October Fifth

Today was the least busy day thus far. I had a French Toast breakfast. After breakfast we went to Lake Hume, which is in the National Forest but not the National Park. The only thing that really separated it from being part of the park was that the path contained  a lot more litter and there was more private houses around. We took the several mile hike around the lake, which was nice. Partially dirt, partially paved. We had our obligatory ice cream break at this Christian Camp that was on the lake. Yum yum.

Back in the car, we drove down some of the other roads but came to private property, so we went back to the cabin for a respite. Ma and I showered and watched Downton Abbey. Dad napped. We took another hike up to Panoramic Point, and continued on the Fire Ridge trail. There were a couple deer on the side of the road. Back at the cabin we had a light dinner of rice cakes and crème cheese and wine and other assorted edibles. We watched Horatio Hornblower while waiting for Nathan and Helen to arrive.

The pair arrived at about 10:30 and all was well. Now for a day filled with adventure! And driving back to Santa Cruz

bears and badges

Typical Thursday. Climbed a rock. Saw some bears. Got sworn in as a ranger. Ate some candy. Whateverrr.

The showers here are nothing great. Most certainly not hot enough. At a bit after 10 we headed into the park to have some fun. I found a National Park shirt that I liked. I’m going to cut the collar out of it and turn it into a tank top, because I like the back design more than the front. Reverse it. We started out with the General Sherman Tree walk. Now that is a big tree. Thick and tall. Not the tallest, but certainly the biggest in terms of mass. It was a nice walk down and around. From there we went to the Giant Forest Museum, and got a Junior Ranger Packet to fill out. I completed the 13+ section (24 years old certainly counts as 13+) as we walked along the Giant Forest Loop. Saw some good trees. Identified some more trees. Back at the Museum we listened to the Ranger talk and afterwards I turned in my packet and got sworn in as a Junior Ranger! Yaaay! I even got a badge. How cool is that?

At the 4 oclockish time we went to Moro Rock. It was 400 steps up to the top of this rock. Thankfully there were plenty of rails. It was a nice walk, though we went quite high up. A well winded walk up. There were monks in Saffron robes up at the top. It was a dynamic pretty view. Probably my favorite trek of the trip thus far.

We squeezed in a just under 2 mile walk to Tharp’s Log after that. The Log was a cabin that was built around a fallen log. Pretty neat dwelling. On the way back I heard some rustling in the woods, so I stopped Ma and Pa. And out in the woods not too far from us was a mama bear and her cub. Very cute. We sang to make her aware of us and off she went into the meadow.

An hours drive back, it is time for dinner! What a full day. I should sleep well I reckon.

waders and walkers

Mom and Dad both go up in the night and made the biggest racket opening the door and whispering to one another. Thought they were being quiet but they were not at all. We ate breakfast at the restaurant. Mom opted out, I had bacon, eggs, toast, and hash. It was pretty good. Kept me sustained for the day.

We stopped by the visitor center and I got a patch with a quail and my usual WPA postcard. I should put those in frames. Little Ikea ones.

There were some nice big sequoias, but we were not allowed to get close and hug them.

And then we drove into Kings Canyon. The national park is divided into two sections. It is a pretty nice decent. Nice and warm.

At 12:30 we stopped at Boyden Cavern and took the 1pm tour of said caverns. They were pretty nice. Shasta Caverns had greater variety, but it is just neat to be inside rocks like that.

We drove on through. We stopped at Grizzly Falls for lunch. We went to a meadow and dad took a different way back, and ended up having  to wade through the river. I got photographic evidence.

Ma and Pa took an ice cream break and I napped in the car. I was pretty tired, and I don’t know why. Back at the cabin, we finished watching Avengers (we started watching it last night). Thus far we haven’t taken any major hikes. Maybe that will change tomorrow. I also haven't sat down and done any proper drawing. Hmmm./

omelette starters

We have arrived at Kings Canyon National Monument State Park Sequoia…place. Errr Sequoia & Kinds Canyon National Parks. We have rented a three bed cabin, because Nate and Helen will be joining us on the weekend. We shall hike and have fun. Yup.

Ma and Pa arrived at my place at 10ish. We had brunch at the Santa Cruz Diner. It was DELICIOUS. I had the Capitola omelette, which has ham, cheese, and bacon. Dad had the Monterey which was avocado and mushroom. Mom had waffles and some of dad’s omelette. It was all scrumptious. After that we went to the Mystery Spot to see what the mystery was. And it was a weird place of strange gravitational pulls. There was a guided tour of the place, with lots of optical illusion demos. Quite fun! And we got bumperstickers afterwards. I don’t know what I’ll stick mine on. Hmm.

