Top 5 Countdown!
I DID IT. I finally finished all the top 5 lists. And here, my friends, they all are. Warning: this post is huge, both word count and size wise. Ready? Let's go!
Top 5 Favorite TV Shows as a Kid
#5: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
No DVD link for this one - sorry. Anyway, even though I pretty much loathed geography as a kid, Carmen Sandiego was awesome enough for me to get interested. It was a game show, which is an automatic plus in my book, that I could keep up with and had great music and a sense of humor to boot. Who doesn't remember Rockapella? C'mon!
#4: Beakman's World
Just as much as I hated geography, I loved math and science. Most people my age seem to have the fondest memories of Bill Nye, but I was always more of a Beakman girl. There's no telling how many hours I spent watching his show, and then trying to recreate as many of the experiments as I could at home - even the ones we weren't meant to try out ourselves.
Oh, and while I was looking up Beakman stuff online, I stumbled across some wallpapers I forwarded to Jaime, which prompted him to remark that I should be Beakman's sidekick. Heeeee.
#3: Darkwing Duck
Representing the Disney after-school oeuvre, we have Darkwing. Truth be told, I was a big fan of all those shows - Rescue Rangers, TailSpin, Gummi Bears, etc. - and it came down to this or DuckTales for the spot. I went with Darkwing both because his attitude kept me entertained to an older age than the latter, and because wearing my mom's spot-on rendition of his costume earned me a TV appearance on the Fox 4 Kids' Club and a fanny pack full of merch. Good times.
#2: Rocko's Modern Life
And this would be my representative of the Nicktoons crowd. Again, I loved the whole bunch, but in this case, there was a clear winner. I mean, I named my pet tarantula Spunky, for crying out loud. This is also a rare example of a show I find even funnier now than when I was little.
#1: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Is there an 80's baby out there who wasn't obsessed with the heroes on the half-shell? If I'm honest, I probably remember less about the actual show than any of the others on this list. What I do remember, though, is spending literal hours acting out elaborate plots with my action figures, wherein many Barbies were sacrificed to Shredder's evil plots, but in the end, the turtles were always triumphant. And Raphael got April. As it should be.
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Top 5 Caltech Courses
#5: MS115b
My SURF started my love of Materials Science, MS115a fostered it, and MS115b made sure it was there to stay. The professor who taught the course had spent a lot of time working in industry, and the assignments and exams were less memorizing crystal structures and more being able to look at a mechanical failure and reason out why it occurred. The practicality of it, coupled with the fact that I got to write a mini-thesis about bike frames, made the course truly enjoyable for me.
#4: Silk-screening
At a school like that, you have to find some way to unwind. Silk-screening was that awesome combo of artistic and meticulous that managed to balance out just right for our group. Plus, custom t-shirts! Whoo!
#3: Memoirs
Frankly, I don't know if I'd be the person I am right now if I hadn't taken this course. Not only did it spur me to write more, it also gave me an outlet for a lot of my issues, both past and present. It was also great to walk into a group of strangers and finish the course all knowing each other better than many sets of friends do. A great hidden gem that I doubt I could recreate, no matter how hard I tried.
#2: CDS110a
Okay, 110b sucked. Hard. 110a, on the other hand, was a lot of fun. It made sense, it had easily perceptible practical applications, and it let me do design work and problem-solving on a regular basis. What more could I want from a class?
#1: ME71
Wait, that's it. That's what more I could want - hands-on work. Take the artistry/precision of silk-screening, the practicality of 115b and 110a, amp up 110a's design quota by a factor of 10, and throw in a heaping spoonful of shop work, both solo and group. There you have ME71. 72 was nice as well, but for the sheer variety (and the whole partnering deal), 71 beats it out.
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Top 5 Favorite Artists
#5: Greg Staples
I found Staples thanks to Magic the Gathering - he did the art for Serra Angel, one of my favorite cards. When I looked him up to see what else he'd done, I kind of fell in love. His textures and palettes are just gorgeous.
#4: Katsushika Hokusai/Ichiryusai Hiroshige
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I knew I wanted to include some Ukiyo-e, but in the end, I couldn't decide between these two. With both, it's the little details that make the art for me - the edges of waves, the tiny faces, the clusters of leaves. It's all pure beauty to me.
#3: William Blake
A true artist in every sense of the word. I'm just a bit enamored with Blake. In his plates, it's the sense of proportion and the varying colors that really get me. Everything seems balanced in a very lovely way.
#2: Alfons Mucha
Note: The first four pictures form a set together, the fifth is to give you a broader view of his work, and the last is just there because I like it. :D
Without a doubt, my favorite style is art nouveau; I love pretty much all the works I've seen. I was tempted to go with Privat-Livemont purely for his Absinthe Robette, but in the end, Mucha's much larger breadth of appeal won out. You could pick pretty much any piece of his at random, and chances are, I'll adore it. His figures are enchanting, and the framing is always nothing less than exquisite.
#1: Ayami Kojima
Is anyone surprised a game designer came in first here? There are a lot of game designers I love (Yoshitaka Amano, Kazuma Kaneko, Shigenori Soejima, and yes, Tetsuya Nomura all readily spring to mind), no one's work has ever reached me like Kojima's. Her art is visually captivating, from her choice of mediums, colors, and textures, to the strength of her posing and the emotive depth she gives each piece. I can't look at her work and not stare, no matter how many times I've seen, no matter how rough the quality. She's just that good.
A quick note to Konami: Never, ever, EVER go back to that awful anime style you used in DoS. PoR, while still anime-esque, looked better, and OoE is gorgeous. At first, I thought I might just be upset because you weren't using Kojima anymore, but now I'm sure that's not it. DoS's art was a flat-out TRAVESTY. NEVER. AGAIN.
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Top 5 Photographs I've Taken Myself
#5: Rose/A Disney Line
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I couldn't decided whether to give this spot to the pretty one that's rather generic or the one taken without looking that actually means something to me, so it's a tie. The photo of the rose was taken outside Avery after it had been raining with no extra spritzing or posing on my part, and the second is Jaime and me while we were standing in line for Stitch's Great Escape at Disneyworld.
#4: Metro
This is a case of the composition and the subject matter coming together to make me love the photo. This was taken while waiting at an LA Metro station for the train that would take us home from E3. I wanted to capture the interesting geometric graffiti and ended up with something more than just a documentation shot.
#3: Peacock
Just like with the Metro shot, this photo is both aesthetically appealing to me and has a nice memory attached to it. As I'm sure all of Branola Hovse remembers, one night when we were heading out to silk-screen, we encountered a peacock and peahen flapping about outside Avery. It was simultaneously hilarious (their calls are crazy) and pretty neat to witness.
#2: Cancer
I had a really tough time choosing between this and another photo for #1. In the end, I had to go with the happier of the two as the winner. Though not happy, this shot means a lot to me, and I think it turned out very well. The lighting isn't too shabby, and the colors stayed pretty true. A bit of trivia: the pink band on his wrist was to signify that he had a clot on that side and that arm couldn't be used for testing. You can see the blood pressure cuff on his other arm. Also, standard stands at Moffitt only have two pumps on them. Because Jaime needed to receive chemo, an IV fluid, and blood, they had to bring a third pump in just for him.
#1: Stitch & Odie
Like I mentioned before, it was close as to which photo was #1, but I ended up going with this because every time I look at it, I can't help but smile. There are definitely more imperfections in this shot - the lighting and colors could better, and there's a smear of Ferretvite they hadn't munched yet that kind of sullies the background. I'm completely in love with the subjects and the pose, though. Really, it was pure luck that I caught them positioned the way I did, but it worked out beautifully. The photo conveys their personalities handily; it's quintessential Odie and Stitch.
