Submarine Dreams

3726 Cote-Ste-Catherine, Apt. #10.

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:45:36 GMT

It has happened. Philippe, the kitties and I moved into our new apartment yesterday. A million thank yous to everyone who helped out. Phil and I will try to return the favor as best we can when you all need assistance packing, moving, painting or cleaning. This is the summer of moves, it's ridiculous!

We are already feeling comfy here. Tybr was all over the apartment the moment we let him out, but it took Ada hours just to leave her carrier. She seems fine now, though. Our place is currently mostly a sea of open boxes and art supplies, but we did organize the living room this morning.

The living room is so much more spacious than our last one, it's intense!
That opening in the living room leads into a currently messy dinette, and the door to a balcony.

Hee, of course Phil and I had to unpack our movies and xbox 360 first.
There's no art up yet, but that will happen once everything else is organized.

The dinette is a complete mess right now, but I really love the corner windows. The breeze is amazing.

Ignore the clutter, instead focus on the awesomeness of a double sink!!

This is more directed at Carolina and Rhonda: We can see the $2 breakfast restaurant from our dinette!!
We are actually higher up than this photo leads on.

I will definitely be posting photographs of the rooms as they become organized and beautified. Currently all the walls are white. I don't think I'll be painting anytime soon. It's nice having white rooms for once. Plus, art will make this place colourful enough, I think.

As for the apartment in general, it is great! So much charm and character. The apartment is larger than our last which is always a plus, and I love the layout. The bathroom is in a nice private nook of the apartment which is such a wonderful change from the last, which was right beside the entry way and living room. The wood floors are far sturdier and creak 90% less than our previous place too. It has higher ceilings, the walls are also far thicker and I have not heard the neighbors yet. All the windows have a ledge, so the cats are happy about that, heh. Also great for plants!

There are a few cons, though. We have carpenter ants, but I believe a total of six or so have been spotted and squished immediately, so it's nothing uncontrollable. We'll just have to be more careful with food and whatnot. Another con is the noise. Cote-Ste-Catherine is a semi-busy street, but Cote-Des-Neiges is far louder and we are almost on it as well. There is also construction going on across the street from our apartment. Luckily our bedroom is as far away from the street as it can be, and I also have an uncanny ability to tune out noise once I become used to it [heh, just ask Phil, I do it with his voice a little too often sometimes].

Overall, I am very happy with our new apartment. I cannot wait to make this place feel like home completely.

And now to clean the kitchen!

Happy Canada Day!

Through the backyards of our neighbors.

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:30:36 GMT

Cold showers, groceries, laundry, procrastinating, eating blueberries [only $2 per crate!] and pasta salad basically sums up my day. It rained for all of ten minutes which was horribly disappointing, especially considering the epic build up to it. I cannot believe it reached a high today of 40°C! It wasn't this hot five days ago...right? I'm not crazy? Helloooo, global warming.

I discovered a band called Au Revoir Simone today. Three ladies from Brooklyn, NY. They are really catchy, and appropriate to listen to on hot days. Though not my favorite song, I enjoy this music video of theirs. The palette is so enthralling to me. Their overall aesthetic, both audio and visual is very alluring.

I feel bad for the cats, who can only hang out near open windows, lay on the wood floors and lick each others ears to cool down. I gave them some wet food, at least.

Now I am off to douse myself with cold water.

Bleekly's Birds

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:59:16 GMT

I made a mock children's story book for my mass communications course. The creative media project was geared towards getting us to be critical producers and away from mindless consumers. The actual content of what we could create was wide open, so long as we dealt with advertisement in relation to the media. For example, the prof suggested we could make an advertisement or a satirical newspaper article, but I have wanted to try my hand at making a short story for a while and decided this was a great opportunity to do so. I am really enjoying that course. The issues that are brought up in connection to communications are right up my alley. Censorship, race, class, gender, sexuality, culture, environment... the list goes on and it is so fascinating learning these topics from a different perspective.

I got my first credit card in the mail today. The limit is way too high, which frightens me. I will try my damndest to only spend what I can pay off. Debt is my nightmare.

Tiberius was having a crazy fit of diarrhea recently which was getting very serious, but it seems to be gone now, thanks to the crazy care/diet we have been giving him. We were super worried for a while there.

Moving in 28 days, eek! I miscalculated and the number of moves Phil and I will be participating in this summer has risen to seven including our own.

I am really happy and proud about how my book turned out printed. Phil helped immensely with his knowledge of Adobe InDesign CS3. Whenever I have an idea of how I want something to be laid out, Phil always knows how to make it a reality. It is no surprise that he got accepted into DESIGN at Concordia! Finally he will be where I believe he will flourish the best.