From there, we gassed up the car and off we went to the canyon place thingy! We had an ice cream stop, and a quesadilla stop, and the heat got over 100. Quite toasty, but generally nice. Some great scenery was beheld. I took a couple mini naps and was awoken when Ma and Pa bickered about directions. They made it up to me with ice cream. I’m easily won over like that.

Got to the park at a bit after 6, got our cabin. Now we shall get something to eat, and maybe enjoy some vino afterwards with some television. That is what I call camping!

work and work and grumpers

My internet wouldn't connect for a while this morning, so I didn't find out till later in the afternoon that a redraw of the face was in order. So I spent the day drawing and drawing and inking and scanning and all that jazz. It left me quite stressed and hungry and grumpy by the time I met Ma and Pa at their hotel. We are going camping! Well, cabining. We leave tomorrow, but they came into Santa Cruz tonight. We ate at Ideal Seafood, but it wasn't all that good. The clams were chewy, and the burger was just a burger. Ah, oh well. I have a bland palette, so I can eat just about anything and not grumble.

Afterwards, we walked back to my place with my bowl and jade plant (which has grown so big!) and I showed them my house, and drove them back. Now I'm relaxing. The new drawing wasn't quite improved, so it's going to be edited on the client end of things, though it will be my work that is edited around a bit, so that is fine. If I weren't camping, I could draw some more. But I am, so I shant. Ah oh well.

I'll have my computer, there should be wifi? If not...well I'll be writing up my adventures, so maybe you'll get a big post on Saturday of my times and adventures.

yay! art!

Going to rest on the sketch. I think it looks good but I am also a bit tired. Have to give it the morning gander. Be all refreshed and stuff. And daylight helps.

Slept in. That was nice. Really, really nice. Had breakfast. Watched Doctor Who. Cried during Doctor Who. Chatted with people (online). Worked on art. Snacked on snacks.

Tomorrow I shall do more art. Well. I'll finish this. And it will be awesome...hopefully. Nah. It will be.

loops and knots

Looper was a fantastic sci-fi movie. So well done. Well shot, great actors, just all around excellent. I was giddy leaving the theater with how good it is. Had dark humor in the right spots. A well realized future without going over the top with explanations. The characters were many shades of good and bad, and it wasn't just one good guy versus one bad guy. Layered. All that good stuff. Really excellent.

I met Steve for Pho before the movie, up in San Jose. There was an accident on 17, but going in the other way. I felt bad for the miles and miles of slow moving people. It just went on and on till I turned onto 280.

Work was good. Got the job set up, ran it. Boss and Andrew were off doing other things, so I cleaned squeegees and floodbars and listened to Wyrd Sisters. Pretty good day.

I'm on another wee vacation. Looking forward to some rest and some seeing of the parents and some seeing of the sequoias. That'll be nice.

need to find my focus

Got some revised sketches sent off BEFORE MIDNIGHT! Whooo!

At work made a couple flubs. Need to be more on the ball! Get my head in the game! Pay attention! Come on Trillian! The stereo at work improved today. Much better sound. And by that I mean the new one is louder. And MP3 players can plug into it (well, iPods, I don't think mine will). So that is neat. Ups and downs. Still, I wake up and go "yay work!". I don't mind getting up, I don't curse the alarm, and I don't like being idle at work. I like how there are always things to do. Even cleaning I like. I cleaned a bit. I set up a job. Ran the shirts. Ran some totes. Weeded some vinyl.

Got back lateish. Had a little diner. Worked on art. Washed my work clothes. Got a busy couple days coming up. Might have a Saturday shift.

cameo & turban

A little sketch preview of something I'm working on. Yaaay.

Going camping with the parents next week as I'll have some time off work. Yaaay! Just going to head south a bit. And when I say camping, I mean we are renting a cabin and are staying in it.

Had a dream that I was running the towel job and everything was going wrong. At least in my dream my boss was really nice about it. So that is a subconscious blessing.

Caught a few jobs at work. Set up a couple as well. Cleaned some things. Removed vinyl. Wore my hoodie because it was a bit chilly. Nooo! This is California! It is not allowed to be chilly! But generally a good day, though I was really tired. Like my brain was just....wanting to take a nap. I've been having trouble focusing this week. I don't know why.

Worked on art. And now it is late, but I want to work on it a bit more.

tootie

Ohhh I ate a bit too much cheese today. I'm giving new meaning to the name "Little Toot". Hahah.

