![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
meharmon's Friends PageLog in Create a LiveJournal Account Learn more
| You are viewing meharmon's Friends Page Log in Create a LiveJournal Account Learn more | Explore LJ Culture Entertainment Life Music News & Politics Technology |
 | |||
|
C. S. Lewis
I'm reading some of C. S. Lewis' nonfiction, and I'm almost surprised at how much I'm enjoying some of his essays. The following is an excerpt from "On Three Ways of Writing for Children," collected in Of Other Worlds: Essays and Stories:
Let us again lay the fairy tale side by side with the school story or any other story which is labelled a ‘Boy’s Book’ or a ‘Girl’s Book’, as distinct from a ‘Children’s Book’. There is no doubt that both arouse, and imaginatively satisfy, wishes. We long to go through the looking glass, to reach fairy land. We also long to be the immensely popular and successful schoolboy or schoolgirl, or the lucky boy or girl who discovers the spy’s plot or rides the horse that none of the cowboys can manage. But the two longings are very different. The second, especially when directed on something so close as school life, is ravenous and deadly serious. Its fulfilment on the level of imagination is in very truly compensatory; we run to it from the disappointments and humiliations of the real world: it sends us back to the real world undivinely discontented. For it is all flattery to the ego. The pleasure consists in picturing oneself the object of admiration. The other longing, that for fairy land, is very different. In a sense a child does not long for fairy land as a boy longs to be the hero of the first eleven. Does anyone suppose that he really and prosaically longs for all the dangers and discomforts of a fairy tale?—really wants dragons in contemporary England? It is not so. It would be much truer to say that fairy land arouses a longing for he knows not what. It stirs and troubles him (to his life-long enrichment) with the dim sense of something beyond his reach and, far from dulling or emptying the actual world, gives it a new dimension of depth. He does not despise real woods because he has read of enchanted woods: the reading makes all real woods a little enchanted.
|
|||
| |||
|
Fry's Electronics, how we love thee...
I was picking up some papers today, and I noticed the ad on the back of the entertainment insert from the Thursday paper. For those not familiar with Fry's Electronics, it's a chain of stores that sells computer equipment, video games, DVDs and CDs, electronic equipment (like what Radio Shack is or used to be known for), home appliances, and the like.
The ad in particular that caught my eye was labeled prominently at the top, "Mother's Day Gift Ideas." The background of the header was pink, and it was bordered by pink and yellow flowers. While the bottom half of the ad listed a number of movies that wouldn't be totally out of line for Mother's Day gifts (though I might question, say, Serenity or The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift), the top half was exclusively video games and systems, including:
|
|||
| |
|
More than midway through Saturday, and I'm finally on the computer. Got the bunny girl done - and I love her. I'd like to use her for the how-to, but she's topless. Well, I'll see what else might come up. I scanned the heck of the process of coloring her. 24 steps. Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and Sabrina is plotting to make me happy. I am already happy. |
|
| |||
|
Off to a show
Heading out tomorrow in the wee hours to do a one day Horse show up in Uxbridge. Last couple days has been spent printing, matting, printing and laminating book marks. As well as stock for this weekend and MediaWest in a couple weeks I also did some restocking in prep for the upcoming summer season. Man am I tired of cutting and assembling! Looking forward to getting back to work on Sunday...assuming we don't deciede to do some birding that day.... In case folks are curious, here's the link to the show http://www.redhorseinteractive.com/uxbr Looking forward to seeing some of the folks I met at the London horse show:) It's going to be a long day though. Two hours there, set up, show runs from 9-5, break down and drive 2 hours home again. Urrgh. Good think I like driving!
|
|||
| |
| |
|
05/09/08 Homepage Spotlight
![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} wii_kartonlineAll about Mario Kart Wii: challenge, chat & have fun |
|
| |
| |
|
Greetings to all!
