feeling the pinch: a small hiatus

It's been a little while since I've posted, and indeed, a little while since I've done new work. Unfortunately the last ten days or so have been a little trying, and have gone by really, really fast. I'm sorry I didn't post anything sooner, but I've come today to announce that I'll be taking a very brief break from posting, just until the New Year.
I need a little time to organize my thoughts and my life, make new work, and spend some quality time curled up on the couch, computer in hand.

I hate to do it, but I feel like the quality of my posts would be inconsistent and frankly, not very good. Rather than fail to live up to my expectations, I think it's best to take a little break and come back ready and refreshed.
Thanks for checking in, and I'll be back before you know it with new goals, top threes, and most importantly, new art.

Thanks everyone!

thursday already

It's going to be another short post today, I'm afraid. As promised, I wanted to post my three top favourite Christmas movies. These are the ones that, if I don't see them it doesn't feel like Christmas. Here we go -

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I can't even think of which part is my favourite...it's the greatest from start to finish.

The movie that solidified my love for Michael Caine. However, I always have to fast forward through "the Love is Gone" ...that song is insufferable.

You'll shoot your eye out!

Honourable mention goes to Home Alone (the first one), It reminds me of what a luxury it is to be able to eat ice cream for breakfast if I want to.

new work, new goal

The first thing I wanted to do is post a quick picture of the boots I was so excited about getting in Montréal. I've been wearing them almost everyday and they are super comfortable, in addition to keeping my toes warm. I've stopped biking for the winter (too cold!) but I'm still walking to work almost everyday. The half hour walk is made much, much easier with warm, happy feet.


On another note, I'm gearing up for the holidays, but the excitement hasn't come yet. It could be the fact that I work retail or it could be that I know this is the first year I won't be home for Christmas. It's also probably the fact that I have barely even begun to think about gifts for people - I have no idea what to get for most of the people on my list and, just like everything else in my life, I can hear the clock ticking. I hate thinking of the holiday as yet another thing on my ever expanding to-do list...but I'm sure as soon as I watch one of my top three Christmas movies (wait for Thursday!) I'll feel the Christmas cheer. Sigh.

Here's some new work! I photographed rather than scanned because my scanner is currently topped with a bunch of papers and boxes and I didn't quite feel like moving it all. Yes, laziness has to win sometimes. I've also decided to do two text only drawings this week in anticipation of a new project I'm working on for the new year.

Another sketchbook project page. I've decided to go ahead and announce my next mini weekly goal today. The vegetables-every-day thing is going well - so far, so good. As a compliment to that I've also decided to cut out McDonald's indefinitely (or until I lose five pounds). I'm a little ashamed to admit how often I eat (ate) there, but the combination of low cost, super convenience, and shamefully awesome flavour have made me a McDonald's fiend of late. No more!

My new weekly goal is in honour of the the looming deadline for The Sketchbook Project. I've decided to do a page a day for the next week. I may not have time to blog my progress each day, particularly since I'm going home this weekend for an early Christmas, but I'll keep everyone posted.

Until Thursday!

it's that time again...

It's Thursday - and time for my next top three. No art today...my house looked like hoarder's house so I had to do a little cleaning this morning. I did, however, have time to think of my list for today. Last night at work I got to talking about comic books. I love comic books. I haven't read any books (comic, graphic, or otherwise) at all since the summer, so I've decided to do my feature this week on my three favourite ones. They're not listed first to last, rather, they're in autobiographical order...that is, in the order I read them. I think that's fair.

First is Margaret Atwood's Oryx and Crake. I'm not sure how many times I've read it now, but I always get sucked in completely. Margaret Atwood creates a not-too-distant futuristic story about the environment, food, science, food science, and human nature. I'm not going to go too far in depth, but I will say that if I don't read this every year and a half or so, I feel like there's something missing. And it's my Canadian addition to the list!
Next is Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. I didn't love the rest of the Ender series, but I did love the complimentary Ender's Shadow. They should be read back to back, in my opinion. I also read the Ender's Game comic book series (by Marvel), and while it was very well done, I think the story really benefits from the novel form - the story is much more about characterization and hero psychology than it is about outer space.

Finally, Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan, The Smartest Kid on Earth. It is my comic book addition to the list and it is breathtaking. Which sounds really, really cheesy - I'll be the first to admit - but it's an apt description. This book made me cry. And not just a little tear or two welling up...it made me cry like a three year old who stubbed her toe. But the art and writing are both incredible. I could read it over and over, which is saying a lot because this book is like a marathon. I should know, I wrote two papers on it (simultaneously, but on completely different topics) in third year.