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Top 5 Drawings I've Made
I so didn't want to do this. Especially after looking up all that beautiful art for the artists category up there, I flailed. "Top 5 drawings?!" I cried. "I don't even have five drawings worth showing!" Jaime forced me to sit down with him and go through my sketchbooks, though, so... here it is, I guess.
#5: Stupid Sexy Travis
This is probably my favorite piece of stand-alone fanart I've done. Both Sylvia and Travis look like themselves, and... well, just look at it! I ship it so hard.
#4: Persona 4 Comics
Jaime absolutely insisted I include one of these, so I decided to include all three of them for the hell of it. Oh, and the second one was all his idea! I do kind of like the direction my drawing style for comics is taking. It's fun to do, at least.
#3: The Trouble with Vampires
Secret confession time! I carry a little sketchbook and gel pen with me at all times. Most of the retarded scribblings I do in there will never see the light of day. Every once in a while, though, I manage to amuse myself. This is one of those times.
#2: Split
Sorry about the crummy scan - my regular sketchbook is bigger than my scanner. Anyway, I was toying with dramatic shading when I did this one. I think it's the best of my efforts from then. Plus, if you're Jaime or Cathy, you may be familiar enough with my headcanons to see a reference to one of my characters in this. Shhhh.
#1: Jaime
This is another piece from my pocket sketchbook. We were in the backseat riding back from Moffitt, and while Jaime was drifting in and out of sleep, I decided to try sketching him. I'm not typically into trying realism, nor am I any good at it, but despite that and the handicap of not being able to erase, I really love how this turned out. I guess it was serendipity. It just looks right.
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Top 5 Clothing Items I Own
Round of applause, please, for my lovely assistant, Jaime!
#5: Alexandria Academy
It's comfy and it's got my name on it. 'Nuff said.
#4: Pleated Shoulder Button-up
I've kind of been drifting into a weird half-androgynous, half-lolita style lately (lots of button-up shirts and vests coupled with ruffles and bow hairclips), and when I want to look snazzy, this is my go-to shirt. It's bitching either with a formal black vest or on its own, and it buttons all the way up, so I can wear a tie or a neck ribbon if I so choose.
#3: Superfly
Okay, so I don't really support the brand of this shirt, but that little fly dude is just too cute. I'm such a sucker for buggies.
#2: The Taylor Shirt
This is my clothing equivalent of a security blanket. It's actually a men's shirt; I got it back in middle school because I saw Taylor Hanson wearing it in a magazine. Just wearing it back then made me happy, and even though I'm not a Hanson fan anymore, that comfort has kind of stuck.
#1: Short-sleeved Hoodie
I have this thing about hoods. Any top is automatically cooler in my eyes if it has one. This particular hoodie is perfect for me, as it's low cut, so I can wear a cute patterned shirt underneath and it'll still be visible; it's lightweight, so I don't overheat; and, well... it has a hood. What else could I ask for?
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Top 5 Jewelry Pieces I Own
#5: Blown Glass Earrings
These earrings were actually put together by my mom. I envy her eye for this stuff, I really do. Anyway, I like this pair because they're pretty quirky and the color of the glass goes well with my skintone and a lot of my wardrobe.
#4: Cameo Necklace
I find cameos particularly charming, and when I saw this one at Michaels, I had to have it. Most of the time, I avoid earth tones in favor of black, white, and bright pinks and blues, but when I do decide to go with an olive green or a chocolate, I can count on this necklace to class it up.
#3: Chainsaw Earrings
I. Love. Tools. A chainsaw may not be in my top five (more on that later!), but chainsaw charms sure make for awesome earrings. It's great, as from a distance, you really can't tell what they are. You only get to sense the extent of my crazy once you're too close to escape. Mwaha.
#2: Charm Bracelet
I wanted one of these for a long time, and it was my little brother who pleaded with Mom to let him get me one from Christmas one year. He picked out three charms for me to start with - drama masks (a shared love of ours), Patrick (because who doesn't love Patrick?), and a sparkly heart that says "Sister" (which gets me every time I look at it, I swear). Since then, I've only added one charm, a blue jellybean my mom got for me when they visited the Jelly Belly factory, but what's there is enough to make it an almost everyday wear for me.
#1: My Ring
90% silver, 10% copper. Why that composition?
Because Jaime made it for me out of a silver quarter. How neat is that? I got it for our four year anniversary, and it's the one piece of jewelry that never leaves me.
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Top 5 Books I've Read
#5: The Sound and the Fury
This is the first Faulkner I ever read, and it remains my favorite. I have a bit of a personal bias about it, as certain characters are very similar to people in my life, but beyond that, it's just an amazingly well done story. When I want to write first person, this is the standard for characterization depth that I look to.
#4: The Bloody Chamber
As a child, I was the type to not only watch and rewatch every Disney film, but also to read and reread anthologies of fairy tales and mythology. I still have a soft spot for that subject matter, and as I've gotten older, I've developed a taste for gothic fiction and short story collections. This feeds all three hungers very well.
#3: The Long Walk
I've said it before, I'll say it again - King's best works are the Bachman books. Of them, The Long Walk is my favorite. It was kind of a coming-of-age story for me; I read it at that disillusioned stage of early teenhood, where profanity and violence are still novel, and anything outside the scope of "normal" is delicious to behold. Anything that moves you enough to spur dialogue about the nature of life is worth rereading, discussing, and reccing like mad.
#2: Catch-22
I think I've read this book more than any other. There's biting dialogue, subversive humor, and an incredibly effective touch of tragedy. I think a lot of my own writing style and character designs can be tracked back to the influences here.
#1: East of Eden
I don't think I can accurately explain why it is I love this book so much. Steinbeck's prose is certainly laudable, and I doubt I could find a more well-done biblical parallel plot. The characters - Caleb and Lee, in particular - are great as well. Yet somehow, the sum is much greater than the already noteworthy parts. It's the way it all comes together that makes the novel special for me. It fits just so. And I will never, for as long as I live, forget the meaning of the word "timshel".
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Top 5 Names I Think are Cool
#5: Imogen
I think my explanations for this set will all boil down to one blindingly lame line: "It sounds cool!" Oh well. Let's get this started. It sounds cool!
#4: Noa/Noel
They sound cool! Okay, I can do a little better than that. I'm fond of Noa for cheesy reasons - it's in the names of a lot of female characters I like (Noa, Rinoa, Shanoa...) and it's what my favorite perfume is called. The point is, hearing it makes me smile. Noel I like mostly because it sounds like Noa. I mean, really - it does sound cool.
#3: Lily
For a long time, I disliked all flower names on principle. They just weren't creative enough for me. Then, at some point during middle school, I made up the name Lyiliana for one of my characters, and over time, my fondness for that name developed into a fondness for the name Lily. I still don't like Rose or Daisy, but I've come to appreciate Violet, Iris, and especially Lily as pretty, peaceful names.
#2: Blaise
My sixth grade teacher was an utter math geek and (with his wife, my brother's kindergarten teacher, incidentally) had a son named Blaise after Blaise Pascal. As far as I'm concerned, both the name and the story behind it are bad. Ass.
#1: Soma
I swear to you, my firstborn son shall be named Soma. Like Noa, it's a word that has positive connotations for me - the main character from Castlevania: AoS and DoS (both of which were fantastic), full HP and SP restoration in Persona 3 & 4, a bitchin' Smashing Pumpkins song, the body of a neuron... Plus, there's this whole mythos, which I just find fascinating. And... and... it sounds so cool!
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Top 5 Animals
Warning: I'm fond of some animals that many people are scared of or upset by. I'd hate to trigger anyone, so if you're not comfy with beings slithery or creepy-crawly, click here to skip this section.
#5: Bats/Snakes
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Note: The snake in that picture is our dear Slinky. <3
I just couldn't decide, so the fifth spot is a tie. In the case of bats, I always found them cute and cuddly since watching the Count on Sesame Street and echolocation is one of those science-in-nature things that makes me squeak with glee. Snakes, on the other hand, are fascinating from a locomotive standpoint, very cool to watch eat, and just plain adorable. Really, for me, it's a toss-up.