I am still here and finally finished the banners for the next sermon series at church. I can now write thanks/thank you in 20 different languages (I hope) assuming that I have my list with me. Of course that means that the next Sermon Series is entitled "Thanks" It is amazing the languages I found on the 'net when searching for this project. I found a site that had some of the common words in Aleut, another had Jicarella Apache, a third had Quecha - a language from tribes in the Andes, etc. I did ignore most of the Asian languages as well as Arabic... Those used a very different alphabet/symbolism from the Roman/Cyrillic/Greek I'm used to that I was afraid I would put a curve or a line in the wrong place and endup with a word that was NOT what I wanted! (That could be bad for a church service)
This project has taken most of my free time and a lots of Painters tape! LOL! I really hope it is what the minister wanted... Still having migraines and am definitely sure they are related to work by now. They always occur after I have had to work more than three hours on an assignment for work. I wish they would go away. However, If gas prices keep going up, I will not be able to afford this job as I have to drive all over the county and rarely work right here in my own little suburb. *sigh* Eldest Daughter is finally giving up on getting her BF back I think. This morning she took down all her "I love *" signs she had drawn and posted all over her room. This should make her roomie (Youngest Daughter) a bit happier... |
|
| |
|
Lotsa mat cutting yesterday - and mat board buying. And then back to cutting. As long as I was in the area, I stopped at Sam's club. They have big slurpees for cheap. It's my only caffeine intake, and I still love it so. I bought crab cakes while I was there, and they were yummy for dinner. I still had time to do art. It's behind the cut cause it's nakid. It's only inked, I'll be coloring today. |
|
| |
|
Available on Lulu.com: Menagerie - a 50 page, full color book of Furry art Apparition - a 50 page, full color book of Fantasy art Just do a search for Diana Harlan Stein or They are $28 each through Lulu, and you don't have to wait to see me to get them. I'm so excited. I've printed a number of things with them, and they always do a great job. This is the first time I have offered a book on their site (most of them are just gaming things), and my first color endeavor. Way cool. |
|
| |
|
May News
V-Gift for Charity This month is Mental Health Awareness Month, so the LiveJournal team is offering users a chance to support the Depression and Bipolar Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping improve the lives of those suffering from mood disorders. Proceeds from purchases of the Emerging Sun v-gift during May will be donated to the DBSA, so feel free to buy one. Or, if you really want to rack up some good karma points, get a bunch! And don't forget: Mother's Day is this Sunday. Be a dear and check out the v-gifts shop. Send something that'll make her smile.
Brand-Spanking New, Contest-Winning Themes We know how you salivate over the prospect of new themes, especially when they're designed by users with a unique handle on both form and function.
( Winners of the HP 'What Do You Have to Say?' Theme Design Contest ) Advisory Board Nominations We'd like to remind you that the nomination process for LiveJournal Advisory Board user-representatives has begun. If you think you're fit for the job, now's the time to nominate yourself! After all, you're the only who can do it. In two weeks, on the 22nd, the voting process will begin; we'll remind you about it again here. If you're interested in keeping up with the nominations, watch |
|
| |
|
Spent all of yesterday morning building this huge file. Then, the computer rejected it, and the programs baulked. So, I spent the afternoon re-building things in chunks. sigh. I am china painting this excellent plate I got in Chicago. It's in the shape of a spiral nautilus shell. So, I am painting nautilus, cuttlefish, squid and one octopus on it. It's coming out really great - I am pleased in advance. Tuesdays is my china painting day. Soon, I shall start on some ornaments for a Dorsai ornament exchange. I also have mugs I need to do for a friend to give to her daughter's teachers. I hope to get back to some art today - buy I would like to get this lulu book out of the way. I have some web-page work to do for Natashia too. And with so much to do - I went back to bed this morning. sheesh. |
|
| |||
|
Masquerade final
Phew, great progress today. Feels good to get this completed. Had a lot of fun with all the details. Just some final notes on the step by step. Once I finished up the details on the masque I spent some time going over the entire painting to make sure it all flows together. More glazing with the ultramarine blue and burnt umber, deepening some shadow areas, paying particular attention to thrown shadows. Final whites added with opaque acrylic ink to punch up the highlights. And then comes knowing when to stop and say "it's done!". It can be very easy to keep fussing with a painting and then realize you've overworked it. Take a breath and step back! 14 x 20 acrylic on illustration board. Original will be in the Anthrocon art show (most likely matted and framed). Prints are available. Regular 8 1/2 x11 are $10. 11x17 high quality on illford lustor paper are $30. Hope you guys have enjoyed watching how I produce a painting. If you wish to see any of the details blown up and posted here just ask:)
|
|||
| |||
|
Finish line is in sight!
