[Coming to Terms...]

So, for all those who know me, everything has been way crazy lately. I've had all manner of rough times with school, family, and friends for the past few weeks, and that video that I wanted to make just isn't going to happen. I've been sick with a cold turned cough, too, and my throat sounds like the living dead. I wanted a lot of things for this blog, but it's clear to me that those things just aren't going to happen.

I've decided, therefore, that I'll just give an update of what I plan to do for the year, and hope for the best in all other regards.

First off I want to try and cosplay Elizabeth for AOD, *if* I can even go.



Then there's A.B.A. from Guilty Gear, who will be revamped as I've already made her before. This time I'll do the red version. I'm not sure if I'm going to AX or Fanime, only time will tell.

And last but not least, Makoto Kikuchi from Idolm@ster.

I don't know which of her outfits I will be making yet. Only 2 have been shown from the new Idolm@ster game coming out sometime next year. Whichever con I end up wearing ABA to will probably be the same con I unveil Makoto. Although I do think it would be really cute if we were in Japantown taking pictures as an Idolm@ster group with all the Japanese themed stuff in the back... Hmmmm.... Maybe I should switch Elizabeth for Makoto instead..! I don't know, it will depend on who, if anyone, cosplays idolm@ster with me.

Anyway, I'm not really sure what cons I'll be attending in 2011. The one con I am going to for SURE, even if I have to drop cosplays to attend, is PAX. I am really, really heartbroken I couldn't go this year, and I don't want one more year to be spent in disappointment. It'll be a bit more expensive having to pay for a train ticket or plane ticket, but I plan to save every dime to make it! AOD, Fanime, and/or AX are the other cons that would be *nice*, but it will very largely depend on how much money I have. Do wish me luck, as I will certainly need it!

[Updates... or lack thereof.]

A lot has gone on with me and... I haven't had anything cosplay related come up. I had every intention of posting my final versions of the props I made in video form, but I have a lot of other things to show people too, and I kiiiiiinda wanna get my hair cut before then. I should have updates within the week regarding what I'll be doing next and when I plan to do it. I plan to photoshop a bunch of pretty things to make all my projects presentable. In the meantime I have to ask for patience. :X

[New Computer!]

I can't stop talking about it because I'm so in love with it! It runs Dragon Age on the highest graphical settings and doesn't lag in the slightest. I truly cannot express with mere words how incredibly excited I am for Starcraft II.

Unfortunately I'm uhh... slightly broke because I spent all my money on my new computer (including what was my PAX munners.) PAX sold out of 3-day tickets already anyway, so even if I had the money it's too late now. But that's okay. I'm saving everything I can for next year's PAX. I'm going whether I go alone or not! I'll MAKE some friends. It's gonna happen!!!

I finished my Winona cosplay but there aren't any pictures I have of it right now (I'm sorry, I know I'm horrible at picture updates.) It was just so hot today and I was dripping sweat (106 degrees Fahrenheit) I felt really gross in it and I don't think any picture I would have taken there would have been very flattering to either me or the costume >_>;;

I really did enjoy being in the panel for Ani-Vent though, I think that was my favorite part of the day. I'm pretty sure I will not be attending Ani-vent next year however (I will resist all peer pressure.) I really don't mind attending one or two cons a year. Even if it means being left out (and I know it will) I might just make that trade so that when I do go, I'll have full energy and enthusiasm.

I have this urge to make this personal but everything in me is saying it's a poor idea so, I'm gonna avoid that, and go chill out and play some games. It's so nice having freedom and peace with alone time. I love my friends... and I equally love my solitude. :)

P.S. There was a badass Bill and a hunter at Ani-vent too and they were really cool. It was a rare find at something so small it and it was really awesome to have seen them. :D

[Breaktime.]

I'm not out of school for my one week break until Wednesday, but during my weekends, the time I do have to myself I spent playing some games. I needed it desperately, it was a hobby sorely missed.