#4: Penguins
I think I first started liking penguins after a visit to Seaworld in elementary school. They were just so (forgive the pun) chill, and their social interactions were neat to watch. At that age, I left liking the orcas best, but now, I'm a big fan of the tuxedo squad.
#3: Lobsters
Representing the underwater friends! It was a tough choice between lobsters and jellyfish, but the claws won out. Underwater critters are kind of a thing with me, and lobsters are a good icon to hold up for why. They're neat-looking, scuttly, and just entertaining to watch run around.
#2: Spiders
I warned, I warned! Spiders... just... make me smile. I've loved them for as long as I can remember - my first pet, after years of wheedling, was a tarantula. I tend to like predators for some reason (see: Carnotaurus), and spiders definitely have that, plus they're that odd blend of cute and beautiful that appeals to me so. I love watching them work with their silk, the uneven way they kick up their legs when they walk, the speed and grace with which they hunt. They're downright fascinating to me. I know I'm in the vast minority here, but seeing a spider scurry by only freaks me out because I don't want to accidentally hurt them.
#1: Ferrets
Note: And, of course, the ferrets in this picture are Odie and Stitch. <3
Kind of a narrow subject compared to the others on this list; let's call it mustelids all around and focus on the freetlings. Really, it's the personalities that get me here. Ferrets are upbeat, playful, affectionate, and curious to a fault. They're small enough to hug against your chest and big enough to scoop up without fumbling if they're causing trouble. It doesn't hurt that they're so freakin' cute, either. I mean, look at those eyes! The little fangs! The stumpy legs that make them hop when they run! I can't find a single fault with them, really. They're pretty much the ideal pet for me.
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Top 5 Food Dishes
#5: Prime Rib
Like I said: carnivores, yeah? Anyway, when I was really young, my dad would take me out to business dinners with his bosses. We'd go to Simon & Seafort's, and as you can see from their sidebar, the thing to get there is prime rib. I discovered very quickly that I'm not a horseradish fan, but if you leave that off, it's the best way to eat red meat. Some families have ham or turkey for Christmas dinner - we always made prime rib. I've got the recipe for it, too; remind me to post that sometime.
#4: Mini Cupcakes
I love all cupcakes, but the mini ones? Those little bits so tiny they have edge stability everywhere and don't overload you with too much frosting? Oh yeah. Best. Baked good. Ever. Especially with sprinkles. Mmm. Okay, I gotta stop now.
#3: Tuna Sashimi
Like with the previous entry, I love pretty much all sashimi. Tuna just happens to be my favorite. I'm a seafood person (and also a fan of rare meats), and you just don't get fresher fish than when it's raw. Note: When I say tuna, I mean maguro. I've never had the opportunity to try toro. Someday, my friends. Someday.
#2: Mints
I'm stretching the definition of "food dish" a bit here, but my obsession is worthy of note. I'm addicted to mints. All of them; every type. I've yet to meet a mint I didn't like. As I type this, I can see Wint-O-Green Lifesavers, peppermint lollipops, Cool Mint Oreos, and a big pack of Polar Ice Eclipse. That's just what's visible in my bedroom. I've gotten pretty good at not nomming every mint in sight as quickly as I can like I used to, but when I want something to munch, my hand flies to the mints every single time.
#1: Chả Giò
This is what I used to ask for for my birthday dinner every year. Mom would make the filling, and I'd help soak the rice papers and make the rolls. They're good alone - crispy, juicy, and flat-out tasty - and even better with lettuce and nước chấm. I haven't had chả giò in years; just haven't had the time. Maybe it's time to get the recipe from Mom and put together a tutorial...
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Top 5 Important Moments of My Life
#5: Disneyland
There was this trip to Disneyland I took during college that seemed like ordinary fun to me at the time, but now means something much more. It was the one where we went so Steve could meet up with Danielle. At the end of the day, we were waiting for Steve to say his goodbyes and drive us home, and to keep us entertained, I started giving commands to the rest of the group. Jaime ran up a 2-story down escalator, Jon attempted to leap parking lot poles and trash cans in a single bound, and Cathy dropped to her knees, arms raised, and cried out, "¡¿Por qué?!" I sat on a bench and watched. That moment, that pinpoint in time, is where I realized I had finally found a group of friends who knew me, who liked me, who I could know and like in turn without any faking for the sake of acceptance.
#4: Graduation
I'm the sort of person who feels more comfortable on stage for an audience than alone in my room. I've done my fair share of performing - dance recitals, stage shows, plays, musicals, even some original opinion speeches. None of those can hold a candle to my high school graduation. I'd only spent two years in Reno, and yet I felt quite at home there; I wanted to honor the school that had welcomed me. Everything came together just right. The speech said I wanted it to, the crowd reacted just as I'd hoped, and I didn't fumble a single word. No other moment has matched the blend of performance and intimacy that ruled then.
#3: Fibonacci
I sent a large portion of my time in elementary school not paying attention. It wasn't that I didn't care - I've always been a big fan of learning and enjoy the experience. It was that I picked up concepts quickly and worked even more quickly. I had a lot of free time. For years, I used it to draw cartoons or sketch out plans for gadgets and toys. One day during sixth grade, though, I found myself enrapt with something else. You see, sixth grade was the year I had Mr. Thompson, the afore-mentioned math geek who named his son after Blaise Pascal. Every week, in addition to our usual textbook math, he'd hand out a packet about a different notable mathematician, complete with biographical information, theory explanations, and some related exercises. It was during the Fibonacci week that I was suddenly struck with the urge to do nothing but play with the exercises presented in the packet. It was kind of a turning point in my educational career; I'd always loved math and science, but for the first time, it really clicked for me that that type of work could really be what I did with my life. And I'd be happy. I've kept with it, becoming a full-fledged engineering student, and so far at least, I really am happy.
#2: Blood
I wrote about this moment here. The most important line is this: "But do you know how amazing it was to look at him after the first pint of blood and see him smile with flushed lips again?" At the time, I was too stressed for it to sink in, but now that I've managed to unwind some and really think things over (whether I want to or not), I've come to realize just how vital that moment was. It was such a small thing, such a barely noticeable, almost intangible thing, but it was enough to make me happier than any shopping spree or elaborate vacation ever could. I try not to get all sappy and shove my happiness in other people's faces most of the time, so forgive me this quick moment. I really, truly believe I've found the other half of my soul. I thought I had before then, but that one moment just cemented it in my mind.
#1: Baby Brother
This is another moment I've written about before, this time as a moment of happiness for the first assignment in my memoirs class. It's a bit lengthy compared to my other answers, but I'd like to just post the piece here. Um. Enjoy?
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The cold bites meanly at my bare fingers, and as I climb into the backseat of the car, my feet slide out and away from me, leaving me clinging to the seat cushion as my stomach slaps down hard on it. I mumble an ouch, voice hitching slightly, but nobody responds. On the seat next to me sits a backwards baby carrier, and my dad toys with the seatbelt, trying to get it to run just right across the large plastic contraption. Mom hovers just outside, blanket tucked lightly around the bundle on her shoulder, trying to block the December wind. I glance at Dad’s fumbling fingers and know I could hook it up faster, but he’ll just tell me not to be a smartass and to get buckled, and so I hook my belt across my lap, wiggling the shoulder strap behind me, and look up at the sky. It’s bright blue with fluffy white clouds, sun beaming down happily. I pointed that out to Mom once, and she just laughed. “Only in Alaska,” she said with a small smile, “could it be so beautiful during horrible weather.”
