mina5643

Hey everyone,

I am active on a few communities here in LJ and I am keeping up with your posts, but I am not really updating this anymore, save for the rare "I need to rant in a friends-only environment" sort of thing.

So, in short: I am active, but I'm not updating. I've had this account almost 10 years. I don't see the reason in deleting it, I've made a lot of close connections here. At the same time, I just don't have the need to use LJ as my outlet anymore.

This is my blog, that I am now updating. It's ready to be viewed and enjoyed, so I hope that you do.

http://www.sweetlycaustic.com . Please check there now and then, if you're curious about what I'm doing :]

Otherwise, I'm on Facebook. I have a twitter and tumblr, and they are updated a few times a week.

Hey everyone! My blog/site, Sweetly Caustic (click the link!), which I mentioned ages ago, is actually up and running and is getting regular content. Go take a look!

That's about all I have to say otherwise. I hope everyone is doing well, there are various ways to contact me if you'd like to chat, and otherwise... yes. Have a good LJ.

Hello everyone! I recently did this photoshoot with my friend:



And I'm really excited that Retroscope Fashions featured it on their main page!

I don't know how many of you are familiar with Retroscope, I've only had good service from them, I've chatted with the owner (she's a super sweety), and I've loved that cotton skirt for so long. And, and, this feels like such a big thing for me.

P.S. I decided to work on that website. Hypanthium is down for the count and I'm in the research and roughs phase of design.

I took a cue from carnality and reorganized my links and tidied up my sidebar. Now all of my homes online are there. Add me!

School has begun and boy am I tired. I partied hard Friday night from the weight of two weeks in, i.e. lots of homework and an awful add code process that certain departments of SJSU implemented (add codes = specific system of getting into a class if it's already full, or if students plan on dropping in the first couple of days). SJSU has a fairly short drop period too, so it was a scramble to figure out what classes I still needed, wanted, etc. I feel like my partying and escapades were well earned, considering those stresses.

Right now I'm laying in bed. I plan on taking a nap soon. In a few hours, I go to pick up thunderbird127 from the airport and decide whether or not I'm going to rock climb this week (I have new rock climbing shoes, see, and I've been carpooling with thelabmonkey on free guest nights to the indoor rock gym). I have had no money for belly dance, but I miss it a lot. I have had no time to spin poi, and I miss that, also, but recently Mom made me a more durable pair. So. Yay! I can spin without fear of breaking wedding favor bags on chains (yeah, well, it worked at the time). I have had no time to do gothy things. But, it's winter anyway. Subculture tends to go on hold when it's cold.

I am trying to set up my modeling schedule for spring. I have a few photographers biting at the idea for a shoot, so let's hope those all come through. It'll be nice to start building my portfolio again.

I have oodles of books to read, stories to write, and drawings to make.

I haven't knit in a while, but I'll get the inspiration again at some point.

Homework comes before all the above.

And some how, some way, my insecurities try and convince my dry mind that I have time for a boyfriend, much less a social life.

*cackles to self*

Wow, I never know what to post here now.

Um, life updates because they tend to be the most important when absent from a medium of communication.

-got a boyfriend briefly (from september to the end of october, hooray me for being inconsistent), then ended it as he wasn't really putting much into the relationship. It was short but it mattered a lot to me, so it's taking me a while to bounce back in general. This year has been the year of short, unsatisfying relationships. At the same time, Laurel did warn me to only date men 30 and older :p
-I'm finishing the semester, I have a couple of project-oriented things left but that's all. It'll be my second semester where I bail on a class in my four years of college. Hopefully it'll be my last. I love my Japanese teacher, and I hope to retake his class next Fall when I'm more focused. It doesn't mean I'm not disappointed in myself, but at the same time, I stand by my decision as the right one, ultimately.
-Once I'm done with finals and can breathe, I plan on scanning a bunch of artwork from the semester. Most of it is class-related, but I think it'll be interesting. :]
-I've been active in faith-based college groups (Christian fellowship and ministry) and it has been a good thing for me. I don't mention my faith much on this journal, but it's as good a time as any to bring up again that I'm Christian. Ta-da.

I'm on facebook a lot and I post my musing there. Usually because my musing consists of perhaps three sentences, tops. I need to seriously start blogging my thoughts again! Hello, Livejournal.

Everyone, please update me on your lovely lives. I'm afraid I do not check my friends page enough to know if I've missed anything. I miss you guys, though. :]

Hey everyone.

Been at school!

Been busy busy!

Should really update soon.

I'm living a fairly full-schedule life though, and I'm pursuing art as my education. Linguistics is something I love but SJSU's budget humping nonsense is making it nigh impossible for me to double major. So, instead, I'll minor for now. Whoop-de-doo.

