10 Squees into the Future

Mushu Avatar

HUGELY busy getting ready for Context 27 this weekend, so I’m putting together my list of ten squees while rocking it to SOAD (System of a Down).

In no particular order… Here’s days 19/365 through 28/365!

1) A Clean Office: I now have art up on the walls! HUZZAH! And, a pile o’ boxes to unpack yet. Boo. But? It’s very, very good start!

2) Kirigami: One of the pieces that I put up in the kinda-but-not-really-forest-of-skulls bathroom is a piece by a Chinese artist of a raven. Kirigami is the art of cutting paper; you can find out more by visiting the Origami resources website.

3) Soundwave!: Picture hung up, and my Soundwave model is at the ready. YAY!

4) Fall: Okay, I may be the only person in the universe who’s not a fan of pumpkin spice everything. Like bananas, I like mine real thank you. I LOVE Fall, though. And? I do have something pumpkin spice I can try–pumpkin spice curry!

5) No Disassemble, NO!: I take great pleasure in assembling furniture. For the first time ever–we now have an entertainment cabinet. Woo!

6) Getting Sh*t Done: Closed the chapter on a major project last week and looking forward to getting more done. I like the word “DONE!”

7)The “Extended” Versions of Films: It is now official. The extended version of films are often better and more detailed than the shorter versions. Such a HUGE difference extra content makes for movies like Snow White and the Huntsman, The Abyss, The Lord of the Rings films, and more!

8) Halloween Decorations: Because it’s the one time out of the year that I can find the things I want to decorate my house with.

9) Sugar Skull designs: The design of the sugar skull has now made its way into the mainstream. I like the colorful designs and found a decoupage skull I can decorate. Already bursting with ideas! Still, I want to point out that The Day of the Dead is part of Mexican culture. I love the art, but I think it’s important to recognize where this comes from.

10) Maneki Neko: Maneki Neko are Japanese good luck charms always make me squee. Love the lucky cat and glad I found one to hang up!

    Mood: Errands, ahoy!
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: On my second cup of joe. Rinse, repeat.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: More housework. Ugh.
    In My Ears: My cat is yelling at me. Whaaaaa?
    Game Last Played: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
    Book Last Read: The Crimson Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
    Movie Last Viewed: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
    Latest Artistic Project: Skull earrings.
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing. See also: need to write more flipping comics and exercise my art skillz again. Feh.
    Latest Game Release: Echoes of War: Thrillin’ Heroics
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


September 23, 2014
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On Day 18, It’s a Squee for Spring!

Soundwave Avatar

I LOVE Fall, but I also enjoy the ability to get the most out of every season. This Spring butterfly I learned how to make in class and it’s part of a wedding present. So much fun to make this! And the wings flap! Totally going to experiment with a bat!

Spring Butterfly

18/365

    Mood: Swamped, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: I maintained the balance of the Force.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Son of a biscuit…
    In My Ears: A meeting. (I’m cheating!)
    Game Last Played: Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch
    Book Last Read: The Crimson Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
    Movie Last Viewed: Machete Kills Again
    Latest Artistic Project: You’re looking at it!
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing. See also: need to write more flipping comics and exercise my art skillz again. Feh.
    Latest Game Release: Echoes of War: Thrillin’ Heroics
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


September 18, 2014
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Hump Day for a Trio of Squees and Contemplation

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I’ve been neck deep in production and I let this slip…so getting caught up right now! Main issue is that it’s so much easier to get pissed about this or that–especially online–but not as easy to focus on what makes me happy. I had that conversation recently with a friend, because there are a few reasons I point out the positive. I am surrounded by darkness. I think we all are, in a way, depending upon how you define the dark. Maybe that’s the literal darkness of space or the darkness and confusion we feel by not knowing the future. Maybe it’s a word that relates to the past or the fog of depression. Whatever the reason, there is darkness and it’s visible, apparent, omnipresent.

The luminous is not. The media is all about fear and loathing and what makes us different–but there’s so much of it, so many things to worry about, injustices to watch in horror, or even simple mistakes that were made that it becomes overwhelming. That’s part of the reason why I feel it’s really important to point out something good–because it takes effort a lot of the time. For me, to combat the darkness–my darkness as I define it? Well, that’s what these squees are all about.

