Day #24

After Yin yoga today, in the locker room, I overheard two girls complaining about how Yin yoga is too slow and that one of them even fell asleep. Girls! Those are features, not bugs!

I've been very briefly considering doing the Hair for Hope thing. It's been so warm and humid these few months that shaving my hair off sounds totally logical. The only thing holding me back is ... well, I'm not brave enough to be naked that way.

Borrowed Romeo + Juliet and Now You See Me for the weekend. Now You See Me was a sorta decent movie until the ending. As much as I love Mélanie Laurent, her character feels like an afterthought that serves only as eye candy. And the ending was lazy and completely clichéd. The Sixth Sense did it so much better.

Anyway. Finally made the frozen banana soft serve thingy (two frozen 'nanas + one tbsp honey-roasted peanut butter + one tbsp unsweetened cocoa). It was decent, I guess ...

The patterns I doodle are getting really crappy and boring.

Day #23

Not gonna complain about work tonight. Nope. Cuz, hey, THANK FUCKING GOD IT'S FUCKING FRIDAY!!!

I find the 0.5 pens a little too thick I think for some of the patterns I'm doing. Not sure whether I should get 0.3 or 0.1 pens. And maybe in more colors?

Day #22

This week is ... ugh. Yesterday I actually opened one of three packets of cookies I have in the office — one of the two packets of the ToffeePops. That's when I know I'm not dealing with this week well. I offered Debby some but she said she's on a diet. We got to chatting and she told me her new tattoo idea and recommended that I think about my next one (instead of ruining my body with crappy over-processed snacks).

But I'm out of ideas. My brain is exhausted. And my patterns are like petering out, just one per day lately. But, to be fair, it does take quite a bit of time to finish one, even if it's only an A6-sized sheet of paper.

Day #21

Every hour that I'm at work, I can't stand it, want to sabotage myself. Because fuck all these last minute shit. Seriously. They should all go fuck themselves and burn in the stinky hell fire.

Last minute. Because nobody's time bloody matters, not the least a lowly minion.

Day #20

So tired after two classes today I decided to skip aerials class. Sigh. Yes, only two classes (four hours and around 70 kids in total) and I'm beat. Teenagers are so draining ...

Added a little more stuff to yesterday's pattern and did a small (A6) one for today. Pftttt.

I think I finally did it — memorized the entire balcony scene in Romeo & Juliet (Oxford World's Classics, 2000). I decided to do it after watching Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet in 1997 (or thereabouts). For the longest time, the bit after "But to be frank and give it thee again ..." eluded me; then, last week, I could suddenly regurgitate most of it. So, yay ... I guess?

Day #19

I think I have this 30 Days of Patterns thing to thank for my noticing patterns every day and everywhere, whether it's the pavement, or someone's dress, or laptop sleeve, or the wall ..., etc. But I suppose, ultimately, I have Emily to thank for the patterns thing. I don't think I'd been into patterns so much before; also, Naïve: Modernism and Folklore in Contemporary Graphic Design is just so, so, so awesome.

This one I started last night after posting the two I did but I still didn't manage to finish it tonight. And it's only an A5 sheet! I'll try to finish it tomorrow night, after tomorrow's pattern, if possible.

Day #18

Ever woke up thinking you've had hell lotta dreams only to not remembering any of it? (Well, okay, maybe I remember trying real hard to look for a hospital or something ... for a job interview or whatever, not a medical emergency.)

Started the day Skyping with Rach, just to catch up a little, which was really nice. It's hilarious how whenever the camera was turned on, we both thought we were looking at ourselves only to realized it was each other we were looking at! The thing is, we don't even look alike!

Anyway. Just two today. Between prepping and cooking this week's lunches and going out to buy a food processor (yay! Finally got one! My frozen banana slices could be turned into a vegan soft serve soon!), two were all I could do. Still fascinated by henna tattoo motifs ...

Day #17

Some kid waved his hand in front of my face as I was waiting for the elevator today. Turned out that he was in a workshop I ran for his class. It didn't freak me out nor was it awkward, but I still wish my job would let me be less visible.

Still trying to figure out henna tattoo motifs and designs.