I miss all my friends I don't talk to much, and I'm finally starting to knit now that the cold weather is starting (although with the way today went, you wouldn't figure. 80+ degrees after two days of 60's and 70's temps with on and off rain? What?).

My art is progressing but my work isn't what I'd call particularly interesting, as most of it is project work for school. I will start posting it though when time allows, especially since a couple of friends have expressed interest.

:]

Hope everyone is doing well!

Castle Crags

Mt. Shasta

Once we got into Oregon it was all trees, all the time. We also missed Mt. Hood because it's now cloudy as hell, and it was dark when we passed by. Oh well!

Suddenly I'm traveling a lot. I will do my best to take many pictures, as I forgot to take pictures over this past weekend when I went up to camp mather to visit Joe (Camp Mather is outside of Yosemite).

This week, I'm going on a road trip with my dad to Oregon.

In other news:

Hypanthium.NET

Time to get some business cards.

Links to come soon--if you want me to link you on my links page, please let me know.

WHOO in the past two weeks a lot has happened.

A) I found out I had bed bugs. These nasty things drove me insomniotic and insane for about a week, and my bedroom still looks nothing like a bedroom (torn apart, I'm living on my couch). My roommate has been so understanding through it all. My faith really has helped me through this mess, I must say. Praying and fellowship and good friends are probably the only way I could have survived this without any severe meltdowns. A week and a half after the ordeal has begun, it's not finished, but I feel like I have much more control over my life again and I know what I need to do to move onward.

B) Church stuff. I found a pretty awesome group of people to hang out with called Campus Crusade for Christ. They have a ministry house right off campus, and all the guys who live there are hilarious, geeky, and fun to hang around. I am getting better at rock band every day I go over there. On Sundays I go to their group, which is sort-of like church but ... not? I wish I could say. I also found an awesome Bible study that tackles common issues talked about in the church (social, political, etc) and even when people disagree with each other (liberal christians like me and opposite ends of the spectrum and the like), we've all been very respectful of each other so discussion never gets beyond discussion.

C) Boys. I'm only bringing this up because of the frustration I went through yesterday (and also thinking to myself "I have no idea how old this guy even IS and he has a girlfriend and if he didn't, he seems way out of my league... and here I am still fawning over him and acting like a complete whackjob"), I seem to have been running into a lot of guys I feel compatible with in some capacity, and they all tend to have girlfriends. It seems I'm running into one of the universal rules of dating and it's been a while since I've had that privelege: the good ones are all taken.

The above comments have more detail privy to those I spoke to about it, and so I shall leave it at that.

D) BAAUBQ. Lots of fun with old friends and new. Got to be my loud, obnoxious self, was self-conscious about it at times... but in all everyone didn't seem to mind and I was in good company all around. I would hate to let myself go like that and realize I was annoying people. All in all, there were no dull moments, no crappy moments, this was a great year for BAAU's "birthday". :]

E) Magic-oriented dinner theatre at California Magic (http://www.calmagic.com). World class magicians come and work at this place, and myself and several good friends from BAAU had the pleasure of being invited. EVERYONE in the bay area should check it out. It's on the expensive side (my friends and I were given an exception based on special circumstances), about $50-$60 per person, but it is worth every penny. Go here on your next big date, or special occasion. I promise you won't be let down, especially since a friend of mine works there (i.e. I guarantee a good time). They present a full, delicious three course meal. Throughout the evening each table is given a small display of what each of the entertainers at the theatre can do, and at the end of dinner a stage show is put on with some more extensive magic than what we were given before. And of course, comedy the entire time, since this kind of magic is meant to entertain, not just "blow your mind".

F) Math class. I have been taking a math class for the month of July. I don't think I'll pass it, to be honest, even with tutors. My dad is not making it easy for me, as he has a nice way of guilting me into doing things that were shot in the foot going in on. I am very gracious to all of my friends who have helped or done work for me, I plan on paying them all back in some fashion... and I'm also very gracious TO CalMagic for being so understanding about me needing to use their internet to try and get my class passed (quiz due at 11:55 PM, and we were not going to make it home in time to get it finished).

G) My grandpa is dying. I don't think it's really hit me, because I'm still very logical about the whole thing. He probably had a stroke, he hasn't been doing well at all lately (not including the dementia he's been suffering), and he's in the hospital now. I should try and visit him Monday or Tuesday, and see how my grandmother is doing... maybe I'll take her out or some such, give her a day of something different. I'm still thinking on what to do.

H) Money. Money has always been an issue. I've been scraping by, but I still would love to find work. And I'd love to make artwork for anyone who has the money to commission.

I) I have my kitty in San Jose with me now. She's been quite the character, but she's also been very friendly to everyone who visits. I'm glad she's acclimated to her new home, despite all that's gone on.