Anywaaay. I burned a bunch more screens at work. And taped them up. And we ran a few jobs too! Nice and easy ones. Single color. No fuss. We have a couple multi color jobs waiting to be printed, just waiting on shirts. I'm learning a lot about the sequence of things in running a business like this. Don't know if I'd ever want to run a big business of my own, but it is pretty nifty to be a part of.

Went grocery shopping, because a lady needs to eat. Pasta and seaweed and more carbs. I eat pretty much the same thing constantly. But I eat a lot of apples and bananas and I drink orange juice, so that is good! Yay for eating well?

Worked on art stuffs. Still need to make more progress before I send off the next stage of things.

Ma & Pa, have y'all figured out that thing yet? You know...the thing with the stuff?

there are some plans in the works for October

Work started at noon, on account of boss running some errands. It was a burn and tape screen kind of day. As they were on 305s, it took some high intensity washing to clear the image but clear it I did. And tape up I did. 12 screens? About that. I also unpacked some shirts. A short shift, but a good one. Got some jobs coming up. Whooo!

Talked to Ma and Pa again after work. They are grinding apples to make juice. Tasty, tasty juice.

There is going to be a tenth season/series of Red Dwarf. I looked it up. That show started in February, 1988. I am barely older than that show, and we are both still going. Amazing.

I didn't get up to much tonight. Took it easy. Making a to do list. Have a lot to do...on Tuesday.

goobers

Finally got down to drawing and wow all of a sudden it it 1:20am! Got some good drawing done, could have achieved more but I didn't. Tomorrow. I have a good feeling about this sketch stage.

Today I slept in. Had a nice scramble. Watched the Emmy's. Yay for Aaron Paul winning! Can't believe that Sarah Palin thing was better than Sherlock and Luther. Cannot believe it. Such good acting and writing in both shows, and they got nothing! Still, Community didn't get any nominations. Boo.

Talked to Ma and Pa on the phone. That was nice. They adore that new kitty so much.

Yup.

oh and I got some beef jerkey

I tried to sleep in, but I only made it to 10:30ish. Ah, it just wasn't meant to be. Had oatmeal, and a fried egg sandwich, and some quiche that Janet made (she is so awesome). I went to Target and got some things like soap and toothpaste.

Felt a bit groggy and headachey earlier in the day but that seems to have passed.

Doctor Who was good. The Bletchley Circle was AMAZING! Watching Parade's End. I didn't accomplish much today. Just sort of took it easy and all that. Tomorrow I'll get down to drawing and things.

Now I'm starting to feel tired again.

oh and the soundtrack was swell

Arrived at work at a very good hour, unfortunately there was not much for me to do. I cleaned some things, and went home. The seps were not ready to burn. Monday should be a consuming day. I was given the heads up that there would be leaner weeks. Just have to keep an eye on my expenditures during these times. But I don't really have expensive tastes. Movies, the occasional burger, books...that is about it.

So with my super abbreviated Friday, I kicked back! I washed my car, because it had bird poop and pollen on it, and now it looks nice and shiny. I did laundry. I tied up a bit. Kicked all the way back.

Had my leftover Chinese food for lunch. Had some pasta later on. I saw the 8pm showing of The Master, and it was pretty intense. A really beautiful, well shot film with great performances. I don't quite know what to think of the story, but damn was it nice to behold.

Won't see the midnight movie, Drive. Feeling a bit tired. Have been feeling a bit tired. Some sleeping in will do me good. Probably.

Have art to work on this weekend! No other big pressing plans. Art is good though. Yay art.

Kim Novak's eyebrows are amaaaazing!

I cleaned up the new vehicle at work a bit more. Weeded more stickers. Coated screens. Burned and taped up some screens. The weather continues to be nice in Santa Cruz. I put on jeans when I get home from work, but I make do with shorts and a shirt through the day just fine. So that is nice.

After work, I met Ryan and Cassidy at Yan Flower, a Chinese restaurant, and we ate dinner and talked movies and stuff. After that, we saw the special showing of Vertigo at the Regal 9. That was awesome. I've never seen Vertigo before, so it was great to watch it for the first time on the big screen like that. Now I must watch more classics!

Wednesday doodles

At work, I ran the sleeves, and caught some shirts. I cleaned and reclaimed some screens. I weeded some vinyl. Helped roll some vinyl. A nice mix of things. Started listening to Mort, having finished Equal Rites.

