for next year's con and I know we have a table for Emerald Comic Con but I have no idea if I'll be able to go. So hopefully!

Con Report

Is on it's way for the end of the week. I just wanted to say that I had a ton of fun and w already have our booth for next year!

Phoenix Comic Con

Apparently Connie got us a booth and they have room so we really have one!

OMG.

So I'm at Booth 747 during the Phoenix Comic Con. We'll have a mini-comic of highlights of Mirror World and some handouts and postcards. I'm making a poster for behind us and I'll have some prints for sale. I'll also be doing some sketching and ATC's so if anyone actually reads this and is in the area during the 26th-29th come on down!

Sweet Tomatoes

I don't know if many people have Sweet Tomatoes near them.

If you do not I am sorry and you should move near one.

It's one of my favorite restaurants and it's basically an all you can eat salad bar. I adore this place. Plus it is great for people watching because it has other things than salad and it is amazing what people eat at this place and call it "healthy."

As in an entire plate of croutons is "healthy" cause it's from a salad bar.

o_o

Anyway, I went there with my brother the other day and I was asked a amazing question (an amazing question to me at least) and that was if I wanted to purchase a bigger cup for 50 cents more.

Now mind you, this is a place that you can just GET UP AND GET MORE when your cup is empty. It's not one cup full and you have to pay for refills or wait for someone to come and refill you. You just get off your bum and get some more to drink.

I asked the girl why I would want to pay 50 cents extra and her reply was for the convenience factor. I wouldn't have to get up as much.

...

To me this does not perpetuate a healthy lifestyle. I dunno, what do you think?

Would you pay more to not get up as much?

Back to Normalcy

Brewster Bunch by ~SyntheticPlatypus on deviantART

A wedding picture for my friend at work. Her and her newly blended family! This looks amazing printed and framed and she loved it!

Lots of moving around and drama at work. I'm not going to complain, so all I will say is that I get to continue teaching art to children full time, which is what truly matters. It's still my dream job. I love teaching kids how to draw, it's official.

So with rumblings of the job I've had to start really thinking about how to file things for next year, how I'm going to deal with the influx of projects, making actual units for students and having the folders of the units as portfolios. It's massive amounts of craziness.

I've been nicking away little by little with the comic, once summer hits I'll throw myself into it, especially since I won't have the sub day to work on things during class :D

People should head to down town Chandler soon too. There has been a public art initiative and there are five local artists that have made ceramic tiles and decorated bus benches all over on Arizona Ave. They are really neat and you should check it out!

We Inturrupt the Proceedings

Wow.

Hecticness. I can't believe how much has been going on.

Let me talk about last week a little. The reason there was no blog post last week was because we were at the hospital. How did we get to the said hospital? In an ambulance.

So...excitement abounds.

Let me break it down. Evan and I were eating dinner. We were in the living room eating dinner and Evan was watching Carpal Tunnel Surgery (he was researching it for himself) and he finished watching the video and told me he wasn't feeling well from the video. I turned to look at him and all of a sudden he slumps over and begins to moan, gurgle, and twitch like he is having a seizure.

I leap up shouting his name and yell that I'm calling 911. As I am dialing I run back to him, he was leaning back in the chair reclining it more as he is twitching. I am reaching to take his pulse and calling his name. I'm talking to the 911 operator as he comes to. This only lasted about 35 seconds but I'll be damned if it wasn't the longest 35 seconds of my life.

He came to and told me no ambulance that we'll just go to the ER ourselves. So I packed a bunch of stuff in a bag and got him into my car. We were driving there (it's like 3 miles away) and he did it again. This time with the words "I'm going away again" and so without crashing my car I pulled over 3 lanes to the gas station and called 911 again and had them send the ambulance.

Evan came to again and was sweating profusely. The very nice firemen paramedics came and got Evan out of my car and got info from me and then the ambulance came. and they loaded him up. I called my brother to get my car from the gas station and called Evan's mom to tell her too.

We got to the ER and then proceeded to be in the ER for 7 hours. We didn't get home to 12:30 AM.

Evan is fine though. What happened was the his body shut down after the surgery video to protect itself. The twitching was caused by his blood leaving his head and extremities.

It is a type of seizure but it didn't affect his brain or heart.

It was really the worst day of my life and I am so glad that he is okay. Our One year anniversary is on the 20th of this month and I'm happy we are going to be able to celebrate together.

I love him very much.

Neighbors

Folks I gotta say this quite frankly...

People can be DICKS. Holy Goodness. So I got two stories about my neighbors one ends happily, the other not so much.

The hub and I take our Pup, Gala, for walks most evenings. We like to traipse around the neighborhood and take many different routes and see different things around us.

Well Evan and I both have separately taken the same route and had the same thing happen. There is this guard dog (I'm thinking it was Cerebus...you know the guard dog of HELL) and it likes to throw it's entire 80 lb body weight against the bottom of this gate/door thing. And it was only clasped in the middle...so this quite frankly, RABID looking dog was almost getting out and would try to kill us through the door every time we went past.

Well Evan decided he was going to talk to the guy about it. He apparently had a very frustrating 20 minute talk with the guy about how dangerous it was and if the dog got out how deadly it would be. The guy brushed him off and told him nothing would happen. Evan's parting words? "Yeah we'll find out won't we?"

Well we went on a walk a week after that and went past the house and what did we find besides the hell beast? I length of chain holding the bottom of the door together held by a padlock. A 5 dollar fix that probably prevented some mauling in the future.

Yay, win for us!

Now the losing story.

We have this 20 ft Mexican palm tree in the back corner of out house. I never liked the thing because it's ruining the back wall, the roots are pushing it up. Well a while back our neighbors behind us saw Evan on the roof and talked to him about the leaves from the palm falling into their pool. They said they would go in for halfsies for trimming or whatever and Evan said to come over and we would talk more about it. They never did so we forgot about it.

Well, Friday I got home from work and went to look outside and I was greeted by a 5 ft tall x 5 ft wide pile of palm tree leaves that were thrown over our wall. Umm...I don't think they are allowed to do that in the first place and what dicks they are for being so passive aggressive about it. They never talked to us and it looks like they saved a bunch of them just to make a point. We got the HINT. I called a guy to give us an estimate and he came out and we said we would talk to the neighbors about getting half. The tree guy called me on Saturday and said he's knock a hundred bucks off if we did it Monday morning. So we are just doing it.

Thanks dickwads.

ERG.