I tried to keep it short because making a picture book is a lot of work! Enjoy, hopefully!

© Laura D'Alessandro 2008

The Gemini Project and More.

Mon, 26 May 2008 17:10:57 GMT

My friend Laura and I have started a dual photo blog called THE GEMINI DESIGN. It is about finding inspiration and beauty in our daily lives. Check it out, comment, and bookmark or RSS it! It will be updated frequently. If you wish to see all the images on the same page at once, simply click on the month under the archive. Also, underneath each pairing it is written who took which photo. LD is me, LF is the other lovely and talented Laura.

I have also been updating my ART blog a lot lately, so feel free to check that out as well. There will be quite a bit more activity on there for the next little while since I have lots of art projects on the go.

Life has been hectic lately. Lots of school work to do, and after that comes the horror of packing, moving and then unpacking and reorganizing. I am anxious to say the least, but really looking forward to it being over with. Once our move is out of the way we'll most likely be helping three other sets of people move here [or to another part of the city] as well. Lots of physical activity in my future!

I really want to buy a little grill and just put every veggie, fruit and meat on a kabob. Not necessarily all together, though.

harvest the emptiness

Mon, 12 May 2008 01:34:44 GMT

"And they say that the truth will set you free, but then, so will a lie
It depends if you're trying to get to the promised land, or if you're just trying to get by"
- Ani Difranco
I called my mom today for mothers day. Everyone in my family is in a bit of a mess for some reason or another. It is driving me insane that I am the only sane and rational one in the bunch.

I'm really getting into the mass communications course I am taking. The content and projects are very stimulating, and it is taught by one of the youngest profs I have ever had. She is enthusiastic about the material which is so refreshing. It isn't crazy to say I can see myself getting a masters in communications and pursuing a profession in the field. Not that I am 100% certain, but it is a definite possibility.

I have been having a lot of strange dreams lately. In one I came to the conclusion that in the end, everything boils down to numbers. More specifically, numbers related to mass and time. Maybe it is not who we are but it is what everything is. A sum of numbers and equations.

I picked up this role of film today. The woman behind the counter didn't even have to see my receipt thinger to know which film belonged to me.
I'd like to think they are familiar with me and my photo style, which I will be grateful for and take as a compliment.

This one makes me dizzy.

Where all these carts were located.

What a lady.

He certainly enjoys boxes.

Not my bathtub!

So here's the layout for the apartment we are moving into on June 30th. I cannot wait.
The Sims is really frustrating and impossible for getting proportions right, but I tried.

And now I will work from most recent to oldest happenings.
This little guy was stuck between our window panes and Phil spent a good 15 minutes trying to free him. He eventually escaped.
I had strange dreams involving bees that night.

Mesmerized.

These next few were taken at the Heritage Art Show.
Dead bird outside.

My two favorite profs from cegep.

They presented the profs with gifts.
I met strawberryoes for the first time. She's the girl in the reddish-orange shirt!

Em had to leave early because it was her birthday! So I took a photo of her and Shanan together.

Our reunion photo wasn't as epic as years past. Lots of ladies are missing from it.
Random: I never noticed how many buttons my coat sleeve has.

My dad visited for a few days, but I really didn't feel like taking photos.
This is one of the only ones I took because the sunset was so stunning.

Now going back a few weeks, a few photos from Gaia's birthday party.

Taken from the hip.

And even before that, a really super picnic that I went on with Phil, Rhonda, Kate, Kim and Alex down at the Old Port.
It was one of the most lovely outings. We ate an amazing meal, played frisbee, rented these strange carts that seat three and need two to cycle to give power and raced them. Afterward, we ate more and lazed around on the grass. After that we walked a lot through the city, entering army surplus stores and little shops in China town. We were all exhausted early that night.

While walking through the city we witnessed a monthly protest. Pretty neat.

Ok, I think I've gone far enough back in time. The oldest of these photos were taken 16 days ago. But I somehow felt it important to share. Not sure why now.

Need to get started on an essay! It is due on Thursday so I am not panicking yet.

a semester worth of paintings

Sat, 03 May 2008 04:25:28 GMT

"Hanna Gazelle"

This entry pretty much sums up what I have been up to in painting class in the winter semester.
For the antler series I am posting them in the order in which they were done. I only realized after why each one looks so different from the next. They are all modeled after art students, and I feel as though I subconsciously emulated aspects of each artist's process or colour palette or style. Weird, eh?