Turning that quote over in my head, I decide that the cold isn’t horrible at all. When it’s freezing, I get to wear my big coat with the pink and purple shoulder patches, and the mosquitoes aren’t around to bite and give me bright pink welts with pale rings around them. Pink welts or pink patches - I know who the clear winner is. Looking over again, I finally get a good look at him for the first time. His face is yellow and purple, eyes puffed shut. There’s a crusty red line through his eyebrow, and his lips are parted slightly, drool seeping out in thick lines. They already told me he’d had a really rough time getting here, but I’m still surprised to see a little baby look so battered.
The skin that I know now was jaundiced contrasts sharply against his puffy outfit, and I ask Mom why they chose a white outfit. She looks at me with tired eyes and says softly, “It’s blue, sweetie.”
I look out the window again. Not nearly as blue as the sky. He suddenly stirs, stretching tiny fists out to either side of him, and I’m entranced. Despite the bruising, he cracks his eyes open just a bit, and after a few moments of disoriented examination, his gaze finally locks on me. Back in the hospital, I’d held his hand once, while Mom cradled his small body against her, but this time, I’m the only one holding his attention. I slip my pointer finger into his fist, and when sweaty fingers clasp tight around it, I call out to Mom. She spares me another smile before petting his damp hair and then turning around to face forward once more. He’s still gripping my finger, and it’s almost uncomfortable, but I’m too impressed to care. I look at his dark eyes and see my dark eyes, note his already curling head of hair and think that mine must’ve looked like that when I was born. He laughs, short and high-pitched, and I laugh with him. I tell him quietly that we’re heading home now, and that Mom’ll let me hold him when we’re there and safe on the soft couch. He smiles, and I think that somehow he knows what I said. He’s just like me, so he must know.
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Top 5 Programs I Wish Existed
#5: Image Autotagger
Okay, so this one's impossible, but I can dream, right? I wish I had something that could go through all the images I have saved and tag them by fandom/characters/pairings/color scheme/hotness rating/whatever. It'd sure save me a lot of time. *grumble grumble*
#4: The Perfect Text Editor
Right now, I switch between using TextWrangler and MS Word, depending on my needs. What I'd really love to have, though, is a program that falls somewhere between the two. No font options, but basic formatting like bolding and italics, and maybe the option to color the text of HTML files based on the tags in affect, so I can easily tell if I forgot to close something. I also think it'd be nice to have, rather than page break, a chapter break feature where you could easily skip to the start of any of your designated chapters. If I learned Cocoa (or even just brushed up on C), I could probably actually make this one. Hmmmmm.
#3: Q&A Script
Though it may appear a bit abandoned, I do still plan on expanding my FFVIII fansite(s), and one of the things I'm most eager to work on is the Q&A section. The problem is, the script I'm using now is pretty low tech - no tagging or categorizing (so I keep getting repeat questions, as the old instances are hard to find), bare bones formatting, and the log-in screen keeps randomly rejecting me. I really wish I could find something that would work reliably and let me tag the questions/answers (and maybe even include a search field!) to alleviate these issues. This is another thing I could probably create myself, though for this one I'd need to pick up more php. Again, hmmmmm.
#2: Game Player & Recorder
I love playing video games. I love taking screen caps. I hate my emulator, as it lags like crazy and can't play PS2 games. I hate video capture devices, as they are waaaaay too spendy for my blood (at the moment, at least). I wish beyond wish that there was something that would run smoothly and let me record video of my gaming. I know, impossible with my lappy's limitations, but I wish. Oh, I wish.
#1: Plushie Station
So here's my not so brilliant idea - a program that allows you to build a figure of some sort from common parts - ellipsoids, cylinders, prisms, and the like - and then makes a pattern for you to create that figure in real life. I envision it as giving you options: sewing, knitting, or crochet, where with the sewing option, you can select seams you like and seams you dislike and it will generate new patterns for you to try to fit your desires, and with knitting and crochet it will just output the stitch-by-stitch instructions to follow. Life-changing? Not particularly, but it sure would be handy for the crafty and plain ol' fun to play around with.
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Top 5 Tools
#5: Taps
MACHINE SHOP - FUCK YEAH! I am SUCH a metal-working fan. I love what it does, I love seeing it done, and I love doing it. Tapping is one of those little procedures that's both incredibly useful and kinda fun to do. Drilling, tapping, cleaning and degreasing, and then twisting a nice hex screw into that little receptacle you just made. Ahhhhh. So satisfying.
#4: Soldering Torches
Soldering is pretty fun no matter how you slice it, but I'm particularly fond of torch work. It's how I learned how to solder, and so it has a special place in my heart. For electronics, a torch is pretty much never the right choice (precision iron work is where it's at), but for larger metal pieces, such as jewelry, torches are a great way to get even, widespread heating and ensure nice flow.
#3: Disc Sanders
Most sanders are great fun, and it was close to a toss-up between belt and disc sanding for me. Disc eked out the win due to its ease of use. Here, you've got constant angular velocity, and so the linear velocity changes as you move from the center to the edge of the disc. This lessens the initial tug when the piece touches and makes it really easy to run along smoothly. Very useful. Plus, the way steel heats up when sanded is just neat to feel.
#2: Fret Saws/Jeweler's Saws
Again, this tool has a special place in my heart because it's how I was really introduced to saw work. What makes me love fret saws especially, though, is how versatile they can be if you know what you're doing. Blade choice, tension, angle of stroke - every little nuance changes how to saw will cut. Once you've gotten comfortable with it, you can get a fret saw to run just how you want without much stress.
#1: Mills
Talk about versatile. If you've got a CNC, any chunk of metal can be your oyster. Even with manual machines (which is where my experience lies), the possibilities are extreme. It's not too difficult to learn, either - the toughest bit is finding a mill you can use. I love pretty much every bit of mill work - loading the collets, the endmills, the drill chucks; setting the parallels; edge-finding; painting on the oil; and, of course, the actual milling. It's all so methodical and yet every person develops their own little variations on the techniques, and it's just. So. Useful. Lathes are great too for many of the same reasons, but mills. Mills are pure love.
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Top 5 Smells
#5: Sulfur Oil
When I started in the machine shop, the guys who run it, John and Rodney, told us that while the sulfur oil used for cutting lubrication might smell weird now, we'd get used to it. Some people, they said, even ended up liking the smell. I turned out to be one of those people. There's nothing that says "machine shop" to me more than that smell, and as I think I've made abundantly clear, "machine shop" is a concept that makes me very, very happy.
#4: Ferret Musk
That "stink" that so many people refer to when talking about ferrets? That's the natural musk of the oils that keep their fur so sleek and soft. I might be revealing myself as a complete weirdo here, but I've never found ferrets to be stinky. I love their smell. I love it more now that I've had such wonderful experiences with Stitch and Odie, but even before then, I thought it was pleasantly earthy. Still do.
#3: Water
Rain, ocean, lakes, pools - there may be variations in scent from source to source, but they all smell like water, and they all smell divine. I may be a bit biased, as I'm the sort of person who wants to get soaked on water rides and would rather wade in the water than lay on the beach any day. Regardless, water smells are a definite hit for me.
#2: Vanilla
Now here's a more expected choice. Vanilla is what I gravitate towards when it comes to most purchased goods. Shampoo, lip gloss, perfume, lotion, candles... all of them are better if vanilla's a component of the scent. I tend towards vanilla in food choice, too, which I always figured was just due to the flavor, but now I'm wondering if the smell's a big part of the appeal as well. Either way, vanilla is almost - almost - my favorite smell to wrap myself up in.
#1: Clove
It's spicy. It's sweet. It's the incense I burned in college. It's the pies I baked as a little kid. It's the Indian seasoning I use on my fish. It's the oil I drip onto a diffuser plate. Clove appeals to me on such a basic, such a broad level that I can't quite escape my own fondness for it. It just smells good.
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And that's it! Holy crap, that turned out really long. Um, if anyone managed to push through all that? Bravo. I had fun putting it together; hope y'all (y'all? Or just Jaime and my mom?) had fun reading it.