Barn door syndrome is setting in! Had a great day of work and managed to finish up the painting tonight. Here's the last set of step by steps as I finish up the masque. Decieded to go with the white masque with blue and gold trim. Just seems to go with the rest of the colour scheme:) Here I've just washed in a general pthalo blue and white for the base shade. Kinda annoying to paint around the inlay but I'm too lazy to frisket out that much detail:) Rest under a cut. You know the drill by now! ( Read more... )
|
|||
| |||
|
Afternoon progress
Motoring along nicely today in spite of errands I had to do:) If all goes well tonight I should be able to finish it up tonight. Working away on the jewelry. I have the foliage parts of the necklace mostly done but the other gems have only their first base layer of colour laid down. I like to lay down a midtone and then work up and down to add in the details, shadows and highlights. More under the cut, again worksafe.
|
|||
| |
 I just figured out that I have a whole other week. I thought the comic con was this weekend, and it's next. whew. It's like being given more time. |
|
| |
|
Lazy Monday
Not too much progress today. Too lazy for some reason. I did get a bit done on the painting though. Here's today's results. Roughing in the gold and starting to detail it. In case you're curious the palette is golden ochre, burnt sienna and the same white, burnt umber and ultramarine blue used for the fur and background. I've also washed in some more shadow over the left side of her face and neck. Two more under the cut to save on space. Completely work safe. ( Read more... ) |
|
| |||
|
Advisory Board Nominations Open
Advisory Board Nominations Begin This morning we are opening the nomination process for the user-representative positions on the LiveJournal Advisory Board. A full description of the process can be found here. To get you started, here are the basic things you should know: - You may only nominate yourself Everyone here at LiveJournal is looking forward to this first-ever User-Representative election! We'd like to thank everyone who is participating. Some words from our current Advisory Board members: danah boyd: “LiveJournal is filled with very passionate users. These users have helped shaped LJ's various communities over the last decade and it gives me great joy that LJ is recognizing and incorporating users' voices into the decision-making processes. Having user representatives from different parts of LJ on the Advisory Board will help make sure that the company is meeting the needs of its diverse constituents.” Esther Dyson: "I'm sure we'll learn a lot from the process, and later on from the two users selected as well. Especially, I hope that the discussions before the voting will be more meaningful and more focused on policy than those in some offline campaigns." Brad Fitzpatrick: "It's cool that SUP is getting users involved with the LiveJournal decision-making process. I look forward to seeing who the community elects and the results of our efforts working together." Professor Lawrence Lessig: “The user elections will provide a critical check on LJ's process of maintaining a valuable and trustworthy environment for the LJ community. The mandate of the elections will give the user representatives pride of place among the members of the Advisory Board. Each of us will look to them to guide us in our judgment about how best to make LJ the community we all aspire that it will be. I look forward to welcoming the user representatives, and learning a great deal from them.”
( Banners + code for you to use! )
|
|||
| |
 This is a character of mine from my slowly dying D&D campaign. I'm sure she's insulted that I gave her clothes - or she's so happy that she'll run away and never be seen again. Fairies don't like clothes. Maybe she'll forgive me. Dave's home today, and Sabrina. Hopefully, I'll still be able to get things done today. Gotta get to my e-mail. |
|
| |||
|
Cleanliness is next to...
Occasionally, my brain makes valid but absurd conclusions. After two rounds of washing dishes today, I hit upon the following concept: "...and the kitchen will stay clean if I just never cook again."
|
|||
happy