Day #16

What a lovely night with the kitties! Christopher was already waiting for me at the park and jogged briskly over as soon as he spotted me. Poor little dude, he must be hungry. Sam and Obie were up to their usual antics — lotsa chasing and prancing around. On my way home, Fernando (who could've been the inspiration for Bustopher Jones) was lounging by the kerb, a couple doors down from his home. He actually ran to me. (Well, ran as quickly and well as a really fat cat could ...) Poor Fernando, he must be so lonely after Muumuu died. He was so affectionate tonight when he is usually quite shy and scaredy.

So I spent more time with the kitties than I did effort with this pattern. If it could even be called a pattern ...

I was looking at henna tattoo designs but I couldn't seem to master the motifs.

Day #15

And, quite suddenly, I don't seem to be on downtime anymore. I can't figure it out — what brings about downtime and what did exactly did I do (or not do) to make the downtime fade away?

Anyway. This one's A5 and it took quite awhile I must say. Only because I kept getting stumped as to what other patterns I could put in.

The manager presented the proposed blueprints for the renovations. Note to self: You gotta fucking leave before the renovation commences.

Anywhere but here.

Day #14

Terms & Conditions is great. It's funny and yet has lines that have such gravitas (to me, at least) and, at times, even quite perfectly describe the ... insides. Like:

... it transpired that my happiness was nitroglycerin. Clear and stable as long as everything was utterly calm. But shake it just a bit — and it exploded.

Anyway. Another quote tonight which I thought was both discomfitingly hilarious and miserably true:

Day #13

Tonight, I sacrificed the kitties (as in not going into the park and be That Crazy Cat Lady^TM). Cuz I felt I wanted — needed — to do this:

And it continues: "If you only feed it solitude and fear, one day it will give up on you." (From my next Read of the Month, Terms & Conditions by Robert Glancy, which I started reading today.)

Day #12

I woke remembering the last vestiges of a dream in which I was trying to get to Berhampore (Wellington, not Bengal) in a horrid lightning storm (it was raining and thundering this dawn). Strange. Wonder what brought that on? I've no connection to Berhampore — except, maybe, vaguely (Shirley now lives there).

Anyway. I think the Kuching trip is on. I was looking forward to it ... until anxiety kicked in. Sigh.

Day #11

Yeah, patterns ... instead I did what I've been thinking of trying out for the past week — see what I could do with hand-writing something for Hazel's cutting.

So: Shakespeare, Rumi, and Blake — all appropriate (if pedestrian) for weddings, I guess?

Hand-writing is really not something I do well at all, and I was never into calligraphy. Jess does it so well though ...

Sigh. Wish I had a clearer and executable plan for that cutting.

Day #10

I nodded off not long after dinner last night — completely knackered. Man, it was only a three-day work week but it was a fucking long one. I think I'm nearly back in the same emotional, physical, and psychological state as I was when I worked in the viper pit. Yes, it's actually very nearly that time.

Or maybe I just need a break?

Two today. Bought a new marker and tested it. Ugh. It bleeds like a Sharpie.

Read of the month: The Fourth Bear by Jasper Fforde.

Day #9

Just a small one tonight. Started off okay but finished terrible.

I bought a black 0.5mm pen today and graph paper because I thought I might want to try letters. Maybe this weekend.

Still sad. Prolly the full moon. Sad and fatigued.

Day #8

Two simple ones tonight:

I'm such a dull, unimaginative dolt. Also can't do circles or curves if my life depended on it.

And it feels like such an unproductive day. I don't understand why things are done/decided the way they are at work. I don't understand the reason(s) behind everything, and I'm not sure I even want to understand. If I did understand, then I'd have internalized shit I shouldn't have. And I have already internalized a lot.

... yes, still sad, still don't know why.

Day #7

A few patterns and a cutting today. I cheated with the cutting and used a pencil and ruler for the border and the grid although the pattern itself I did freehand.

Feeling inexplicably melancholic. I think it came on after yesterday's dinner with a few girls from circus (originally pole). Dinner was nice; the company was nice. I don't understand why I feel how I feel. I just hope I'll feel better after lyra tonight.

And back to work tomorrow. Can't say I'm looking forward to that ...

Day #6

Enrolled myself for the Visual Communication part-time certificate course today!

I think I prefer very stark black and white for the sharp, geometric patterns. I find those patterns fascinating and am still trying to figure out how they 'work', so definitely will be doing more of one on the right and bottom.