Also, all my paintings are sketched out from photographs I took. I never project or trace.
All paintings done in oil on canvas!

"Laura Deer"
The flesh tones in this one are actually more pink and lively. The camera does not do it justice.

"Meghan Elk"
This painting is the largest in the series. 4'x3' I think.

"Rhonda Moose"
This one turned out so differently from the rest because I sketched it out with blue paint instead of pencil and it ended up bleeding into all the colours [Stupid Laura].

"Evan, Age 16"
This painting is big. 5'x3'10"

"Distorted Self"
Another large painting. Forgot the dimensions.

I wish I could have spent more time on my paintings this year, but due to other ridiculously time consuming classes *coughceramicscough* I was restricted. Hopefully this summer I can get serious about painting and continue it next school year.

This is completely random, but Phil and I bought and built this microwave cupboardy thing today.
I am very proud of our work, it took far too long to build.

We also cleaned the apartment, and I reorganized the kitchen a bit, though most of you don't know what it looked like before.

For the record I am so, so exhausted. I feel like I have not been able to take a significant breather since the winter semester came to a close. Between Brockville, parties, socializing inside as well as outside of the apartment, cleaning, starting my summer semester, building furniture and tomorrow meeting my dad at the airport and having him over until May 6th, upon which day Phil and I will be traveling to Ottawa to attend the Heritage Art Show...well, you get the picture. I feel this strong desire to lock myself away with my boyfriend and cats for a whole weekend and just veg out to old films while eating unhealthy treats.

Oh, we found and signed a lease to a new apartment! We move out of this one on June 30th! I cannot wait.

the century is raging ~ but so are we

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:10:48 GMT

People come and people go. There are very few people I still click with from my childhood or even teenage-hood. It's not how long the relationships last that matters though, it's the experiences and the impression that each individual has left on me, for better or worse. And I, on them. My second year at Concordia has come to a close, and with it many people are leaving my life forever, possibly. I realize this sounds a little dramatic, but it's what seems to happen. I can't help but feel down about this reality.

Despite the fact that people often leave, one amazing friend who I have kept in touch with for over a decade is Taigan Penny. She is currently in Brockville Ontario, attending the St. Lawrence College, enrolled in Musical Theatre. I visited her there last year, and this year Phil came along too. She has an incredible group of friends who are intelligent, talented, genuine and beautiful. Every time I visit I feel as though I could have known these people forever. It saddens me that I see them so rarely, but at the same time they have already inexplicably impacted my life.

Small town, not much choice where to live.

At Zellers.

In Taigan's washroom.

Ashley and Matt.

Marko and Taigan. Marko is such a great person who deserves a better hand than what he has been dealt.

Did I mention how talented Ashley is? Check out her myspace to hear the music she has composed and recorded.

These next few are from my digital camera. The difference between film and digital is startling.

Darling Taigan.

Meghan playing frisbee. This girl has abs of steel, but is a softy inside. So kind and sweet.

Taigan, Marko and Matt watching unmentionables on the internet, hehe.

Thought the sunset was pretty. Yeah.

I feel I have a lot of major entries to make here. They're coming soon.

my little bird flew away from me

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 13:01:08 GMT

My last drawing class was yesterday. I am sad it is over. The atmosphere in that class was incredible. So many wonderful, talented, relaxed people and directed under one of the best drawing professors I have had. All good things must come to an end eventually though, it would seem.

The lovely Hanna. She drew the wonderful drawing shown in the first photo.
We also recently did an art trade and I am thrilled by the amazing piece she gave me.

A blurred out bit of Gavin's face, queen Lady Meghan [she calls all ladies lady], and Hanna.

Meghan, and Sarah. It's odd, in every photo I took of Meghan she had her hand to her mouth for one reason or another. She doesn't normally, though.
She also usually wears a cute dress. It is rare to see her in jeans on a Wednesday.

Daniel looking a little sad, but he was just drawing...or reading. He always looks intense.

The awesome Lana. I also have ceramics with this great gal.

Marianne putting the finishing touches on her project.

The cute and somewhat shy Bonnie.

Adrian, our prof, during a crit. I sneakily took this, or maybe he noticed and didn't care.

The lovely and ever helpful Sarah.

There are many other great people in this class who I did not photograph on this roll of film for some unknown reason.

For our last class we had to bring in an accessory. I made these little 'medallions' which I got laminated. I wish I had had time to make more.
I think I will make more anyway because some people who wanted one didn't get one.

And this photo is, well, random. It's from November when I helped my friend Laura out with a photoshoot.
Jeepers, that film was in my camera for a long time.