Oh, and if you want to suggest any more categories, feel free to comment here with them! I'm open to making a volume II.
Top 5 Favorite TV Shows as a Kid
#5: Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?
No DVD link for this one - sorry. Anyway, even though I pretty much loathed geography as a kid, Carmen Sandiego was awesome enough for me to get interested. It was a game show, which is an automatic plus in my book, that I could keep up with and had great music and a sense of humor to boot. Who doesn't remember Rockapella? C'mon!
#4: Beakman's World
Just as much as I hated geography, I loved math and science. Most people my age seem to have the fondest memories of Bill Nye, but I was always more of a Beakman girl. There's no telling how many hours I spent watching his show, and then trying to recreate as many of the experiments as I could at home - even the ones we weren't meant to try out ourselves.
Oh, and while I was looking up Beakman stuff online, I stumbled across some wallpapers I forwarded to Jaime, which prompted him to remark that I should be Beakman's sidekick. Heeeee.
#3: Darkwing Duck
Representing the Disney after-school oeuvre, we have Darkwing. Truth be told, I was a big fan of all those shows - Rescue Rangers, TailSpin, Gummi Bears, etc. - and it came down to this or DuckTales for the spot. I went with Darkwing both because his attitude kept me entertained to an older age than the latter, and because wearing my mom's spot-on rendition of his costume earned me a TV appearance on the Fox 4 Kids' Club and a fanny pack full of merch. Good times.
#2: Rocko's Modern Life
And this would be my representative of the Nicktoons crowd. Again, I loved the whole bunch, but in this case, there was a clear winner. I mean, I named my pet tarantula Spunky, for crying out loud. This is also a rare example of a show I find even funnier now than when I was little.
#1: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Is there an 80's baby out there who wasn't obsessed with the heroes on the half-shell? If I'm honest, I probably remember less about the actual show than any of the others on this list. What I do remember, though, is spending literal hours acting out elaborate plots with my action figures, wherein many Barbies were sacrificed to Shredder's evil plots, but in the end, the turtles were always triumphant. And Raphael got April. As it should be.
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Top 5 Caltech Courses
#5: MS115b
My SURF started my love of Materials Science, MS115a fostered it, and MS115b made sure it was there to stay. The professor who taught the course had spent a lot of time working in industry, and the assignments and exams were less memorizing crystal structures and more being able to look at a mechanical failure and reason out why it occurred. The practicality of it, coupled with the fact that I got to write a mini-thesis about bike frames, made the course truly enjoyable for me.
#4: Silk-screening
At a school like that, you have to find some way to unwind. Silk-screening was that awesome combo of artistic and meticulous that managed to balance out just right for our group. Plus, custom t-shirts! Whoo!
#3: Memoirs
Frankly, I don't know if I'd be the person I am right now if I hadn't taken this course. Not only did it spur me to write more, it also gave me an outlet for a lot of my issues, both past and present. It was also great to walk into a group of strangers and finish the course all knowing each other better than many sets of friends do. A great hidden gem that I doubt I could recreate, no matter how hard I tried.
#2: CDS110a
Okay, 110b sucked. Hard. 110a, on the other hand, was a lot of fun. It made sense, it had easily perceptible practical applications, and it let me do design work and problem-solving on a regular basis. What more could I want from a class?
#1: ME71
Wait, that's it. That's what more I could want - hands-on work. Take the artistry/precision of silk-screening, the practicality of 115b and 110a, amp up 110a's design quota by a factor of 10, and throw in a heaping spoonful of shop work, both solo and group. There you have ME71. 72 was nice as well, but for the sheer variety (and the whole partnering deal), 71 beats it out.
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Top 5 Favorite Artists
#5: Greg Staples
I found Staples thanks to Magic the Gathering - he did the art for Serra Angel, one of my favorite cards. When I looked him up to see what else he'd done, I kind of fell in love. His textures and palettes are just gorgeous.
#4: Katsushika Hokusai/Ichiryusai Hiroshige
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I knew I wanted to include some Ukiyo-e, but in the end, I couldn't decide between these two. With both, it's the little details that make the art for me - the edges of waves, the tiny faces, the clusters of leaves. It's all pure beauty to me.
#3: William Blake
A true artist in every sense of the word. I'm just a bit enamored with Blake. In his plates, it's the sense of proportion and the varying colors that really get me. Everything seems balanced in a very lovely way.
#2: Alfons Mucha
Note: The first four pictures form a set together, the fifth is to give you a broader view of his work, and the last is just there because I like it. :D
Without a doubt, my favorite style is art nouveau; I love pretty much all the works I've seen. I was tempted to go with Privat-Livemont purely for his Absinthe Robette, but in the end, Mucha's much larger breadth of appeal won out. You could pick pretty much any piece of his at random, and chances are, I'll adore it. His figures are enchanting, and the framing is always nothing less than exquisite.
#1: Ayami Kojima
Is anyone surprised a game designer came in first here? There are a lot of game designers I love (Yoshitaka Amano, Kazuma Kaneko, Shigenori Soejima, and yes, Tetsuya Nomura all readily spring to mind), no one's work has ever reached me like Kojima's. Her art is visually captivating, from her choice of mediums, colors, and textures, to the strength of her posing and the emotive depth she gives each piece. I can't look at her work and not stare, no matter how many times I've seen, no matter how rough the quality. She's just that good.
A quick note to Konami: Never, ever, EVER go back to that awful anime style you used in DoS. PoR, while still anime-esque, looked better, and OoE is gorgeous. At first, I thought I might just be upset because you weren't using Kojima anymore, but now I'm sure that's not it. DoS's art was a flat-out TRAVESTY. NEVER. AGAIN.
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Top 5 Photographs I've Taken Myself
#5: Rose/A Disney Line
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I couldn't decided whether to give this spot to the pretty one that's rather generic or the one taken without looking that actually means something to me, so it's a tie. The photo of the rose was taken outside Avery after it had been raining with no extra spritzing or posing on my part, and the second is Jaime and me while we were standing in line for Stitch's Great Escape at Disneyworld.
#4: Metro
This is a case of the composition and the subject matter coming together to make me love the photo. This was taken while waiting at an LA Metro station for the train that would take us home from E3. I wanted to capture the interesting geometric graffiti and ended up with something more than just a documentation shot.
#3: Peacock
Just like with the Metro shot, this photo is both aesthetically appealing to me and has a nice memory attached to it. As I'm sure all of Branola Hovse remembers, one night when we were heading out to silk-screen, we encountered a peacock and peahen flapping about outside Avery. It was simultaneously hilarious (their calls are crazy) and pretty neat to witness.
#2: Cancer
I had a really tough time choosing between this and another photo for #1. In the end, I had to go with the happier of the two as the winner. Though not happy, this shot means a lot to me, and I think it turned out very well. The lighting isn't too shabby, and the colors stayed pretty true. A bit of trivia: the pink band on his wrist was to signify that he had a clot on that side and that arm couldn't be used for testing. You can see the blood pressure cuff on his other arm. Also, standard stands at Moffitt only have two pumps on them. Because Jaime needed to receive chemo, an IV fluid, and blood, they had to bring a third pump in just for him.
#1: Stitch & Odie
Like I mentioned before, it was close as to which photo was #1, but I ended up going with this because every time I look at it, I can't help but smile. There are definitely more imperfections in this shot - the lighting and colors could better, and there's a smear of Ferretvite they hadn't munched yet that kind of sullies the background. I'm completely in love with the subjects and the pose, though. Really, it was pure luck that I caught them positioned the way I did, but it worked out beautifully. The photo conveys their personalities handily; it's quintessential Odie and Stitch.
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Top 5 Drawings I've Made
I so didn't want to do this. Especially after looking up all that beautiful art for the artists category up there, I flailed. "Top 5 drawings?!" I cried. "I don't even have five drawings worth showing!" Jaime forced me to sit down with him and go through my sketchbooks, though, so... here it is, I guess.
