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!

Day #28

Did one more cutting yesterday and completed one today. I think the theme I might've gone for (a little unconsciously) could be mirrors. Of course I couldn't produce exact mirrors or any symmetry at all, but they're close enough (bottom two are the newer ones). The Olfa blade is pretty fucking awesome!

Finished Sharp Objects today. It made me think of cutting and cutters. I was never one and, until quite recently, never personally knew any. The closest I got was that period in '08 when I got a body part pierced every three months or so as a way to deal with everything I was feeling. The piercings are all gone (all rejected by my body) but the keloids never will.

Day #27

Ah yes, forgot/too exhausted to do an entry yesterday (only four hours of teaching yesterday but gawd were the kids boisterous — not always a bad thing though).

Today, full day at work. FUUUUUCK. So I did a few mini cuttings. I rather like the one on the right which is actually just four four-sided shapes. Not exactly a mirror, but still somewhat symmetrical which looks pretty damn awesome! Gonna have to do another similar one! The other two are triangles. I'm thinking of layering with different colors ... might be a nice dizzying effect?

Giving Sharp Objects a second go after finishing Daytripper — which was great but won't count towards that read of the month for May.

Day #26

Yay! Finished Emily's cutting — I woke up just itching and excited to finish it and now it's finally done! All I gotta do is find a suitable background paper. I'm thinking of something light-colored and textured, with a sorta subtle marbled or complementary geometric pattern. A paper buying trip is in order, but ARRRGGGHH. Gotta work full day this Sat and won't have time. =(((

Then I gotta figure out how to present it cuz there's no way I'm going to do one of those temporary frames with the patterned tape.

I'm kinda proud of this cutting, really (despite the shitty-looking handwriting)! I think it turned out pretty decent.

An in-progress shot

Completed 'naked' shot of cutting on cutting mat

With different backgrounds

Got an idea for a cutting for Hazel's nuptials in June: silhouette of a kissing couple (preferably dancers with beautiful lines) on a calligram of a three-tiered cake, under a canopy of stringed beads or stars. Quote-wise (for the calligram), I'm leaning towards something from Night Circus (again) or maybe Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 (yeah, I know, boooooring). Unfortunately, dreaming up the idea is one thing; execution is whole 'nother ballgame ...

Day #25

I remember when I was last in a relationship I noticed I hardly dreamed in the night. The scribbles dried up, my precision blade rusted away — I didn't even bring it with me. Yet, I didn't seem to mind that I was barren and didn't create.

Now that I'm alone again — my natural state I'd think — and working with my hands again (albeit less frequently than I'd like) and reading for pleasure more, the sehnsucht is greater than ever.

I wish it were possible to have the best of both situations — perhaps to be constantly inspired by someone I love, but, for now, I'd settle for being more disciplined and devoted to making time for all the things that make me feel fulfilled.

Day #24

Oh ... forgot about this again last night although I wrote another blog post in the private blog.

I think Emily's cutting is coming along okay, but since I stuck at handwriting, the quote I selected ("your reality is just different from mine" from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland) and wrote looks barely legible and quite horrid. Ah well ... hopefully it's the thought that counts.

Man, can't wait for the Thursday public holiday. So. Tired.

Day #23

I know you're supposed to make time, not find time, but sometimes it feels like trying get blood out of a stone. Sigh.

Brought 20 Ways to Draw a Tree and 44 Other Nifty Things from Nature, 20 Ways to Draw a Cat and 44 Other Awesome Animals, and Typography Sketchbooks home this weekend. Hopefully, I'd be able to doodle more this weekend. Managed a few bird shapes this morning before having to do other stuff (setting up an investment, lunch, Yin yoga, and shopping for workout clothes and groceries — in that order), and a bit of cutting on the piece for Emily after coming home.

Looking forward to another long weekend ... Please let it come soon.

Day #22

Tgif, indeed.

I was so crossed today because Spotify told me it was unable to steam tracks due to my network. Fuck the school's network, and fuck CIS and ISS. I'm sure those two departments have their hands in this. The stupid institution wants me to be less productive? They got it.

On a more positive side, I got to know Gemma Correll's works (It's A Punderful Life was one of my selected new arrivals) and fun with her Monday Punday.

Oh weekend! Oh sleep!

Day #21

Woot! Thursday already!

Crazy ass day with teaching a two-hour workshop (quite enjoyed that one actually — the kids were lively enough without being obnoxiously rowdy), going through a fire drill (student: "Saving my work is more important than saving my life."), then giving a library tour to new (non-library) staff — back to back, in the span of four hours.

Having a hard time deciding the next book to read. I brought Gillian Flynn's Sharp Objects home with me and so far have only read the first couple of pages ... which failed to get my attention. Didn't want to start on Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman because I don't want to get into a certain mood that Murakami's tales always bring — not that it's unpleasant (I like it actually, but only when I'm in the mood for it), I just don't want to feel that way for now.

So. Sleepy. -_-^zzz

Day #20

Gave Stretch & Core a miss today cuz the bus was late. LATE. Yeah ... I'd rather miss the whole class than part of the class — wonder what that says about me. The whole cake or nothing at all.