Also, I am incredibly relieved because I registered for my courses this morning and got into everything I wanted! Here's my schedule at the moment [may change a bit in the future].

It's great because for once I don't end past 5:30pm and I think that will really help me become an earlier riser. Next school year I am hoping to be on a regular sleeping schedule, where my usual time to get up will hopefully be around 8-9am.

The Courses:

Art Theory: Provides all Studio Arts students with a comprehensive set of professional skills that they will require to practice their art once they graduate. Some of these are, for example, grant writing and making submissions to alternative and commercial galleries. In addition, the course will examine, in depth, the politics, economy, and sociology of various "artworlds" in which the emerging artists may find themselves working in. I so direly need this course.

Painting 400: An advanced painting course. So far the best part about this class is that Rhonda and Emily signed up for it as well. I hope we get a good prof, sucks that we won't know until later.

Drawing 499a: An advanced special topics drawing course. The topic for this course is narrative, lyrical and drawings dealing with memory, etc. I think this is my favorite area in drawing, and this course has win written all over it. Adrian will be teaching it and Gavin, Meghan, Sarah and Lana have also all signed up for it so it will be almost like drawing 300 over again but maybe even more awesome.

Photography 210: students investigate and examine the numerous aspects of photography’s complex history, aesthetics, and processes, as well as different camera and darkroom techniques specific to colour photography. Students learn how to control the camera, expose film properly (transparency and negative), develop good printing skills in colour, and produce a coherent body of work. They should become aware of how colour contributes to the structure and meaning of photographs. Other topics include the history of colour photography and aesthetic and conceptual issues in the work of contemporary photographers. Yes! Finally a photography class.

I am also taking spanish and a communications course this summer for some free electives credits.

Anywho, have a great day everyone! I gotta help load a kiln and get my painting on. Maybe write a paper too.

21 Years.

Fri, 28 Mar 2008 04:02:39 GMT

Waking up to an epic treasure hunt is probably one of the best ways to start a day. And in my half asleep state and time restraint [Phil had class early] I actually had a bit of difficulty with some of the clues. It was thrilling! Thank you so much, Phil!

Answer: Cat kennel.

Answer: Fish bowl...the fish died a while ago and I never emptied the water out. The fish, yes, though.

Answer: Medicine cabinet.

Answer: Microwave.

Answer: Bedroom dresser..ha ha...

And I found this waiting under a stack of clothes! Rhonda's gift!
Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

And another clue...

Answer: Sewing table, which Phil and I found at the end of a driveway long ago.

And I found this waiting there!

Another clue!

Answer: XBox 360.

To find this waiting there!

Last clue!

Answer...well, Phil's filing cabinet.

Wow, I felt so spoiled!
After receiving all these gifts I realized how much of a geek/nerd I really am. And loving it.

The weather was really bizarre but beautiful today. Very mild outside with only a bit of snowing.

I played with the cats.

Tybr reminds me of snoopy/a walrus in this one.

In painting class Gavin enjoys sarcasm. That is just a quick exercise painting of his.

Rhonda, Phil, Carolina and I ate at Noodles Express! Mmm. Grease.

Birfdae loves.

Ha. Traumatized cat.

Philippe, who made my day extra special watching Bugs Bunny.

I kind of sucked at documenting most of my day. It feels good to finally be legal everywhere now. More birfdae fun to come tomorrow, though. A small breakfast for supper party. My brothers and Jenn are even coming from Gatineau to join in on the festivities! So no cake today, but plenty tomorrow.

Many thanks to those who left birthday wishes on my Facebook, and to Hanna for giving me candy and chocolate! And Carolina for the candy and the ridiculous amount of happy birthday messages!

Also, I thought I'd scan these old drawings my brothers and I did long ago.
They are sort of embarrassing but mainly just hilarious...to me.

What is up with that dolphin's mouth and the duck with the beehive head?
Oh, it's my family in the boat. L-R: Alex, me, Christian, Dad, Mom, Frosty.

Our old house. Notice my mom washing dishes and my dad watching TV. Eeeek.
...We didn't actually keep my dog in the attic. It wasn't a real attic.

Ha, afro lion. Also, notice how I capitalize on the blank versus lined areas.

I always loved Christian's drawings for some reason.
Again, the family is featured...with the devil and his bodyguard??

I never realized but Alex was pretty good at drawing creatures!

Goodnight!

some heartwarming words in a bad motel. you laugh 'cause you're unsure of which way it felt.

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 16:09:18 GMT

I haven't left the apartment since Thursday, the snow and ice was just too much for me. But now I really have to pick up the slack. Not that I didn't accomplish anything at home, but it didn't feel like as much as I could have had I left the safety of my cave.

