Go so far away that you stop being afraid of not coming back
“Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep alone under the stars. Learn how to drive a stick shift. Go so far away that you stop being afraid of not coming back. Say no whenever you don’t want to do something. Say yes if your instincts are strong, even if everyone around you disagrees. Decide whether you want to be liked or admired. Decide if fitting in is more important than finding out what you’re doing here. Believe in kissing.”
-Eve Ensler
Well, I got a short haircut. It's gotten longer since Jan, but I really like the current length. Uhg, makeup ran under my eyes and I look sooo tired. D: Oh well, this is what I look like day to day. Public bathroom shot b/c my bathroom's yellow light makes me look extremely ill D:
My home.
We moved the bed against the bookshelves and patio window. This makes for a nice "nook" feel when reading in bed. I like leaving the windows fully open on warmer days. I lay in a sunbeam all cat like with a book. <3
Painting takes up a lot of space, so I converted my drawing table into a desk for the mac (the old desk going to the new PC) and I do paintings on the even larger "kitchen" table. I miss having a place just for meals, but our current place is SO TINY. :L Also, the natural light in this nook is amazing, so working there vs eating there is kind of a must.
(You can see I was working on two illustrations of my apartment, day and evening, with the table at it's old spot)
And the new PC is uh huh huh... so sexy <3 And on a completely superficial level, I love it b/c it's black with cool blue LEDs, even in my gaming mouse. /nerd
My neighborhood.
I walk under these trees on my way to my favorite cafe regularly at about 3:30 to get a latte.
Even the alleys are pretty!
(this picture shamelessly swiped from yelp :P )
White sakura providing the pretty even in a more ghetto part of town (Whiz Burger on South Van Ness)
Cherry Blossom Festival!
Kind of out of order, this was from today.
LOL My friend looking like he gotten pulled out of a shoujo manga. I shit you not, that rain of pink petals thing actually happens here!
It gets pretty surreal to get caught up in when you're in a 45 min line for takoyaki, having had no lunch yet AND you're really buzzing from the cheap festival sake and beer. Hypothetically speaking, that is.
OK enough froo-froo petal pictures XD
This is my favorite teacher here at the academy... my favorite teacher, pretty much ever: Bill Sanchez! He's a crazy crazy perverted old man... and I am right there on the same wavelength as him HAHAHA. When I draw now, I hear him in my head (and often I mumble this aloud to myself), "Oh, oh yeah baby, just like that. Wrap it around, wrap it aroooound. Where's tha BLAAAAACK?!" Hahaha! He's got this thick Brooklyn accent and I swear, it is burned into my brain.
Sometimes he'll pose for us:
Still working on reining in the color with chalk pastels, but yeah, here are some favorites from his class in chronological order
(18"x24" about 20-30 mins each):
This class has really given me wings with figure drawing.
OK onto real life people stuff.
I was in SoCal for both Winter and Spring breaks. I really enjoy/miss spending time with my siblings.
Here's Danny at a tea lounge I introduced her to in downtown Fullerton. FYI she's rocking all clothes that belong to me! *shakes fist at triathlete sister who looks better in my clothes* She's so cute tho! She's recently single and on the UCI tri-team... full of hot ripped young mens. >.> Hahaha, aw to be 21 again.
My brother and his new dog, Spring. His previous dog died in the fall, basically of old age complications. She had to be put down and UHG Sammy was so sad. But he's never (as an adult) had a young dog that he can go bounding off with at the park or beach. Seeing them together is like watching love happen. :D My sister and him found her at the pound! She's a pitbull dalmation mix and is the sweetest smartest dog. She doesn't pull, won't stray when off the leash, she knows commands, and is generally just a great big loverkins.
Playing DND with some close friends (and a few new people). Nick, Jose, some kid I don't know, Roger and Aimee, and all the way around on the right is my guild mate (from WoW), Joseph. All those names I just listed off, yeah we all play WoW together. Nerdville to teh extreme!!!
Nick and Aimee, at a cute cupcake place in Long Beach. I MISS LONG BEACH! *cry cry*
While down there, Nick and I went to a Jazz club I like, called Steamers. The band played Coltrain and when on breaks, stopped to talk with us about the music:
I have to admit though, it is nice to be back in the SF Bay Area (o ferry building, u always look so nifty at night)
where I can still do stuff, like go out for tea lounging at endless venues <3
In conclusion, Gabi is a big fat nerd who like coffee, tea and cherry blossoms. (also puppies and siblings, from a distance) :D
