Happy New Year, my fellow East Coasters. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!

While you're at, be sure to check out a little project me and a few friends of mine have started: [link]
The first comic's even up (highly recommended to fans of a certain comic I did back in the day ).

Merry Christmas and all of that and a happy New Year!

(Sorry for a lack of a pic, despite many ideas. Ciao ciao!

Well, so far, my Christmas was spent happily (in spite of a slight cold. Ick). Family's over (well, my sis-in-law and her kids; my bro's coming here after he gets off work) and we're just spending time as a family.

As for presents:

Mannheim Steamroller - Christmasville
It was good for a few tracks but the overall album's a bit boring compared to their past works. Sure, it was made for a show at Universal Orlando but SERIOUSLY! I don't mind the words (only about two or three songs were instrumentals) but... forgive me, but it was sorta boring.

Mika - The Boy Who Knew Too Much
I dig it! The opening track, "We Are Golden," would've made a nice anthem for my teen years. It shows the variety that Mika is known to do and do so well and it could fall flat in some instances. Then again, what's good music and life without variety?

Acoustic Alchemy - This Way
The latest installment into the AA discography, This Way was the first album released on Narada Jazz. For me, this is the first album I've actually "gotten" since I got into the band officially (and this means a lot since it's also my first post-Webb album. RIP Nick; he died more than a decade ago of pancreatic cancer *Catalina, Lazeez, and Nicholas hold up candles*). It'll take a while to warm up to (since jazz is something on my "okay" list, but close friends know I'm a diehard AA fan and if an album makes you wanna listen to it again, then it's done its job).

Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster
As you can tell just by looking at the "Listening" part of the entry, I have the second album by one of my favorite artists, Lady Gaga! Man, does that name suit her because she's clearly on her way to music royalty and "The Fame Monster" is a fantastic evolution from her last album. I must regret that I've only seen videos and I have yet to get the actual album (), but don't worry -- I'll get it!

Back to the album, it's probably the album I dig the most out of all of the ones I've gotten for Xmas this year. The album keeps you going from one track to the next, from the powerful and "monstrous" opener "Bad Romance" to the sexy closer "Teeth."

I'll name my favorite tracks later.

Snuggie
I never asked for it but my parents got it for me with my computer days in mind. While I never really told anyone about this, it gets cold somewhat easily in my room (my room has a lot of windows, one of which has an air conditioner [we weren't able to take out the air conditioners this year due to space concerns], and there's a slight hole in the ceiling that I'd rather not get into). I tend to spend a lot of time wrapped in either my blanket or (more so) my bathrobe.



So that's that. Merry Christmas (or Happy Holidays if you so prefer) to you all, and to all a good night (and I'm sorry).

As you can tell, *dj-Mara gave me an early Christmas present in the form of 1 year subscription. Thanks, dude!

In other news, while the semester officially ends the 23rd (originally, it was gonna be the 21t, but I don't know how it was changed), I'm done until the Spring. Right now, I hope to get some art done (especially for Murphy's contest) and maybe make a new ID (and maybe a journal skin. I tried looking for a "temporary" one to carry me over for a bit, but some ended up with elements not showing in the preview (and I don't like posting a journal without previewing it). Ah, so much to do, so little time. I still have a bunch of comics series to do, along with a surprise I'm planning for... a little pet project of mine).

Anyway... yeah.

[link]

Now you really are "standing on higher ground."

(I knew about this about a day, but... eh, stuff happened. That and it was coming up with an appropriate thing to say but jeez, I almost cried with Dan broke the news to me. I was stunned!)

If anyone have any contests open, let me know on this journal: [link]

Happy Thanksgiving you all!

If you're not celebrating today, have a nice day.

Update 11/27/09
How was your Thanksgiving/Thursday? Well, family was over and I managed to make time for two pics: Sweet Behania (which barely made it into *blossomppg's contest) and The Princess and the Cakea (concept art for "CASC Christmas Chaos 2009: Cristmas Crisalide," a Christmas special crossover arc).

As for the journal title, I was asking because I was talking with a friend about how my views, comments, and faves have been far and few these days (and while I said I barely care about attention and stats, I sorta feel like I'm under a lot of pressure to be noticed, especially after shedding the shackles of MSPaint). (Not only that but I also have a lot of free time, due to the holiday break.) Well, I've been thinking of entering more contests to get noticed and so while I work on this last-minute pic of Sandra (I have to get it done by 7:00pm tomorrow, because that's midnight of 11/29 in UK time), I'm asking you guys if you have any contests open that I could enter (preferrably one with a more distant deadline so I won't be rushing like the past two contests ). After all, it'd be a great artistic challenge and all of that jazz so... just me being an Alice, "curioser and curiouser."

Oh, and by ~silverdreamgally's request, there might be a colored version of Asaya and Her Shikigami in the future (hopefully by March 1st, 2010, Asya's 1st birthday).

Stay smooth and against the grain