I started reading Terry Pratchett's book The Fifth Elephant. It is incredibly comical. This is my first time reading his work and I am enjoying it immensely. My former Cegep professor Linda loves Terry Pratchett, and the art that was created for his wacky Discworld. I love how he makes fun of high fantasy and creates characters who aren't altruistic or completely evil. After this book, I plan to read Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood, which I purchased at an amazing little used book store my friend Gavin introduced me to. It feels exciting to have material lined up to read.

I recently started a diary/sketchbook/inspiration journal and it feels really spectacular to create for myself. I feel less inclined to update here because of it. I often would obsess about what I would update this blog with, what parts of my life I thought would be interesting for me to share with others. The way I went about thinking entries through wasn't healthy. Hopefully from now on updates here will be more sporadic, but more fun? We shall see.

Here's some bad photos to show how crazy it was outside:

We brushed Tybr. He was not a fan.

And Adelaide watched me brush my teeth, meowing at me every so often.

I have been feeling very uninspired with photo taking lately. I look forward to when that curves.

Hope you all have a fantastic, productive day!

oh bananas oh bananas oh bananas.

Wed, 27 Feb 2008 07:20:13 GMT

Feel free to answer any, all or none.

1. Do you think you can judge a person based on how they treat others, and from years of observing their behavior firsthand, through their writings and from stories told by mutual friends? Do you think that all that knowledge gives you a right to judge their character in terms of whether or not you want to be associated with that kind of person?

2. When is your birthday/how old are you [if you want to share].

3. What is your favorite meal and/or food?

I feel good. Realizing I have an extra week to work on my painting series and working out at the gym before noon made my day.

Oh hey, one month until my 21st birthday!

Spectacular Views

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:24:36 GMT

I am grateful for my health, my family, my friends.
That I bunk with Phil, Tybr and Ada.
Grateful for the opportunity to work hard at this art thing, despite all the barriers.
For being born in Canada, and all the windows my nationality has opened up to me.
For all the diverse communities I am surrounded by on a daily basis.
That I can cook well, I sleep heavy and I am able to shower on a regular basis.
Grateful for this song, which I have been dancing around to like a maniac for the past few hours while painting alone.

I am only 20 years old, nearing the brink of 21 and I feel very thankful for the all the experiences, trials and work I have accomplished in such a short time. Don't forget this, Laura. [Now get back to work!]

What are you grateful for?

My Colourful Valentine.

Thu, 14 Feb 2008 19:33:20 GMT

I love you Philippe Jones! Lets clean our apartment with a wild passion tonight!

Bleached his hair Tuesday night.

While he still had pink hair...

I love you, Tybr! You can be a douche, but mainly you bring endless entertainment.

Love you too, Adelaide. Hands down the sweetest, most affectionate cat I have ever encountered!

I am in painting class currently. Maybe I should start painting, yeah?

A thousand sharpened elbows in the underground

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:11:41 GMT

Clown Composite. Once you put the nose on it takes over.

Inspired by my friend Cindy, I started a food blog called Pattes De Cochon. Feel free to check it out, though it's more for myself so it may not be very intriguing to most.
I also have a blogspot soley dedicated to artworks just to remind.

I have very recently realized that I have become dependent on caffeine. If I don't drink coffee or a caffeinated beverage daily I get a steady thrumming headache that doesn't quit.

Shit I need to get in the shower.
It's 11:11. Make a wish!

snow can wait, i've forgot my mittens

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 23:53:57 GMT

I should practice black & white photography more often. It can be very enjoyable.

January felt like it would never end. Hello, February! I hope you are a prolific one.
I have been feeling very knotted and stressed lately. My ceramics course being the main source.
It has gotten to the point where I can't remember the last day I wasn't at the VA building. It's been weeks.
But at least I am off to a little pizza/spaghetti gathering. Mmmm...

Where there is string there is a hopeful kitten.

Also, a few pages from my sketchbook, sloppily photographed.
I forgot about the torpedo sausage cats and some other non cartoony things. Woops.

I got into drawing Dig Pogs, which are a mix of pigs and dogs if you couldn't guess.

I like towels too, Colty.

And then I got into this weird obsession with drawing antlers. Elk antlers are my favorite.

In reality that black sheep would be on it's head with all its little feet flailing in the air.

