A Safe Space for Moogles

But I enjoy myself. ^_^ Look what I made! It's a present for lookingforsigns, who may be as deranged as I am, but who knows.

Also, Dad came home from a business trip to California today and brought us some seriously amazing peaches.

So apparently there is a Lunar Hell. (Worth the clickage, btw - fantastic photos of the Moon's surface.) I have decided that in S3-verse, the Earth Defense Command builds a base there and finds it geographically behooving to call it Moonbase Hell; hilarity, as it sometimes does, ensues. "Hey, Roddy, where are you going?" "Me? I'm going to Hell." "..........."

Also, oh my god you guys I have a metric fuckton of yarn. It breeds when I'm not looking, I swear!

Only a couple inches before it turned into hail/sleet/freezing rain/assorted Yuck, but all morning we got Real Fluffy Snow and it was really pretty. ...A little precarious when I was out walking the dogs, though - it's hard to keep from slipping when one of the big dogs smells something Interesting and goes *yank!* XD Anyway, I guess the roads were bad enough that the hospital closed down early. And one of the clients had given us a Bertucci's gift card, so we got to have a pizza party before we went home. Dude, I totally got paid to sit around and eat fried mozzarella. I love my job. ^_^

...And then I came home around two and went straight to bed. I kept waking up last night and I was soooo tired. *floppymoogle*

What else... let's see. Well, I tried to pay my student loan online, but couldn't because - funny story - they have my birthdate completely wrong in their database out in Colorado somewhere, and you need that to log into your account, so I called them up for Halp and the lady on the other end said "just send us a certified copy of your birth certificate and we'll fix that right up for you! :D" so I go to my mom and I say "hey, mom, the Loan People need a certified copy of my birth certificate and this is why," and Mom goes "okay, I'll take care of it." *deeeeep breath* And I asked her about it today and she's like, "oh, I forgot, and then when I remembered I didn't do it because I thought 'what do they need her birth certificate for anyway?' " and I'm like, "Mom, I'm home all the time, you could have asked me."

*pant pant*

So, I'm gonna have to send them a check tomorrow or Thursday, I guess. And get on Mom's butt a little about getting my records fixed.

On the up side, I sent in my application for the Vanna's Choice crochet contest. I just hope they appreciate the beauty of my corset and ignore the ugly dumpling wearing it.

Crocheting a DDR mat blanket.

With a bitty cord hanging off it, of course. ^_^

*sighs* I'll add it to my list. ;P

I know it's the height of boringness to natter on about the weather, but... well, this is me. ;P So, it's been in the teens-and-twenties for about a week now (after lots of waffling over whether it wanted to be actual winter or not), and the pond's been frozen over. Actually, the pond looks like an ice rink. XD Even the waterfall froze over, you guys - Dad had to turn it off to keep it from backing up and flooding the yard, and now we've got these floaty things in the water to keep an airhole in the ice so the fish don't suffocate. But anyway, today's the day it finally snowed. Not spectacularly, but enough to frost everyone's lawns and such. It was being all polite and demure at first when I went out to walk the dogs at work, but by the time I went home it was coming down enough to cut down on visibility.

I do not envy all the people coming out for the inauguration, yo. *shivers*

In other news, my mock corset is done! Pictures when I figure out something that would look okay with it. Next project, the Magnusplushies. *rolls up sleeves*

Because goals are something you work towards, not something you lay around and feel guilty that you're not doing. And I'm having one of those fat-ugly-worthless lives days, so I have to do something to snap me out of it. So. Lists. Lists of Things. Things to Do. Yes. *nods.*

Crochet
- Corset: get it done this month, in a fashion that doesn't leave me scrambling for my camera at 2359 hours Jan 31. -_- (Shouldn't be hard, the pieces work up pretty quickly, but I need to leave some wiggle room in case the experimental bits don't work out like I want.)
- Naked Ultra Magnus (x2) for Ravyn: will probably take longer, but my goal is March 1. Even though there's two, it shouldn't take as long as Perceptor did because I have a little better idea of what I'm doing.
- At least three pieces for when I debut my Etsy shop, goal April 1. Considering how many half-finished projects I have floating around, that shouldn't be too hard.

Writing
- Five Myths Jamie and Adam Never Busted: get it done by summer, dammit. It's been floating around way too long. I don't know if the fic itself deserves better, but the concept certainly does.
- The Rose Bearer: mostly finished by the end of the year. Of course, I said that last year too and I wrote about, uh, one chapter. All year. It's completely ridiculous when I already know basically how it's going to go. *headdesk*
- On Broken Wings: ...I don't like the name anymore. Also, finish the new chapter.
- At least one short story/comic: published by the end of the year.

Video Games
- Final Fantasy 9: best game I never finished.
- Final Fantasy 12: or by the time I beat it, all the good fanfic authors will have moved on.
- Transformers: both the DS game and the Wii game by the time the new movie comes out

Health
- Join that tai chi place I keep driving by; Mom's promised to pay for it already, it's just on me to get off my ass.
- Some kind of regular aerobic exercise (DDR Hottest Party if I can get it or con my parents into getting it, for preference)

Life
- Get a frakkin' job


.....I may be setting myself up for failure, here. *staaaaaares at list* o_o

So there's a crochet contest going on, and I'm gonna enter (because I don't have anything better to do, lol). My planned project? A corset.