Anyway, I have three today. Number 15/365 is this Patreon to support my comic publisher Red Stylo Media. New ways of funding comics give new comic writers like myself the opportunity to get published. I’ve talked some about the economics of comics publishing, but if you really want a hard look at the industry and the economics behind this be sure read Jim Zub’s blog.

Number 16/365 is a lost forest in the world’s largest cave in Vietnam. How awesome is it that we’re still finding new places to explore?

And last but not least? 17/365 goes to fan feedback. Because nothing, and I mean nothing, is a replacement for a fan squee when working on a project. Awesome!

    Mood: Busy, busy, bee.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: A few.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: Hah. Hardly!
    In My Ears: My compy fan.
    Game Last Played: Age of Reckoning: Kingdoms of Amalur
    Book Last Read: The Crimson Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
    Movie Last Viewed: Machete Kills Again
    Latest Artistic Project: My cat ate my Halloween decorations
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing. See also: need to write more flipping comics and exercise my art skillz again. Feh.
    Latest Game Release: Hunter the Vigil: Mortal Remains
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


September 17, 2014
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The Weekend Squees! Days 13 & 14

Fire She-Ra Avatar

Workshops yesterday for jewelry and today I’m seeing the light at the end of the backlog! YAY! That said, I’m not quite done with the pieces I made yet, and will post those separately. I am COMMITTED to the squees, however, so wanted to get this up.

Here’s some links to examples of what I’ve created in the past. Fun!

13/14 of 365

    Mood: Creative as all get out.
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Cup number two
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: E-mails a-way!
    In My Ears: “Listen”, Season 8 Doctor Who
    Game Last Played: Age of Reckoning: Kingdoms of Amalur
    Book Last Read: The Crimson Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
    Movie Last Viewed: Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
    Latest Artistic Project: My cat ate my Halloween decorations
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing. See also: need to write more flipping comics and exercise my art skillz again. Feh.
    Latest Game Release: Hunter the Vigil: Mortal Remains
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


September 14, 2014
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On History Redux for a Squee

Gromit Reading Avatar

Well, I’m happy that this 365 Days worth of Squee is off to a great start. I’m in the middle of unpacking my library, stumbling on the books I’ve been pulling together for my alternate history novel, when I realized something.

I am very lucky.

I say this again: I am very lucky. I have had some *great* educators over the years, from an American history professor I had to the T.A. who was studying Viking archaeology. In college, what did I know? Not much. I didn’t really fully understand cultural appropriation, Western imperialism, or how history books I’d read were so one-sided–I was too inexperienced to I think. Suspected? Yes. Years later, *now* I understand some things about these pretty heady topics, because I’ve intentionally put the time in to find various perspectives for a lot of reasons, both personally and professionally.

The truth is, I love history because there’s so many powerful and emotional stories there–some that make me cry, laugh, get angry, scratch my head, throw my fist in the air, and drop my jaw with amazement. I could be wrong, but I’m of the mind that empathy can be learned by understanding the atrocities of the past and listening to the voices who dared to speak of them so we don’t repeat these events in the future. I see that history is a lot more complex and real than what it often gets distilled into, and I reflexively want to find out more from both sides–even if it makes me uncomfortable–so I have more stories to read and, by way of research, more stories to tell.

This has been a transformative squee, brought to you by thinking about what inspires me.

12/365

    Mood: I’m… Getting… Better!
    Caffeinated Beverages Consumed: Working on my second cup.
    Work-Out Minutes Logged Yesterday: STILL yping like mad!
    In My Ears: Fish tank.
    Game Last Played: Age of Reckoning: Kingdoms of Amalur
    Book Last Read: The Crimson Affair by Lilith Saintcrow
    Movie Last Viewed: Good Morning, Vietnam
    Latest Artistic Project: My cat ate my Halloween decorations
    Latest Fiction/Comic Release: Last Man Zombie Standing. See also: need to write more flipping comics and exercise my art skillz again. Feh.
    Latest Game Release: Hunter the Vigil: Mortal Remains
    What I’m Working On: Primarily tie-in games work, original comics, and novels.


September 12, 2014
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