Book read for the month of April: The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared.

So far so good when it comes to my resolution of trying to read at least a (new) book a month — although I did binge on the Thursday Next series earlier in the year. Can't wait to read The Woman Who Died A Lot and can't wait for the next book in the Shades of Gray series to come out!

Day #19

It wasn't that I forgot an entry last night — I remembered but decided against a posting.

Note to self: First day of school is a FUCKING MADHOUSE. Tertiary students move so sluggishly and are always fucking distracted, either by their friends, their crushes, their phones, or something — anything.

Finally made it to Yin last night cuz I figured I needed to unwind after a crazy day at work: best choice I made all day ...

Day #18

Yesterday's doodles — still practising (copying) bird shapes and playing around with the idea of the geometric pattern with a word or words:

It's prolly not obvious, but the word in the box is amaze.

Today, testing out the alternative idea for Emily's cutting. Drew on a marbled A3 sheet and started cutting. I'm thinking of keeping keeping the fan/shell-like shapes uncut. Haven't figured out a quote yet — maybe something from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (just saw Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland on Friday and yesterday; cable repeats). I love love love the idea of an Alice-at-Wonderland-Night-Circus theme. LOVE.

Day #17

Ah ha! Didn't forget the entry before bed tonight!

So, I've been thinking of the new cutting for Emily (I already have one idea; this is an alternative): I'm thinking of doing a cutting of a geometric pattern like one of those I did yesterday (and today too, for that matter; pics to be posted tomorrow) with words. I'll draw directly on an A3 paper tomorrow to see whether it'll be cut-able for me or not ... if I've the time after cooking my week's lunches.

In other news, I've an embarrassing crush on Sue Perkins (embarrassing only because of my low self-esteem). Oh my, she's utterly scrumptious ...

Day #16

Got to spend a bit of time today doodling — which is excellent because Emily dropped by and lent me three lovely books last night. My favorite is Naive (going to grab a copy of my own). Also, I borrowed Typography Sketchbooks yesterday; should've brought it home (it was too heavy and unwieldy and I didn't go straight home after work).

Anyway — doodling. I practised on bird shapes from Naive and a lovely geometric pattern I saw on YouTube. Totally love how easy the geometric shapes ones are (I tried triangles, quadrilaterals, and five-/six-/eight-sided shapes) and how great they look! I'm redoing Emily's papercutting so I might just try a cutting of that pattern.

Yeah, my birds suck. Gonna practise more, try harder.

Day #15

Not that the day's been fantastic, but it was still a pretty decent — albeit busy — one. On reflection, it was decent because:

• my manager is on leave (therefore no emails/requests/tasks from her);
• I got to do different things (did video recordings for an online class I'm suppose to tutor, sat in a meeting for a vanity book project — or, as I call it: the Circle Jerk, worked on a new webpage for another section), but unfortunately didn't have time to finish my web banner or start on the other design-related tasks sitting in my inbox or set up my book display;
• it's the last day of work before a long weekend — FUCK YEAH!

(But I think it's mainly because my manager wasn't in the office.)

Boy, I hope I can sleep the hell out of this long weekend ...

Day #14

Yeah, is come to the point where merely two weeks into this 30 Days of Words I'd already forgotten a daily post like three times (or more). My excuse? The usual one: completely knackered. And the thing is, I'd totally remember the post while I was, say, showering; yet, after stretching, it'd've completely slipped my mind.

Anyway. Yesterday, I got into one of my irrational anger thing at work which brought on the usual impulse to tender my resignation. But I reminded myself that it's only work so fuck it, whatever. It's totally not worth the spike in blood pressure.

Boy, it is time to move on.

Day #13

So ... it's finally happened today. For so long I'd thought I needed a new gauge but apparently not. Walking towards the library this morning, I suddenly thought about the 'bridge' between the library building and the design school collapsing — and how I would not have to go to work if I'd been walking on that 'bridge'.

Yup. It's the get-me-into-an-accident-so-I-don't-have-to-be-at-work gauge and it still works!

And especially this afternoon, when I was told to compare the stats from Google Analytics and Webtrends, I really really really wished for something to happen to take me away from having to do shit like that.

But how do I walk away with the different projects on my plate?

Day #12

Bought a new (small) sketchbook yesterday after yoga (yes, I went after all — and it was great! The instructor was awesome) as well as two new pens (one purple and one green).

The small sketchbook I plan to carry around with me — not exactly for doodling, but for jotting down the words from Word Porn that somehow resonate with me.

Ugh. I completely suck at doodling and handwriting, but whatever.

So tired lately. I need to start trying harder at sticking to my resolution about sleeping before midnight. I have 18 days of annual leave I have to clear this year. So tempted to take a few to just sleep.

Day #11

It's been ... a struggle to remember do to these posts. I did remind myself to do one last night as I was showering but after stretching (and not a long session either) and feeling just completely knackered, I just popped off to bed. Sans post. I feel like I should head off to Yin yoga this afternoon. But I'm feeling a little sleepy ... and reluctant. Going through it will stop raining* on a Saturday is what makes it a proper lazy Saturday for me. Sigh. I should prolly get ready for Yin soon ... =(