#5: Stupid Sexy Travis
This is probably my favorite piece of stand-alone fanart I've done. Both Sylvia and Travis look like themselves, and... well, just look at it! I ship it so hard.
#4: Persona 4 Comics
Jaime absolutely insisted I include one of these, so I decided to include all three of them for the hell of it. Oh, and the second one was all his idea! I do kind of like the direction my drawing style for comics is taking. It's fun to do, at least.
#3: The Trouble with Vampires
Secret confession time! I carry a little sketchbook and gel pen with me at all times. Most of the retarded scribblings I do in there will never see the light of day. Every once in a while, though, I manage to amuse myself. This is one of those times.
#2: Split
Sorry about the crummy scan - my regular sketchbook is bigger than my scanner. Anyway, I was toying with dramatic shading when I did this one. I think it's the best of my efforts from then. Plus, if you're Jaime or Cathy, you may be familiar enough with my headcanons to see a reference to one of my characters in this. Shhhh.
#1: Jaime
This is another piece from my pocket sketchbook. We were in the backseat riding back from Moffitt, and while Jaime was drifting in and out of sleep, I decided to try sketching him. I'm not typically into trying realism, nor am I any good at it, but despite that and the handicap of not being able to erase, I really love how this turned out. I guess it was serendipity. It just looks right.
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Top 5 Clothing Items I Own
Round of applause, please, for my lovely assistant, Jaime!
#5: Alexandria Academy
It's comfy and it's got my name on it. 'Nuff said.
#4: Pleated Shoulder Button-up
I've kind of been drifting into a weird half-androgynous, half-lolita style lately (lots of button-up shirts and vests coupled with ruffles and bow hairclips), and when I want to look snazzy, this is my go-to shirt. It's bitching either with a formal black vest or on its own, and it buttons all the way up, so I can wear a tie or a neck ribbon if I so choose.
#3: Superfly
Okay, so I don't really support the brand of this shirt, but that little fly dude is just too cute. I'm such a sucker for buggies.
#2: The Taylor Shirt
This is my clothing equivalent of a security blanket. It's actually a men's shirt; I got it back in middle school because I saw Taylor Hanson wearing it in a magazine. Just wearing it back then made me happy, and even though I'm not a Hanson fan anymore, that comfort has kind of stuck.
#1: Short-sleeved Hoodie
I have this thing about hoods. Any top is automatically cooler in my eyes if it has one. This particular hoodie is perfect for me, as it's low cut, so I can wear a cute patterned shirt underneath and it'll still be visible; it's lightweight, so I don't overheat; and, well... it has a hood. What else could I ask for?
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Top 5 Jewelry Pieces I Own
#5: Blown Glass Earrings
These earrings were actually put together by my mom. I envy her eye for this stuff, I really do. Anyway, I like this pair because they're pretty quirky and the color of the glass goes well with my skintone and a lot of my wardrobe.
#4: Cameo Necklace
I find cameos particularly charming, and when I saw this one at Michaels, I had to have it. Most of the time, I avoid earth tones in favor of black, white, and bright pinks and blues, but when I do decide to go with an olive green or a chocolate, I can count on this necklace to class it up.
#3: Chainsaw Earrings
I. Love. Tools. A chainsaw may not be in my top five (more on that later!), but chainsaw charms sure make for awesome earrings. It's great, as from a distance, you really can't tell what they are. You only get to sense the extent of my crazy once you're too close to escape. Mwaha.
#2: Charm Bracelet
I wanted one of these for a long time, and it was my little brother who pleaded with Mom to let him get me one from Christmas one year. He picked out three charms for me to start with - drama masks (a shared love of ours), Patrick (because who doesn't love Patrick?), and a sparkly heart that says "Sister" (which gets me every time I look at it, I swear). Since then, I've only added one charm, a blue jellybean my mom got for me when they visited the Jelly Belly factory, but what's there is enough to make it an almost everyday wear for me.
#1: My Ring
90% silver, 10% copper. Why that composition?
Because Jaime made it for me out of a silver quarter. How neat is that? I got it for our four year anniversary, and it's the one piece of jewelry that never leaves me.
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Top 5 Books I've Read
#5: The Sound and the Fury
This is the first Faulkner I ever read, and it remains my favorite. I have a bit of a personal bias about it, as certain characters are very similar to people in my life, but beyond that, it's just an amazingly well done story. When I want to write first person, this is the standard for characterization depth that I look to.
#4: The Bloody Chamber
As a child, I was the type to not only watch and rewatch every Disney film, but also to read and reread anthologies of fairy tales and mythology. I still have a soft spot for that subject matter, and as I've gotten older, I've developed a taste for gothic fiction and short story collections. This feeds all three hungers very well.
#3: The Long Walk
I've said it before, I'll say it again - King's best works are the Bachman books. Of them, The Long Walk is my favorite. It was kind of a coming-of-age story for me; I read it at that disillusioned stage of early teenhood, where profanity and violence are still novel, and anything outside the scope of "normal" is delicious to behold. Anything that moves you enough to spur dialogue about the nature of life is worth rereading, discussing, and reccing like mad.
#2: Catch-22
I think I've read this book more than any other. There's biting dialogue, subversive humor, and an incredibly effective touch of tragedy. I think a lot of my own writing style and character designs can be tracked back to the influences here.
#1: East of Eden
I don't think I can accurately explain why it is I love this book so much. Steinbeck's prose is certainly laudable, and I doubt I could find a more well-done biblical parallel plot. The characters - Caleb and Lee, in particular - are great as well. Yet somehow, the sum is much greater than the already noteworthy parts. It's the way it all comes together that makes the novel special for me. It fits just so. And I will never, for as long as I live, forget the meaning of the word "timshel".
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Top 5 Names I Think are Cool
#5: Imogen
I think my explanations for this set will all boil down to one blindingly lame line: "It sounds cool!" Oh well. Let's get this started. It sounds cool!
#4: Noa/Noel
They sound cool! Okay, I can do a little better than that. I'm fond of Noa for cheesy reasons - it's in the names of a lot of female characters I like (Noa, Rinoa, Shanoa...) and it's what my favorite perfume is called. The point is, hearing it makes me smile. Noel I like mostly because it sounds like Noa. I mean, really - it does sound cool.
#3: Lily
For a long time, I disliked all flower names on principle. They just weren't creative enough for me. Then, at some point during middle school, I made up the name Lyiliana for one of my characters, and over time, my fondness for that name developed into a fondness for the name Lily. I still don't like Rose or Daisy, but I've come to appreciate Violet, Iris, and especially Lily as pretty, peaceful names.
#2: Blaise
My sixth grade teacher was an utter math geek and (with his wife, my brother's kindergarten teacher, incidentally) had a son named Blaise after Blaise Pascal. As far as I'm concerned, both the name and the story behind it are bad. Ass.
#1: Soma
I swear to you, my firstborn son shall be named Soma. Like Noa, it's a word that has positive connotations for me - the main character from Castlevania: AoS and DoS (both of which were fantastic), full HP and SP restoration in Persona 3 & 4, a bitchin' Smashing Pumpkins song, the body of a neuron... Plus, there's this whole mythos, which I just find fascinating. And... and... it sounds so cool!
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Top 5 Animals
Warning: I'm fond of some animals that many people are scared of or upset by. I'd hate to trigger anyone, so if you're not comfy with beings slithery or creepy-crawly, click here to skip this section.
#5: Bats/Snakes
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Note: The snake in that picture is our dear Slinky. <3
I just couldn't decide, so the fifth spot is a tie. In the case of bats, I always found them cute and cuddly since watching the Count on Sesame Street and echolocation is one of those science-in-nature things that makes me squeak with glee. Snakes, on the other hand, are fascinating from a locomotive standpoint, very cool to watch eat, and just plain adorable. Really, for me, it's a toss-up.