Okay folks, I'm officially a nerd. Two sci-fi books and a graphic novel. Ah well, check back on the weekend for art!

mini weekly update

I don't have much to show right now - no pictures! I'm sorry! But I wanted to talk a little about Montréal set my next weekly goal.
First, Montréal was great. After the long overnight bus ride there we were met with a bright, cold, sunny morning in a new city (well, new for me anyway). We got to where we were staying, dropped our bags and decided what we wanted to do first. It was still too early for lunch, but one of the stores that sold my boots was only a few minutes away. I tried them on and then they were mine! I even wore them out of the store like a kid. Then, working from my top three list from last Thursday, we decided to go for poutine and toasted hot dogs for lunch. Apparently hot dog buns that are buttered and toasted are a Quebec thing and I have no idea why it hasn't caught on everywhere - they were awesome. We then trekked to Jean-Talon market, then met a friend for food and beer.
Saturday we slept in then went to Schwartz's for one of the best sandwiches of my life. Who knew meat, bread, and mustard could be so amazing? With full tummies we walked to the Museum of Contemporary Art and spent the rest of the afternoon there. We rounded out the day with dinner at Joe Beef and drinks at Au Dieu de Ciel (again).
Finally, quick brunch on Sunday prepared us for the eight hour bus ride home.

This sort of brings me to my Mini Weekly Goal update from last week. I wanted to decide which schools to apply to and get started on the process. It's cutting it really close since applications are due in a month, but better late then never, right? I've decided on the four schools I'll be applying to and I've asked people for reference letters. I'm getting there, slowly but surely.
I wasn't sure whether I wanted to apply to schools in other cities but I'm realizing (and some time away helped) that Toronto is home for now, and I really don't want to leave. I know that my choices are limited by not wanting to leave, but...the heart wants what it wants. And it wants Toronto.

My goal for the coming week is a little simpler. I'm trying to eat healthier keep up my energy for the gym. I know that eating is really important for health and weight loss, so my goal for the week is to eat fresh vegetables each and everyday for the week. This should be a no-brainer, but convenience usually wins and I find myself eating McDonald's more than I'd like. Not this week!

Art post and new top three tomorrow :)

art post and top three thursday

So, I have to say au revoir once again - I'm going to Montréal for the weekend, and I'm leaving tonight at midnight. I'm not relishing the 8 hours spent overnight on the greyhound bus, but at least I'll have my beloved by my side and the promise of beer and poutine to keep me afloat.

Which brings my to my second Top Three Thursday post!
I've decided to post on the top three things I'm excited for this weekend. I have never been to Montréal before and I have a feeling I am going to fall in love.

The first on my Montréal top three is poutine. For any non-Canadian readers this may seem like a weird, heart stopping mix of unhealthy junk, and to be sure, it totally is. Is is also, however, so much more. Fresh cut fries; fresh, bouncy cheese curds; and...brown sauce come together to make an awesome and satisfying meal. Or snack. Or snack then meal. Poutine is awesome and being an Ontario...ite? means that though I've had some decent poutine, I know I haven't had the best.

The next thing I'm excited for is the Blundstone boots I've promised myself. They're hipster-ey, warm, and cozy, and after months and months of being broke (not to say that I'm sleeping on a bed of money now, or anything) I'm really looking forward to spending a little money on something a little cooler than bills, groceries, bills, rent, and bills.
I know I can get them in Toronto - the blunstones store is only steps from one of my places of work - but this weekend away coincides with payday and I can't wait until I get back.

And finally, I'm really looking forward to going to the Dieu De Ciel brewery. I love beer. I'm not that big on wine or cocktails...I don't even like those grenadine-infused "girly" drinks that I'm supposed to be genetically predisposed to like. But beer? love.
Dieu De Ciel make really good beer that I've only recently had the pleasure of trying, and I'm excited to see them in person and hopefully try some varieties I haven't yet.
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I'm going to continue cleaning and getting ready, since I'm heading to the bus station straight from work. I'm bringing my drawing stuff, so hopefully after the combined 16 hours of bus travel I'll have some new art to post when at get back. I'll have some photos at the very least.

And Happy Hanukkah to my Jewish friends and readers! <3