Note to Self:

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:41:42 GMT

Part of an ongoing series I have started which is titled "Junk on my Median".
Laura, you can be productive if you push yourself.
This weekend, in chronological order, you:

+ Went to Ikea [where you purchased a sexy thermos among other things]
+ Did a glaze firing
+ Received good advice about your future education
+ Completed the 30 cylinders
+ Started & completed a little de-stressing painting
+ Had lunch with Jenn who was here for the afternoon
+ Completed a drawing assignment
+ Cleaned bedroom [& other houseworks]

Sure there is still lots to do, but if I continue at this pace it will get done.
And in good time too!

What time is it, Mr. Wolf?

Fri, 25 Jan 2008 04:25:29 GMT

Last year in my history of sculpture class there was an 80-90 year old student. He was so frail that he could not attend an outing to the cemetery due to the risk of dying. I really respect and admire people who attend university solely for the pleasure of learning, of gaining knowledge and broadening their perspective. I often get the feeling I am just another frantic animal in this stampede to get a degree on paper, start my 'real' life. But I am gradually discovering that learning, experimenting and making connections with other intelligent, talented creatures will probably be one of the most enjoyable and rich experiences of my life. Unfortunately the clock is ticking and I need to take a full load each semester, and if not then make up with summer courses. I am not able to give the proper time to every course I am taking or every budding friendship I would love to strengthen. Some classes and relationships are becoming more neglected and that makes me feel very uneasy and anxious. Hopefully I will be able to devote tomorrow and the weekend to catching up with my workload at least.

I really want to do a series of paintings and drawings [unrelated to each other]. I have never created a body of work [outside of photography] where the pieces compliment each other and work from the same theme. My next painting project seems like the perfect place to start since we have to do three smaller studies and one larger finished work. The theme is 'Bad Day' and all I can think about is roadkill. Anyone have any suggestions or ideas that I can apply to this theme? I feel I need fresh perspectives to help spark my imagination.

Also, does anyone know where I can buy simple, elegant and relatively inexpensive wall frames? I'm going to try to make a trip out to Ikea soon, but if anyone can suggest somewhere else in Montreal or online I can go to as well that would be great. Oh, and I need a new prescription for Tricyclen. Anyone know of decent drop-in clinics I can go to?

Just a few photo from yesterday and this morning because why not?

It was flurrying and beautiful yesterday morning.

In drawing class yesterday we watched a dystopian Russian movie called Stalker.
We were asked to draw with the film feeding us visuals. It was very stunning and slow paced, so perfect for the task.
They're just sloppy/fun drawings done in charcoal. Nothing amazing.

These aren't mine, but I really enjoy these lovely chicken/human creatures so I thought I'd share.

I trailed out of ceramics and got distracted. I wish this photo were more in focus.

Photos of the lights for the movie set.

They're so bright they lit up the apartments! Must have been annoying for the residents.

Here's a crappy photo of the set. Today when I came up from the metro they were shooting a scene, so I was redirected.
But I sneaked into a parking garage on the other side of the street and spied on the cast and crew for a while, though I couldn't make out anyone famous since they were all bundled up.

Yesterday I got my hair cut, though no one noticed. It wasn't anything drastic, just bangs and a trim.
Well, this morning when I awoke this is what my bangs looked like. My first thought was David Bowie.

Hahahaha.

Goodnight!

Peek-a-boo!

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:53:01 GMT

For your entertainment and mine. :)

Tybr loves bags.

Even when I'm on my laptop his mere reflection distracts me from whatever I'm doing.
p.s. my boob!

Model cat.

These photos aren't great, but I think they're hilarious.
Please imagine boxing commentary when reading!

Ceiling Cat #1 [Mittens]: And in the ring today we we have the fierce Tiberius-Caligula Rex versus the agile Adelaide-Andromeda Bear!
Ceiling Cat #2 [Buttons]: This fight will be a close one, Mittens. Both have there strengths and weaknesses.

*DING DING DING* and the fight is on!

Buttons: Tybr comes in strong with a solid hit to Ada's head!

Mittens: But not so fast, Buttons! It would appear Ada's retaliation is just as strong!

Mittens: And watch out! It would appear that Ada has the far larger Tybr in a headlock of sorts!
Buttons: The fur is really flying out there, isn't it, Mittens?!

Buttons:...And Ada Bear is the victor! Tybr is beginning to skulk away.

Mittens: That was a truly legendary match, wasn't it Buttons?
Buttons: Definitely one to go down in the record books!

----

p.s. my mail order groom is hotter than yours.

----

So the weather lately has been insane. Last Wednesday [my main studio class day] it was so mild I went to school
dressed like this! But today it supposedly feels like -13 celsius. Bizarre.

----

I am going on a flash trip today to Ottawa to see my father who is flying in from Florida and brothers. I will be back tonight. Wooosh.