Back home I doodled a bit. I doodled this:

And this:

Annnnd this, in response to a Annie's struggles with painting:

So there is that. Robin is moving to San Francisco soon, so that will be awesome! Have to figure out what I'm bringing to the wedding. Hmmmn.

knit & perler

Spent the night playing with Perler beads. You know, those little plastic beads you arrange on small pegs and melt with an iron to form shapes? Those things. So much fun! Made a few little things, just to get a hang of it. Pretty fun night. Course, I have a very relaxed sense of fun. Heheh.

Joey came up and settled in my bed for a while, so I had some company. She made a big fuss of it when Janet tried to get her to come down stairs.

At work, I rolled this roll of paper off the laminator. Double handing this roll, always holding it up as it got heavier and heavier, and rolling it with your hands? That is a tough work out, I tell you what. Also rand the sleeves on a job, and taped up some screens, and burned some screens. I got a lot of ink on my arms, but none on my shirt. My shirts are considerably less messy than when I started. Whoo!

After work, I made a grocery run. Yay for food. And I installed better anti-virus on my computer. Then I broke out the perler beads and cut loose.

Is this what I expected my life to be like, at age 24?

Dunno. Yes? Maybe?

"I'm an American. Have gun, will travel."

Monday! And I enjoy my job, so I never wake up going "uhg". Sometimes I want to sleep a bit more, but who doesn't? Anyway. Got up, showered, had my breakfast and prepared my lunch. Went to work only to have my boss say "you didn't get my text?". "....what text?" Turns out he was doing an install in Carmel and there wasn't anything on the docket for the day. So I went home to enjoy the day off. Whooo!

And I checked my phone and BOOM there was the text. I'm pretty sure I checked my phone before I left? Thankfully it is a short commute.

Watched the new episode of Downton Abbey. Such fabulous costumes! It is 1920 in the show now, so that is pretty fun. And Mom's favorite Shirley MacLaine is in it.

Watched that. Had scrambled eggs.

Worked on thumbnails. It was pretty nice to have this extra day off, actually. Gave me just enough extra time to do some things. Still need to do some grocery shopping though, I'm out of apples. I can do that tomorrow.

And tonight I went to the game meetup at Woodstock's! Chris, Andy, and Alan were there, and I met Peter, Alissa, and Karen. After I consumed my pizza and beer, Andy, Alan, Peter and I played Evo. I came in a close second. The next game was with the seven remainders, and it was Saboteur, this card game thing where you secretly sabotage others in the game. That was fun! I tied with Karen for first place.

So after three hours, I returned home and finished up my thumbnails and sent those off. All is well!

there can be only one

Another weekend day spent over the hill! This time all in Redwood City.

Though first I slept in till noon. Because I'm worth it.

I also found out that there is another Trillian. At PNCA. Who is an illustration major. DAAAANG! I should challenge her to pistols at dawn.

Anyway, I had lunch at Pamplemousse in Redwood City with Luke. Who is Luke? Well another of those online fellows. He would be the....fourth? Hahah. Though some may be more reoccuring than others. Luke is studying biology (or some subdivision of it) at Stanford and has been all around the world and generally was pretty cool. I had a bacon avocado turkey sandwich and it was amazing. It was a nice little luncheon followed by a little walk around the area. A nice day for it.

After that, I went to Nathan's and played Guild Wars 2 and watched Breaking Bad and drank lemonade and caught up on sibling stuff. Good times.

My GPS is having issues detecting the charger, so I got back to Santa Cruz on purely memory. I need to figure what its deal is, so that I don't have to struggle to get around north of highway 17, provided I continue to hang out with more people above the hill. Hmmmn.

sunshine on my skin

Most of my posts start at the start of my day, because that is easiest. Got up, had breakfast, as it is the weekend and I'm not working and it is Saturday I watched the new Doctor Who episode. Had some more food.

Then I hopped in my car and headed over the hill to San Jose to spend the day with Steven. You might remember him as being the dude I saw Lawless with and walked around Santa Cruz. Anyway, this time I went up to his area and walked around it with him. San Jose reminds me a lot of other places, but only for a couple blocks at a time. We played frisbee a bit and talked about Discworld and the Bechdel Test. Had dinner, and then brewskis at this new opening place. There was a Reddit meet up of sorts going on, so we shared a table with some other Redditers and talked about stuff that is relevant to the Reddit types. It feels good to know I can be randomly social with people. We shared poutine and it was good, but I want to have proper Montreal poutine. Afterwards we watched the Edward Norton movie Leaves of Grass, and it was an odd, darling, weird little movie. Norton is a great actor who isn't in nearly enough movies these days. My GPS had a dickens of a time finding reception when I was leaving San Jose, but it eventually did.

Tomorrow I'll be back over the hill. Hanging with Natey.

Though have some stuff I want to get done in the morning time.