Not a real one, obviously. Yarn != whalebone. But it'll look nice if what I'm picturing gets anywhere near reality.

...god, I'm insane. XDDD

So, as threatened, I stayed up as long as it took last night to do my mom's blanket.* I got about two hours' sleep before I had to get up and go to work, all told. But I knew that was going to happen going in, so off I go like a trooper moogle and arrive at the Dog Place promptly at eight. ...Half an hour later I gave up and went home, very confused. I hadn't seen another soul and the building was locked up tight, so unless they were playing an elaborate prank on me... Maybe I was supposed to come in in the afternoon, I thought. So I opened presents with my parents, took a nap (homg needed that so much), and returned at 2:30 for what I thought would be the afternoon shift.

At 3:00 I was just about to give up again when my boss shows up. He winds up telling me that the Christmas Day dogwalking shift starts at six. Six. You'd think someone would mention this to the new girl. *headdesk* Anyway, he assured me it wasn't my fault, and I got to walk dogs with him, which gives me my holiday pay. So, all's well that ends well. ...I'm never going to hear the end of this when I come in to work tomorrow, am I?

Other than that, my Christmas is going just fine. It's really nice and warm outside, my parents are cooking dinner upstairs, and I have books and shiny things to keep me occupied. ^_^ ...but, uh, definitely going to bed early tonight.



*I was really expecting this to be a pain in the butt, but there's something oddly restful and cozy about crocheting a big fluffy blanket for someone you care about. I sat there in front of the computer and read old RP logs and the time and the yarn just flew. ...Don't think I'll be doing it that often though. *winces and flexes fingers*

...O hay, it's Christmas.

(Yes, I'm still up. I'm not done with Mom's blanket yet. *crochets furiously* If I hurry, I might still get a few hours' sleep before I have to go to work. But I will damn well stay up all night if I have to!)

I don't really have any deep thoughts this year. I'll save the introspection for New Years'. Just... I love you all. Thanks for sticking around and listening to me whine and encouraging my vices. ;) Stay safe and enjoy your Winterthing, whatever that entails.

Hugs, kisses, cookies and porn for all.

Love,
Moogle

Win #1 - I finished the baby blanket I was making for my cousin's sproglet-to-be. And it is all soft and warm and cute!

Win #2 - I went on eBay and found a kickass Christmas present for my dad. Which doesn't sound all that impressive until you know how extraordinarily hard my Dad is to buy for.

Win #3 - I have Dad's sugar cookies. Well, had. *omnomnom*

...Dadadada, da da dadadada! :D

Percyplush update: the legs are attached, after some hemming and hawing over what size to make his butt. Still to do: assemble the arms (about halfway done), make the scope, and add the face and other detailing. No further injuries have been sustained at this time.

I may knock off soon, though, 'cause apparently I am about to give birth. To a velociraptor.

Also, for those who were wondering: deepbluesquee has made it safely to New York as of this afternoon.

EDIT: ( Okay, I lied. )

I totally just impaled myself in the foot with my yarn needle. And we're talking at least a quarter-inch of penetration, here.

There may have been cursing. There was definitely screaming.

This kind of shit would be enough to make a normal person swear off crafting, but (as I believe we have already established) I am not normal, and this just makes me more determined to finish that dratted Percyplush. Even if he kills me, which he seems determined to do. *suspicious look*

...*limps upstairs for a band-aid*

I actually had these finished a while ago, but I only now got batteries for my camera so I could post them up.

( Projects: Felted DS Case and Tarot Bag )

And now that those are finished, it's time to make a Perceplushie! *cracks knuckles*

In other news, here's a wolfgirl ficbit that's been floating around in my head. Names are massively subject to change.

( The two human noblemen's voices cut off... )

So, room-cleaning with Mom was more painless than I'd dared to hope. She gave me some guidance and let me go, and we got a lot of work done while watching an all-day Deadliest Catch marathon. My bookshelf hasn't looked so organized literally since we moved in. :O (And it took her all of half an hour too, which is amazing considering the state it was in before. I swear that woman is a machine.) And she stayed out of my drawers, so the fact that I have a sexuality remains mercifully un-remarked-upon. ;) Anyway, I've pulled out most of the stuff I want to keep with me when we car-trip to Illinois and then head out to Virginia. There's not all that much - between books, my DS and my yarn what else do I need? ;) I also may go ahead and get a paid account on LJ sometime before we get on the road. My Internet access will be sporadic for a couple of weeks and I would hate to deprive you all of my brilliant musings for that long. ;)

Also, another character has set up shop in my head: a wolf who, due to the magic equivalent of heavy pollution, sometimes can be shaped like a human. I think this'll be my next story after The Rose Bearer is done. *sighs* I'm never going to get out all the stories in my head before I die at this rate. Currently I'm making a pouch for my tarot cards to replace the one it came with (fell apart quite spectacularly). When I'm done (and get new batteries for my camera) I'll post pictures, as well as the pouch I did for my DS. (It's felted and I'm very proud of it. ^_^)

In the meantime: this travesty is all lookingforsigns's and (lj)vani_nessa's fault.