Somehow, even though I'd been looking forward to time off work, it always makes me feel slightly guilty to be not at work in the daylight hours. Argh. Fuck that.

Day #5

Dinner plans tonight fell through so I won't be able to give Jen S. the thing I made. Oh well. There would be another occasion, another person ...

But was a relatively productive day, I think. Finished one mini cutting and did a few patterns.

I like that last pattern even if it's nothing original — I think there might be a cutting in that. p>And a bit of an optical illusion-type pattern on a table at a place Geeta and I had coffee yesterday:

Day #4

Didn't managed to get much done today. Starting from last night, this might be a weekend of catch-ups and dinners. Met up with Aileen, Alwyn, and Jen S. since Alwyn is in town. Dinner was pretty decent, but the conversation was better since it was partly reminiscing about our Welly days.

Anyway, because of weekend marketing with Dad and a lunch date with Geeta, I didn't have a lot of time to do patterns or cuttings. So, there's only one pattern which I'd managed to cut and mount (if we do meet up for dinner again tomorrow, I'll give it to Jen as an early birthday pressie).

I think I did think I'd do like maybe five (A3) cuttings this year for five people. So far, I'd done one each for Jen D.'s and Joey's going-away, one for Rach, and one for Emily. Hopefully I'd be able to do the fifth for Hazel's wedding. Most productive year so far!

Day #3

... Yeah, I still find it hard to force myself to not focus on cut-ability. I think it has to do with using a marker and getting thick lines ... I also started cutting one. Man, curves are still a PITA to do. Why do I suck at curves? I apply so much pressure when doing curves I think I'mma get trigger finger(s) if I did any more cuttings. =(

I wish I could realize the idea I have for a cutting Hazel as a wedding gift, but I can't draw and can't letter so aaarrrggghhh. (Also, the more I think about it, the more I feel Sonnet 116 might not be quite appropriate for a pin-up themed wedding with polka dots.) Anyway, I need to come up with something else. Soon.

Day #2

Didn't managed to go shopping after all last night (was wet and drizzly after class and I was achy and famished); I'd wanted to buy more Marvy markers and another A6 sketchbook. I very much prefer Marvy markers to just about the other brands I'd bought because Marvy markers bleed so much less (if at all!) on the papers of my sketchbook. My Sharpie (which I'd used for the patterns below) bleeds like a hemophiliac with an open wound. =\

Anyway, I realize my mistake with those three patterns now — I was too focused on making sure the patterns are cut-able when I don't necessarily need/have to cut them at all (although I think I'd love to do a few swirly ones — what I call my 'fern' designs).

Day #30 ... and back to #1

Might as well put up my last 30 Days of Words post while I'm able to since I plan to go for a Stretch & Core class tonight and follow that up with some shopping (hopefully).

I like the 30-Day challenges. They force me to be a little more disciplined and committed but only for a limited period so I don't feel like a complete loser if I wanted to give up after awhile. I started with the planking one and actually didn't managed to complete my 30 days (and my longest duration was just 170 seconds) but I've kept up with the planking more or less — 90 secs on a foam roller (will be switching to an even 100, thanks Monk!), alternating with the leg-lift variation also on the roller.

So, with the conclusion of Words, I'mma start with Patterns. The goal is to post a pattern (however terrible it looks) a day so I get daily practice. As it is, I've been itching to doodle or cut something every day. Day #1 of 30 Days of Patterns kicks off with something I did last night (after Lyra 3, after feeding the kitties when I got home):

(Can't wait to cut this when I get the time!)

Day #29

Had to work till 9pm last night. By the time I went to bed at half past midnight, I couldn't be arsed with a post. But I did finish a another mini cutting — could've finished it in the three after-office hours at work, but I got distracted. Anyway, finished it around 23.10 (after feeding myself and the kitties) before heading up to shower.

I have, like, half a dozen of these mini cuttings now. What on earth am I supposed to do with them? Layering them is actually quite nice, but no more than two layers otherwise it'll be just a mess. Still, layering then what? I suppose they could be made into cards but that's sooooo booooring.

I like the idea of shadow boxes but oh god, such a schlep to IKEA just to buy RIBBA frames ... Or maybe I should visit Daiso for glass frames?

I still haven't picked a read for May! Argh!