Sunday, January 31, 2010

I couldn't help but smile when I saw this



And I've made it the background on my laptop's desktop.


To do:

- finish rough draft of one page essay about Cindy Sherman (due sometime in the future)
- brainstorm for my model and product shoot for "Studio" (Feb 3)
- think about an artist or person that inspires me
- edit, make contact sheets, print 2 or 3 8x10's for "Human Figure" (Feb 4)
- research and write three page essay for "Subcultures" (Feb. 9)
- readings
- laundry
- chores
- make grocery list
- sweep my bedroom floor because it's disgusting
- call home sometime this week
- view two possible houses to live in for next year (Feb 6.)

and last, but not least

remember to floss my teeth every day!!!

That's all I can think of for now.

If procrastination was a class... I would get an A+



S
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l
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Why has one load of laundry taken over three hours to do?

Boredom finally took over my life last night as I didn't want to photoshop my pictures anymore. My friend Amanda and I had a photoshoot this past Thursday at the school's studio because we have a project due in my Human Figure class this week. We each need to submit 72 shots and print an 8x10 of 2 or 3 of our favourite ones. I had been editing them all day and by 9 pm I could not take another process of adjusting the curves, levels, selective colouring or cropping! So I decided to watch a movie.

After plugging in the TV and VCR player downstairs in our basement, I popped "The Last Unicorn" into the machine and let my childhood memories be accessed. It's been a good couple years since I've watched this movie and until last night, I forgot how good it is.

The first time I saw this movie I was probably around seven years old and it must have been playing on TV or we must have rented it from the video store because I've haven't owned a hard copy of it for very long. Scenes from this movie would replay over and over in my head, and it took me so long to remember where I had seen them before. I would always think about the red bull, or the image of the unicorns in the ocean, or the drunk skeleton lying on top of the fireplace mantel. After many attempts of searching on the Internet, I finally found out the name to this movie and begged my parents to buy it for me.

Best. Purchase. Ever.

A unicorn overhears two hunters talk about how she is the last unicorn left in the world and goes on a quest to find out what happened to the others. She befriends a magician and a poor woman who assist her on her journey to King Haggard's (played by Christopher Lee btw) castle where she hopes to learn more about the vanishing unicorns. I won't reveal too much of the plot because there's nothing more that I hate than a spoiler. SO. Watch the movie.

The only thing is that I dread the day my VCR player goes on the fritz because I'm not looking forward to buying another copy of "The Last Unicorn" on DVD.



Yours truly.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Wow.

Photographing a box with studio lights


Hard light


Hard light with reflector


Softbox


Softbox with reflector


Softbox from overtop of the box


This was my second assignment for my Studio class. My professor asked us to bring in any box so that we could practice photographing it using studio lights.

Window Light Assignment Take One





This was my first assignment issued for my "Studio Lighting and Fundamentals" class and we had to use the natural light coming from the window to light up our subject. This is my roommate Katie.

Monday, January 25, 2010

I'm going to a Zumba class for the first time tomorrow afternoon. I'm flipping excited.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

And there's plenty more where this came from! Check out the links at the bottom of the page.






I just found a two second video, on my cellphone, that was recorded while it was in my pocket

I travelled Coach Canada on Friday afternoon from Toronto to St. Catharines so that I could spend the night with my cousin Bunny, her boyfriend Colin, and my brother Tyler.

We listened to David Bowie's "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" and discussed the "barking" that happens near the end of "Hang on to Yourself". We ate pizza. Watched A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 and discovered the hilarity of superimposing baby faces on Rottweiler dogs bodies (it's awesome I swear). And then watched some classic episodes of the Monkees TV show: where we learned how to "properly" make a telescope from a piece of pa
per, and watched Mike Nesmith dress up as a princess in the fairy tale episode.

"Harold you better get this carriage out of the mud!"

Later, we walked to St. Paul Street in search of some bars! Our first stop was the Merchant, for some strawberry beer, but there was not a place to sit. We went to the Mansion House instead where we : found me a shirt twin who was also wearing red plaid, watched Bunny play a wicked game of LOTR pinball, and listened to a shotty band.

Here's some food for thought...


Always appreciate the little things in life

This story happened over the Christmas break while I was sitting in the waiting room with my grandma at the eye doctor...

Mama (my grandma) and I patiently sat in the waiting room of Dr. Ventresca's office for my grandmother's name to be called for examination. We waited about 30 minutes and sat listening to each other exchange stories that happened recently. I love when Mama tells me stories about her life, whether it be about her childhood, teaching, or her family, as they all seem so interesting. I swear, half the things she's done or seen, I probably won't experience in my life time.

Finally a female voice called out, "Myra" and I sat alone while my grandmother walked towards the examination room.

An elderly woman sitting to the right of us turned to me and said, "My mother's name was Myra. I haven't heard that name in many years and when I heard it now, it reminded me of her." I gathered that her name was Violet when she was called for the pre-examination by the nurse. We both smiled at each other, ending our conversation, and I watched her face light up in what I hoped to be Violet reminiscing about her mother.

Mama eventually finished her eye exam and as she was reaching for her coat, Violet motioned for my grandmother's arm and pulled her close to whisper her tale.

Although Port Colborne is a small place, I doubt Mama or I may ever see Violet again. And if we do, will we remember what she looks like? Either way, I love how we have the ability to positively affect a person's life without trying. It reveals a sense of power that can never be taken away from us or replicated by a machine.