#4: Penguins
I think I first started liking penguins after a visit to Seaworld in elementary school. They were just so (forgive the pun) chill, and their social interactions were neat to watch. At that age, I left liking the orcas best, but now, I'm a big fan of the tuxedo squad.
#3: Lobsters
Representing the underwater friends! It was a tough choice between lobsters and jellyfish, but the claws won out. Underwater critters are kind of a thing with me, and lobsters are a good icon to hold up for why. They're neat-looking, scuttly, and just entertaining to watch run around.
#2: Spiders
I warned, I warned! Spiders... just... make me smile. I've loved them for as long as I can remember - my first pet, after years of wheedling, was a tarantula. I tend to like predators for some reason (see: Carnotaurus), and spiders definitely have that, plus they're that odd blend of cute and beautiful that appeals to me so. I love watching them work with their silk, the uneven way they kick up their legs when they walk, the speed and grace with which they hunt. They're downright fascinating to me. I know I'm in the vast minority here, but seeing a spider scurry by only freaks me out because I don't want to accidentally hurt them.
#1: Ferrets
Note: And, of course, the ferrets in this picture are Odie and Stitch. <3
Kind of a narrow subject compared to the others on this list; let's call it mustelids all around and focus on the freetlings. Really, it's the personalities that get me here. Ferrets are upbeat, playful, affectionate, and curious to a fault. They're small enough to hug against your chest and big enough to scoop up without fumbling if they're causing trouble. It doesn't hurt that they're so freakin' cute, either. I mean, look at those eyes! The little fangs! The stumpy legs that make them hop when they run! I can't find a single fault with them, really. They're pretty much the ideal pet for me.
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Top 5 Food Dishes
#5: Prime Rib
Like I said: carnivores, yeah? Anyway, when I was really young, my dad would take me out to business dinners with his bosses. We'd go to Simon & Seafort's, and as you can see from their sidebar, the thing to get there is prime rib. I discovered very quickly that I'm not a horseradish fan, but if you leave that off, it's the best way to eat red meat. Some families have ham or turkey for Christmas dinner - we always made prime rib. I've got the recipe for it, too; remind me to post that sometime.
#4: Mini Cupcakes
I love all cupcakes, but the mini ones? Those little bits so tiny they have edge stability everywhere and don't overload you with too much frosting? Oh yeah. Best. Baked good. Ever. Especially with sprinkles. Mmm. Okay, I gotta stop now.
#3: Tuna Sashimi
Like with the previous entry, I love pretty much all sashimi. Tuna just happens to be my favorite. I'm a seafood person (and also a fan of rare meats), and you just don't get fresher fish than when it's raw. Note: When I say tuna, I mean maguro. I've never had the opportunity to try toro. Someday, my friends. Someday.
#2: Mints
I'm stretching the definition of "food dish" a bit here, but my obsession is worthy of note. I'm addicted to mints. All of them; every type. I've yet to meet a mint I didn't like. As I type this, I can see Wint-O-Green Lifesavers, peppermint lollipops, Cool Mint Oreos, and a big pack of Polar Ice Eclipse. That's just what's visible in my bedroom. I've gotten pretty good at not nomming every mint in sight as quickly as I can like I used to, but when I want something to munch, my hand flies to the mints every single time.
#1: Chả Giò
This is what I used to ask for for my birthday dinner every year. Mom would make the filling, and I'd help soak the rice papers and make the rolls. They're good alone - crispy, juicy, and flat-out tasty - and even better with lettuce and nước chấm. I haven't had chả giò in years; just haven't had the time. Maybe it's time to get the recipe from Mom and put together a tutorial...
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Top 5 Important Moments of My Life
#5: Disneyland
There was this trip to Disneyland I took during college that seemed like ordinary fun to me at the time, but now means something much more. It was the one where we went so Steve could meet up with Danielle. At the end of the day, we were waiting for Steve to say his goodbyes and drive us home, and to keep us entertained, I started giving commands to the rest of the group. Jaime ran up a 2-story down escalator, Jon attempted to leap parking lot poles and trash cans in a single bound, and Cathy dropped to her knees, arms raised, and cried out, "¡¿Por qué?!" I sat on a bench and watched. That moment, that pinpoint in time, is where I realized I had finally found a group of friends who knew me, who liked me, who I could know and like in turn without any faking for the sake of acceptance.
#4: Graduation
I'm the sort of person who feels more comfortable on stage for an audience than alone in my room. I've done my fair share of performing - dance recitals, stage shows, plays, musicals, even some original opinion speeches. None of those can hold a candle to my high school graduation. I'd only spent two years in Reno, and yet I felt quite at home there; I wanted to honor the school that had welcomed me. Everything came together just right. The speech said I wanted it to, the crowd reacted just as I'd hoped, and I didn't fumble a single word. No other moment has matched the blend of performance and intimacy that ruled then.
#3: Fibonacci
I sent a large portion of my time in elementary school not paying attention. It wasn't that I didn't care - I've always been a big fan of learning and enjoy the experience. It was that I picked up concepts quickly and worked even more quickly. I had a lot of free time. For years, I used it to draw cartoons or sketch out plans for gadgets and toys. One day during sixth grade, though, I found myself enrapt with something else. You see, sixth grade was the year I had Mr. Thompson, the afore-mentioned math geek who named his son after Blaise Pascal. Every week, in addition to our usual textbook math, he'd hand out a packet about a different notable mathematician, complete with biographical information, theory explanations, and some related exercises. It was during the Fibonacci week that I was suddenly struck with the urge to do nothing but play with the exercises presented in the packet. It was kind of a turning point in my educational career; I'd always loved math and science, but for the first time, it really clicked for me that that type of work could really be what I did with my life. And I'd be happy. I've kept with it, becoming a full-fledged engineering student, and so far at least, I really am happy.
#2: Blood
I wrote about this moment here. The most important line is this: "But do you know how amazing it was to look at him after the first pint of blood and see him smile with flushed lips again?" At the time, I was too stressed for it to sink in, but now that I've managed to unwind some and really think things over (whether I want to or not), I've come to realize just how vital that moment was. It was such a small thing, such a barely noticeable, almost intangible thing, but it was enough to make me happier than any shopping spree or elaborate vacation ever could. I try not to get all sappy and shove my happiness in other people's faces most of the time, so forgive me this quick moment. I really, truly believe I've found the other half of my soul. I thought I had before then, but that one moment just cemented it in my mind.
#1: Baby Brother
This is another moment I've written about before, this time as a moment of happiness for the first assignment in my memoirs class. It's a bit lengthy compared to my other answers, but I'd like to just post the piece here. Um. Enjoy?
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The cold bites meanly at my bare fingers, and as I climb into the backseat of the car, my feet slide out and away from me, leaving me clinging to the seat cushion as my stomach slaps down hard on it. I mumble an ouch, voice hitching slightly, but nobody responds. On the seat next to me sits a backwards baby carrier, and my dad toys with the seatbelt, trying to get it to run just right across the large plastic contraption. Mom hovers just outside, blanket tucked lightly around the bundle on her shoulder, trying to block the December wind. I glance at Dad’s fumbling fingers and know I could hook it up faster, but he’ll just tell me not to be a smartass and to get buckled, and so I hook my belt across my lap, wiggling the shoulder strap behind me, and look up at the sky. It’s bright blue with fluffy white clouds, sun beaming down happily. I pointed that out to Mom once, and she just laughed. “Only in Alaska,” she said with a small smile, “could it be so beautiful during horrible weather.”
Turning that quote over in my head, I decide that the cold isn’t horrible at all. When it’s freezing, I get to wear my big coat with the pink and purple shoulder patches, and the mosquitoes aren’t around to bite and give me bright pink welts with pale rings around them. Pink welts or pink patches - I know who the clear winner is. Looking over again, I finally get a good look at him for the first time. His face is yellow and purple, eyes puffed shut. There’s a crusty red line through his eyebrow, and his lips are parted slightly, drool seeping out in thick lines. They already told me he’d had a really rough time getting here, but I’m still surprised to see a little baby look so battered.