And I even got my parents a card for their anniversary. :D ...of course, I ran into them on the way to the bookstore, so it's not as if I could play it off like I'd had it for weeks. Dammit. ;P Anyway, I wrote in the card that I'd take them out to breakfast one day, so there you have it. Instant present, no guilt. ;)

Also, I may be insane. But it's for a good cause! :D

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I shall go collapse.

Internet hugs helped a lot, you guys. Possibly more than they should considering the lack of actual physical human contact. Perhaps I'm evolving in a 'netwardly direction. This time next year I'll have figured out how to hook my brain up directly to the Internet, and I will never leave my house again. They'll find me still twitching in a puddle of my own drool, a lolcat still hovering before my eyes.

...The hamburger thoughtfully provided by my school this afternoon probably helped my mood too. I'm a college student, I never turn down free food. Of course, this is all contingent on whether I manage to slog through the metric utter fuckton of work I still need to do before graduation. I've got nothing but sketches for my senior projects, for fuck's sake, what have I been doing the past six weeks? *is going to die* ...At least my portfolio's past the halfway point, I guess. Or it would be if my professors would quit finding little nitpicky things that mean I have to reprint the whole shebang. -_- (No lectures, people, please. My inner Mom Voice has got that Covered.)

My current crochet project is a shrug made with Satin Sport, which is quite softandsilky for an acrylic yarn and I love it very much. I've only got about half the left sleeve done so far. The directions tell me to work it flat, s to keep track of which is the outside and the inside, I've got the sleeve closed with a twist tie from some toy packaging. Thus my addictions feed into each other. Pictures later, maybe.

This "fandom plushie on Etsy" thing might not be such a pipe dream after all. I'm almost done and I've only been working a few hours.

(No, you don't get to know what I'm making. 120-bell sekrits!)

( Also, childhood-destroying stuff behind the cut. Prince Caspian spoilery, at that. )

Back to crocheting. *clutches hook, manic grin*

It's so silky-soft and fluffy. Like crocheting with a cloud.

*rubs cheek against it and sighs* ^_______^

So my professor (the one I like; she goes to fantasy conventions, hee!) talked to me today about what would be expected of me my last quarter. In addition to the one class I still need, I'll be doing Senior Portfolio and Senior Project. Senior Project entails finding at least three different people and making Things for them. My aunt has made noises about me making a website for her side business making shinies with pressed flowers, and if I can swallow my revulsion I could go talk to FrameShop Bosslady, she'd probably give me something, but damned if I can think of a third... *headscratch* I'd make something up, but apparently there are Official Documents to be documented during the whole process.

Last day is July 4, appropriately enough. I know I really should think about getting a bachelor's degree (making it easier to go be with my Triad, among other things), but I am just so burned out on school... -_-

Wednesday is Mom's birthday (omg my mother is turning fifty.) and I just finished her scarf this evening. I used Lion Suede, which is pretty, but man is it ever a pain to work with. *massages hands* ...Now, onward to making pretty dolls! :D ...yes, Rattrap, writing first. Pushy muses.

So, Christmas.

poptartodoom came over to spend the night on Christmas Eve, and we had a brief crocheting bee and watched Muppet Christmas Carol and March of the Penguins complete with snark and squeeing over the baby penguins. And then there was conking out.

Christmas morning I woke Poptart up around nine so she could make eggnog french toast. It was amazing and delicious, even though none of us could find the cinnamon. XD After that there was presents, presents, more presents, turkey dinner, and falling asleep on Poptart watching my new Mythbusters DVDs. ^_^;;; (And yes, drharper, my TF/MB bunny is firmly latched onto my ankle, before you ask.) Other presents of note include a pink exercise ball, handmade earrings, a set of pretty blue dishware, and a brand-new set of speakers for my computer.

Today my parents left for Illinois for family tiem, leaving me to hold down the fort until New Years'. I've pretty much just been puttering around and thinking up ideas for a backup Ohayocon costume. Due to a lack of funds I'll probably just end up revamping my moogle costume, though I may go get something that fits me better to use as the body. I had a set of white sweats, but they're much too big and make me look like a marshmallow. -_-

Other than that, I just have to think about Sources of Income, both now and after I graduate. A job would be nice, of course. I'm also working on Etsy ideas, but I have to wonder what kind of trouble I'd get into if I sold FF7 plushies on there. Here's the copyright thing. I don't think Etsy does much in the way of self-policing, and if so I'd be okay as long as I kept a low profile. Still, it wouldn't hurt to play it safe.

In other news, I'm tempted to do this to the Nativity scene at a nearby Lutheran church. Does that make me a bad person?

My goals for this evening is to finish Ravyn's present. My goal for Friday is to crack 20,000 words in my novel. Possible obstacles to these goals include TF:A premiering tonight, which may make me fangasm.