----

*GROSS WARNING*
Last night before supper Ada was on the fridge. I was petting her and she turned around to show me her cat trousers [fluffy back legs] and I continued petting saying what soft trousers she wore and then she LIQUID PROJECTILE FARTED on my face! I mean, my face was at least a safe 1.5 feet away from her! The liquid landed splat between my eyes. It was clear and smelled absolutely wretched. But I couldn't stop laughing. It was the grossest, most hilarious thing to ever happen to me.

----

I think you can tell I am not used to waking up early.
And I need coffee.
Hope everyone has a great day!

cleansing manifesto?

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:59:25 GMT

I do not need friends who constantly victimize themselves and make everyone around them feel awkward and guilty. Who are catty/manipulative and use people. I do not need friends who ceaselessly speak in monologues about their lives/knowledge. I do not need friends who cannot handle disagreements, and who cannot accept my truthful opinions/advice without having a tantrum. I do not need friends who are unreliable, or who believe themselves to be the centre of the universe.

I do need friends who I feel at ease and comfortable with. Be myself with. Who I can have an intellectual discussion with as well as all the silly random stuff in between. I need friends who aren't afraid to let down their barricades, and who I can trust to see my own weaknesses. Who are honest and will call me on my flaws directly, so I may learn in time to become a better version of myself. I need humor and levity to balance the seriousness. Friends who I can hang out with in my pjs too.

With all this said, there are some people in my life I wish I could cut ties from, and others I wish I knew far better. But life is complicated and the gray spectrum is vast. Situations and the people involved are not black and white. It would seem nothing is but actual pigment.

Friendships are not supposed to be a struggle. Quite the opposite, actually.
It may have taken me a while to fully realize all this, but I have, at least.
Now what?

orange morning feet

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 19:58:54 GMT

I'm too comfortable. But aren't we all?

"you never really live until your back's against the wall"

Mon, 31 Dec 2007 17:21:27 GMT

Last year I made a list of my most memorable moments of 2006. For 2007 I just want to focus on the best, biggest events.
My only resolution for 2008 is to better myself in any way I can. It's what I always strive for, anyway.
In 2007 I...
* Adopted Adelaide-Andromeda Bear!
* Dyed my hair pink.
* Opened an Etsy account.
* Went to Brockvegas to visit Taigan, met her lovely friends and saw Chicago.
* Heritage College Art Show and VAG reunion.
* Purchased a laptop.
* Went to NYC to visit my cousin Gaby & family.
* Went to Florida with my brothers to visit my dad.
* Found out I have a half sister somewhere out there.
* rhonda_izzle and lalocarolina became our legendary block neighbors!
* Philippe and I celebrated a very joyous 4 year anniversary. ♥
* Baked a [personal] record amount of cookies, yum!
* Hosted very successful Halloween and Christmas parties.
* Loved a lot, laughed a lot, and stayed strong.

Happy Winter Solstice!

Wed, 26 Dec 2007 04:52:39 GMT

I hope everyone is having a warm, enjoyable vacation!

My Christmas actually started on the 22nd, with Phil's family coming to Montreal since both Phil and his sister Jenn work on the 25th.

The most amazing Christmas present was the large area rug and padding that Phil's family gave us!

Tybr is always in the middle so...

...we temporarily stored him and Ada in the neighbors now empty apartment.

The living room is now so amazingly cozy, warm, soft and silent. Hooray for no creaking!

Christmas Eve vegetarian dinner!

Jenny.

Jenn wouldn't stop moving, hehehe.

This is the reason we were bundled under a blanket. I swear the t.v. wasn't green though.

Christmas morning with the Jones' is always a little ironic since they are Buddhists.

A closer look at the gifts shows us that Tybr is in the middle again!

Ada Bear looking like she owns the place.

Philippe being a little Elvira-esque with Ada, haha.

After the gifts there was some much needed relaxing time.

Apartment catz!

Down time after an epic breakfast.

At around 12:30pm we left to go to Gatineau. Phil's family was kind enough to give me a drive to my mom's apartment.

I feel this is a significant aspect of my trip. Cheese? No, grated butter!
Christian, my older brother, thought it was a block of cheese and grated it for using on nachos. It fooled me as well, but thankfully he was there to laugh and then inform me of the truth.
It is actually really great for spreading on toast and eggos, though. New invention?

Christian got two tattoos! This one [100 points if you can name the font] and a semi-colon on his left wrist.

This is where I have been sleeping.
That night Christian and I watched Paris, je t'aime. It was extremely enjoyable..