Yours truly.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Friday, January 15, 2010

My mom called me last night while I was working out on the exercise bike and instead of stopping my workout, I continued while talking to her. She couldn't even finish asking me her question because she was too busy laughing at my breathing.

She was like, "What are you doing?!"to which I replied, "I'm working out!"

Our entire conversation was 1:22 long and I swear a minute was dedicated to us giggling.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

I'm really excited for tonight. Not only have I started my weekend, as I don't have classes on Friday, but I'm hanging out with friends tonight. The guys are having a potluck at their house tonight, I'm bringing garlic bread, and it sounds like a lot of people will be there. It will be the first time that everyone will be together since we've come back to school and it sounds like a loud, happy-go time. And then I'll probably leave their house later with my roommates to attend pub night where we're meeting up with some other lovely ladies (Leviana and Melissa).

Oh. And I'm really excited to wear one of my new dresses tonight.


Yours truly.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

My mom called me yesterday around suppertime and the first thing she said to me when I answered the phone was,

"Please talk to Zoe. She's been wandering around the house looking for you all day".

Zoe is my dog.

So my mom put the phone up to my dog's ear and I honestly did not know what I should say to her. Normally I don't have a problem striking a "conversation" with Zoe, but because I couldn't see her facial expressions I didn't know where to start.

My mom told me that Zoe had been pacing back and forth from my bedroom, to the room downstairs where the TV is, and all around the house looking for me. She was even sleeping on my bed when my mom called me.

Whenever I come back to Toronto, it always takes me a while to get used to not having a dog running around the house. Even though she loves to bark at the world outside, it's still nice to get that cheerful greeting when you walk through the door. I always joke that I'm going to bring Zoe back up with me, but I don't think that would go over well with my landlord.


<3

Thursday, January 7, 2010

It's funny how one person can bring the entire world together

Yesterday was unofficially declared "YouTube Porn Day" in an angry protest against the popular video website for suspending Lukeywes1234's account.

According to Salon.com, this young boy, who's probably not much older than 10 years, became famous "overnight"; gaining passionate followers who were interested in listening to what he had to say. One tribute video shows a screen-shot of Lukeywes1234 holding a plastic sword, while wearing tin foil on his head, with a caption, "It's not a sword!!! It's a ghost detector". The article mentioned Star Wars, Super Mario Bros., ghosts, and wearing tin foil on his head were common topics in the Lukeywes1234 realm.

One user comments, "The kid freaks out. He makes a video where he's beside himself in excitement".

YouTube was not the only place that Lukeywes1234 gained popularity as he also surfaced on 4chan, an image posting board where people can upload and discuss material anonymously. With 15 000 subscribers, he soon became an Internet phenomenon.

However, the success of Lukeywes1234 almost seemed too good to be true when YouTube suspended his account because he was... popular? Because he was expressing himself and his opinion for the rest of the world to witness? Because he became an icon for adamant media buzz junkies? Perhaps YouTube was jealous that 4chan is responsible for the majority of his popularity, but the articles articles do not give specific details about the justification behind YouTube's actions.

Lukeywes1234 followers of the world united yesterday to instigate an attack on YouTube and it was conceived by none other than members on 4chan. This poster was uploaded onto 4chan in an effort to inform everyone around the world to participate in the event.


I think it is sheer brilliance. Although I don't really agree with luring people with children's clips and then substituting it for porn, their plan definitely worked as they've already gained popularity with the media.


Yes children should not be exposed to adult material at a young age because they do not understand the implications surrounding it, but there is no need to censor and regulate the Internet. Children, and anyone else for that matter, will always encounter inappropriate material inside and outside of the Internet, but it's the role of the parents to educate them about what's right and wrong. To the parents who caught their child watching this porn, be thankful that your kid wasn't intentionally searching for it on Google - where an unlimited variety of material awaits them - and just happened to stumble upon it. That be a good moment to perhaps explain to your child what they saw and why most people are against watching it.

After yesterday's revolt, maybe YouTube will think twice about ruining a young boy's innocent attempt to entertain the world.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Zombiewalk 2009!

Yes I know that this happened back in October, but I never got around to editing my photos because of school. SO I finally edited them and I hope you enjoy!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Happy New Year

I just realized that there's a huge salt stain on the back of my pant leg. I hate snowy weather.

While the majority of my friends start school tomorrow, I still have an entire week off before I start second semester. Although I decided not to work this week and relax a bit more, I know the next five days will go by extremely quick. There are still some unfinished goals:

- birthday shop for my mom
- start/finish my portrait assignment for my studio class
- organize my room
- beat Pokemon
- apply to the city of Port Colborne so that I can hopefully (hopefully) get a different job for the summer of 2010
- edit past photographs
- watch movies

And I really want to go tobogganing. 


To kick off my last week home, my mom and I went shopping at the Pen Centre to return the final reject Christmas presents. Yes I know that it was snowing really badly outside, but we still went anyways because we're dedicated! Or stupid... take your pick. Nonetheless, driving on the snowy roads was good practice for me because I hardly ever drive in this dumb weather. At the mall I picked up 'Pulse', a recorded Pink Floyd concert on DVD, and bought two dresses and a shirt from Dynamite. My clothes are currently in the washer right now, as I never wear new items without them being washed first, and I can't wait to wear them! I'll have to make up some kind of excuse to go out so I can flash them in public. 

Oh and one final note, it has finally stopped snowing in Port Colborne. And we're having pizza for supper. 



Yours truly.