The skin that I know now was jaundiced contrasts sharply against his puffy outfit, and I ask Mom why they chose a white outfit. She looks at me with tired eyes and says softly, “It’s blue, sweetie.”
I look out the window again. Not nearly as blue as the sky. He suddenly stirs, stretching tiny fists out to either side of him, and I’m entranced. Despite the bruising, he cracks his eyes open just a bit, and after a few moments of disoriented examination, his gaze finally locks on me. Back in the hospital, I’d held his hand once, while Mom cradled his small body against her, but this time, I’m the only one holding his attention. I slip my pointer finger into his fist, and when sweaty fingers clasp tight around it, I call out to Mom. She spares me another smile before petting his damp hair and then turning around to face forward once more. He’s still gripping my finger, and it’s almost uncomfortable, but I’m too impressed to care. I look at his dark eyes and see my dark eyes, note his already curling head of hair and think that mine must’ve looked like that when I was born. He laughs, short and high-pitched, and I laugh with him. I tell him quietly that we’re heading home now, and that Mom’ll let me hold him when we’re there and safe on the soft couch. He smiles, and I think that somehow he knows what I said. He’s just like me, so he must know.
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Top 5 Programs I Wish Existed
#5: Image Autotagger
Okay, so this one's impossible, but I can dream, right? I wish I had something that could go through all the images I have saved and tag them by fandom/characters/pairings/color scheme/hotness rating/whatever. It'd sure save me a lot of time. *grumble grumble*
#4: The Perfect Text Editor
Right now, I switch between using TextWrangler and MS Word, depending on my needs. What I'd really love to have, though, is a program that falls somewhere between the two. No font options, but basic formatting like bolding and italics, and maybe the option to color the text of HTML files based on the tags in affect, so I can easily tell if I forgot to close something. I also think it'd be nice to have, rather than page break, a chapter break feature where you could easily skip to the start of any of your designated chapters. If I learned Cocoa (or even just brushed up on C), I could probably actually make this one. Hmmmmm.
#3: Q&A Script
Though it may appear a bit abandoned, I do still plan on expanding my FFVIII fansite(s), and one of the things I'm most eager to work on is the Q&A section. The problem is, the script I'm using now is pretty low tech - no tagging or categorizing (so I keep getting repeat questions, as the old instances are hard to find), bare bones formatting, and the log-in screen keeps randomly rejecting me. I really wish I could find something that would work reliably and let me tag the questions/answers (and maybe even include a search field!) to alleviate these issues. This is another thing I could probably create myself, though for this one I'd need to pick up more php. Again, hmmmmm.
#2: Game Player & Recorder
I love playing video games. I love taking screen caps. I hate my emulator, as it lags like crazy and can't play PS2 games. I hate video capture devices, as they are waaaaay too spendy for my blood (at the moment, at least). I wish beyond wish that there was something that would run smoothly and let me record video of my gaming. I know, impossible with my lappy's limitations, but I wish. Oh, I wish.
#1: Plushie Station
So here's my not so brilliant idea - a program that allows you to build a figure of some sort from common parts - ellipsoids, cylinders, prisms, and the like - and then makes a pattern for you to create that figure in real life. I envision it as giving you options: sewing, knitting, or crochet, where with the sewing option, you can select seams you like and seams you dislike and it will generate new patterns for you to try to fit your desires, and with knitting and crochet it will just output the stitch-by-stitch instructions to follow. Life-changing? Not particularly, but it sure would be handy for the crafty and plain ol' fun to play around with.
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Top 5 Tools
#5: Taps
MACHINE SHOP - FUCK YEAH! I am SUCH a metal-working fan. I love what it does, I love seeing it done, and I love doing it. Tapping is one of those little procedures that's both incredibly useful and kinda fun to do. Drilling, tapping, cleaning and degreasing, and then twisting a nice hex screw into that little receptacle you just made. Ahhhhh. So satisfying.
#4: Soldering Torches
Soldering is pretty fun no matter how you slice it, but I'm particularly fond of torch work. It's how I learned how to solder, and so it has a special place in my heart. For electronics, a torch is pretty much never the right choice (precision iron work is where it's at), but for larger metal pieces, such as jewelry, torches are a great way to get even, widespread heating and ensure nice flow.
#3: Disc Sanders
Most sanders are great fun, and it was close to a toss-up between belt and disc sanding for me. Disc eked out the win due to its ease of use. Here, you've got constant angular velocity, and so the linear velocity changes as you move from the center to the edge of the disc. This lessens the initial tug when the piece touches and makes it really easy to run along smoothly. Very useful. Plus, the way steel heats up when sanded is just neat to feel.
#2: Fret Saws/Jeweler's Saws
Again, this tool has a special place in my heart because it's how I was really introduced to saw work. What makes me love fret saws especially, though, is how versatile they can be if you know what you're doing. Blade choice, tension, angle of stroke - every little nuance changes how to saw will cut. Once you've gotten comfortable with it, you can get a fret saw to run just how you want without much stress.
#1: Mills
Talk about versatile. If you've got a CNC, any chunk of metal can be your oyster. Even with manual machines (which is where my experience lies), the possibilities are extreme. It's not too difficult to learn, either - the toughest bit is finding a mill you can use. I love pretty much every bit of mill work - loading the collets, the endmills, the drill chucks; setting the parallels; edge-finding; painting on the oil; and, of course, the actual milling. It's all so methodical and yet every person develops their own little variations on the techniques, and it's just. So. Useful. Lathes are great too for many of the same reasons, but mills. Mills are pure love.
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Top 5 Smells
#5: Sulfur Oil
When I started in the machine shop, the guys who run it, John and Rodney, told us that while the sulfur oil used for cutting lubrication might smell weird now, we'd get used to it. Some people, they said, even ended up liking the smell. I turned out to be one of those people. There's nothing that says "machine shop" to me more than that smell, and as I think I've made abundantly clear, "machine shop" is a concept that makes me very, very happy.
#4: Ferret Musk
That "stink" that so many people refer to when talking about ferrets? That's the natural musk of the oils that keep their fur so sleek and soft. I might be revealing myself as a complete weirdo here, but I've never found ferrets to be stinky. I love their smell. I love it more now that I've had such wonderful experiences with Stitch and Odie, but even before then, I thought it was pleasantly earthy. Still do.
#3: Water
Rain, ocean, lakes, pools - there may be variations in scent from source to source, but they all smell like water, and they all smell divine. I may be a bit biased, as I'm the sort of person who wants to get soaked on water rides and would rather wade in the water than lay on the beach any day. Regardless, water smells are a definite hit for me.
#2: Vanilla
Now here's a more expected choice. Vanilla is what I gravitate towards when it comes to most purchased goods. Shampoo, lip gloss, perfume, lotion, candles... all of them are better if vanilla's a component of the scent. I tend towards vanilla in food choice, too, which I always figured was just due to the flavor, but now I'm wondering if the smell's a big part of the appeal as well. Either way, vanilla is almost - almost - my favorite smell to wrap myself up in.
#1: Clove
It's spicy. It's sweet. It's the incense I burned in college. It's the pies I baked as a little kid. It's the Indian seasoning I use on my fish. It's the oil I drip onto a diffuser plate. Clove appeals to me on such a basic, such a broad level that I can't quite escape my own fondness for it. It just smells good.
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And that's it! Holy crap, that turned out really long. Um, if anyone managed to push through all that? Bravo. I had fun putting it together; hope y'all (y'all? Or just Jaime and my mom?) had fun reading it.
Oh, and if you want to suggest any more categories, feel free to comment here with them! I'm open to making a volume II.