On the 24th I spent my morning wrapping gifts and drying dishes.
At noon I woke Christian up by taking too many photos of him.
I made sure to stay out of arms reach.

We picked up our grandma before going to my mom's family xmas party. This is her new tabby, Angel.
Maybe I'm just bias, but I think Adelaide is way prettier.

Photos from the party. I am drinking mulled wine and it was fantastic.

My uncle Paul showing my aunt Nancy his photographs on the covers of magazines.

When we got home we decided to open gifts since Christian had work the next day.

Enough Febreze to last me a lifetime! WOO!

Younger brother Alex admiring his first adult wallet, hehe.

We go to my aunt Colleen's on xmas day for dinner. This year was kind of hilarious because dinner turned out to be a complete failure.
The turkey, despite having been in the oven for 7 hours was still half raw. And the gravy was grossout.
The dessert was excellent, anyhow.

My grandfather today. He now lives in a home because his Alzheimer's is too advanced. Today was the first time he left the home since he got there six months ago.

A surprise gift from my cousin Jordan! Usually I look really dead wearing green, but this sweater looks decent on me. I was surprised and impressed.

My aunt's tabby, Kit. My holidays have been full of cats it would seem.

And my adventure doesn't end here! Tomorrow I will be busy shopping with surprise money and gift certificates I received and seeing a bunch of friends. So very possibly many more adventurous photos to come.

On the 27th I go home. I miss Phil bunches. And the cats. And Montreal.

everything looks perfect from far away.

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:19:37 GMT

Holy potatoes, who else in Montreal saw the lightning and heard the thunder in the midst of the crazy snowstorm today? My friend Jacob was walking outside when the lightning flashed, and described it as everything going blindingly white, due to the glare from all the snow. What bizarre weather. I love snow, but this is a little ridiculous.

In other news, my legs are killing me today! For seven hours I helped the neighbors load up their moving truck yesterday. We all live on the third floor, so as you can imagine that's a lot of exercise. I am also quite sad that they moved to Quebec City, they were the best neighbors. They insisted that we have no option but to visit them in their new home, though, and I've always wanted to see Quebec City, so that will be fun. All the same, I will miss Rosalie, Steeve and little Matthias. They were also ridiculously generous! They ended up giving Phil and I two ikea chairs [which the cats love for snoozing], $20 worth of quarters for laundry, a little lamp and some other things. There is still furniture in their apartment that we can take if we like [we have a key to get in]. I feel a little weird about all they gave us, but at the same time it apparently wasn't needed anymore and I'm sure we will find a place for it. We always seem to be lacking comfortable seating.

I am so enjoying not having school responsibilities. I love not having work or tasks I need to get done. Though I still have some Christmas shopping to do, but I love buying for others so I look forward to that! Oh yeah...and I never finished the dirty dishes...eck.

Sock Munkeez!

Sat, 15 Dec 2007 06:01:29 GMT

Meet Petey and Lorelai!
lalocarolina made these for us for Christmas! They are her first sock monkeys ever.
I decided it was important to make macros with them. Phil helped!
Except I didn't have the heart to caption on the images, I'm not a true macro-er.

"I'z in ur pocketz stealin ur munneez."

"Cat haz handburger!"

"Weez in ur paintin makin it bettur."

"Sock Munkeez haz catbed."

"Weez goin for walk."

"I'z one with xmas."

"Sock Munkeez are stealin ur xmas."

"Weez in ur bed readin ur Vaw-nuh-git."

----

Sentry Catz.

Ada is especially excited for Christmas.

Goodnight!

p.s. These were edited on my laptop, like most of my images. On Phil's bright widescreen monitor these look so contrasty! They're not meant to. I hate that.

After Renoir...

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 19:11:52 GMT

After Luncheon of the Boating Party

Phil found this on the median of our block months ago. I just had to doodle all over it. It's a late housewarming gift to Carolina and Rhonda. I love having time to complete projects that I've been meaning to get done for months but never could finish because of schoolwork. Here's a link to what the original looks like, just in case you need a refresher. Man, I love having free time. I also want to do some sewing, an activity I haven't done in too long. Ooh, and maybe draw some comics for Snow Coast? But right now I'm in such a comfy, warm mood. I feel like watching nostalgic movies wrapped up in a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate. Such a fantastic feeling.

Some close-ups!

Rhonda's Peapod among other silly things.

Carolina's congas will take over the world some day!

Random:
Adelaide looking very not lady like.

I dyed Phil's hair flamingo pink a couple days ago. Haha.

Aww, the neighbors baby hanging out with T.