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!