Oh Computers

Bleh. When I updated my computer a few weeks ago, it messed a bunch of stuff up. I took it in on Monday, and they had to wipe the whole thing and start over. So all that work I spent setting up my new computer? I gotta do it all again. --_-- I haven't been able to write in a couple days. Hopefully I'll have that ready in a day or two. Here's some giraffes smacking against each other, to mimic the state of my mind.

(Normally it's just male giraffes that fight by swinging their heads into each other. These are two girls, so their fighting is far more gentle - it's just playing)

Animal Partner

Do you remember a while ago I was trying to think of a proper name for a mage's animal partner?

I had an idea ages ago. But it never clicked. I finally had some new ideas. There are a couple that I keep debating about. I'm still reluctant to commit to commit to one though. I feel like I'm going to have to try it out in a story to see if it actually feels right. So hopefully I'll actually have that name down this time @_@

I've been listening to the last audio book of the Leviathan Series. I love all the different accents and voices. Except now that I'm writing Evva's story, I keep reading my own sentences in an accent.


Aldabra tortoise

Sometimes when I'm excited about a movie, someone will watch it and say that they liked it.
And then a while later, they'll turn around and say that they didn't like it.
Hmm. O__O


Meerkat and baby

Disney Animals

I've been slowly watching through all of the Disney animated movies, or at least almost all of them.
By slowly, I mean it's taking a few years. Because as I watch each movie, I pick out at least one, usually several, sketches to do of different animals. It's a fun way to practice different poses and different animals.
I'm going through my collection alphabetically, so I don't lose track of what movies I've already done (as I said, it's taking a long time).
I just hit 'The Little Mermaid."

Whenever I see an animal I'd like to draw, I'll go through the scene frame by frame to find the most interesting shot. And in doing so I've really gotten to appreciate how amazing the hand-drawn animal animation is.
Like the way Bagheera moves through the trees. Especially after watching the lions, tigers, and snow leoaprds at work.


And then most recently, Max. Prince Eric's sheepdog. I slowed down the frames of Max running, and watching his shaggy fur fly up and down with every pace is hilarious.

Predicting the Future

I just updated my computer, and it messed up a bunch of stuff. So I'm dealing with another computer nightmare. Yeesh.
Anyway, I've been going through my old videos to make sure everything still works. And I just watched the video of my thesis defense.

Ugh, I hate listening to recordings of my voice.
But that's not what I wanted to say.
During my talk, I explain the story I wrote from my graduate project. In my story, a big disaster happened when wastewater injection (used in fossil fuel mining) caused a big earthquake. That earthquake destroyed a big oil facility, wiping out most of the oil reserves for the US (Leading society to collapse).

A couple weeks before my thesis defense, wastewater injection (used in fossil fuel mining) caused a big earthquake that hit a town.
So, that was freaky.

And during my graduate talk, I discuss novels that include overpopulation. And one of the novels wiped out most of humanity with a human-made disease. I said that I didn't want to rely on a pandemic to solve overpopulation.
It was bizarre to hear myself say that in a speech a few years ago.


Mandrill monkeys. The big male is checking out his toes.

No Music!

During quarantine, I signed up for a month of Disney Plus.
I watched some of the Disney cartoon sequels that I never cared to try before. I mostly just wanted some fluff to listen to while I was painting (Though I was amazed to find myself enjoying the Tinker Bell movies. I've never even like Tinker Bell!).
One of the movies I watched was "Ariel's Beginning." The prequel to The Little Mermaid.

Get this. Ariel's dad had a traumatic experience involving music, so he banned music in the kingdom. Except Ariel loved music, so she continued to sing behind her father's back.

Hmm. Why does that sound familiar?