Among the games I was blessed to find was Skies of Arcadia for $15, money I spent happily! Sure it has your typical JRPG elements but they did manage to mix a few things up in the system and I'm really enjoying it. :) I haven't felt this kind of joy from a game in a while... playing it kinda makes me feel like a kid again.

I just noticed as I was playing that the boss battle music shifts according to how well you're doing in a fight, and I thought that was a pretty neat concept. There are a lot of pretty neat concepts in this game, they're small but creative, and there's enough of them to make the game noteworthy at the very least. ^^; I can see why it was very highly recommended to me. I plan to play it more before having to go to bed for school tomorrow. Weh.

I'm gonna be attending AniVent that's taking place in Fresno, which is about 45 minutes from where I live, and it's where I go to school. For this convention I'll be throwing together a Winona costume from Pokemon. She's the flying-type gym leader, which is awesome because I quite love my flying team on Pokemon Diamond. I recently got myself a Dragonite after a few grueling hours of power leveling, and he's my star (it's technically a she but I regard it as male... and named it Elliot after Pete's Dragon :3 <3 I love Dragonite!!) Maybe sometime in the winter I'll whip out a Dragonite gijinka cosplay, I dunno. ^~^;

But yeah, here is Winona.
[link]
I probably won't do the hair things on the side of her head, or if I do, it won't be out of hair >_>;

Anyway yeah, that's what's up with me. x3 I'ma go play my games, no interruptions. Shall be magical as always. :3

[Fanime.]

I feel kind of bad that Fanime has come and gone and I haven't made a post saying anything about it. Truth be told there was a lot of drama towards the beginning, and this was put on top of the fact that I already wasn't happy with the shape I was in wearing Velvet's outfit (or lack thereof >_>). The last two days of the trip were enjoyable though, but it still doesn't feel like Fanime even happened. There's like a hole where the con should have been and it doesn't feel filled. Oh well though. Now we'll be on to bigger and better things.

After seeing pictures of myself this year I have decided this was the last year that I will be cosplaying characters that show stomach. I feel miserable regardless of what anyone says about it, miserable to such an extent that this is the first year I have specifically and intentionally AVOIDED finding pictures of myself from the con. Don't whine or try to encourage me back into it... or anything like that. My mind is made up and I would be happier about it if it was no longer mentioned.

That said I hope I can find more characters that are covered AND have giant props again. This year marked a lot of lows for me and I just want to do everything differently next year. Everything. This is what I learned:

I CANNOT cosplay a character without bangs. It just looks awful on me, and I can't be convinced otherwise.
I can no longer cosplay characters with tummy showing.
I need to lean more towards props that will detract for what I lack in other areas as a cosplayer.
No cosplaying characters with long hair. As much as I dislike having long hair, I like having a long wig on even less.
No masquerades. Especially if it's with a large group.
Get over irrational fear of mirrors and really pay attention to where a photographer should hopefully be standing? Maybe?
Cosplay things that I really want to do, don't just cosplay for the group. Ignore begging at all costs if the cosplay even seems REMOTELY iffy, as I have better and more important things to spend my money on.

Kind of a list of some pretty negative things but honestly, I need to list these negatives so I can make positives out of them, otherwise all the disappointment and discomfort from this past year will have been a complete waste, and I won't allow that.

Anyway, negative Nancy out.

[Exhaustion.]

Seriously, I got a lot of stuff done today... a loooooot of stuff. No pictures (get over it) because A) I'm too tired, and B) because what I finished is a collection of pieces that won't look like much until they're put together. Luckily for me putting them together won't take that long. Most of MY costumes are 90+% finished. While I could finish them tomorrow, I'm spending every minute of free time I have to rebuild Kay-chan's Chidori axe and draw out the designs on Lindsey's Titania dress for her to finish painting on (I did the first half yesterday which took a grueling 6 hours, and then realized that I just did NOT have enough time to do that, then finish my stuff, then help finish Kay-chan's wings and Ne-chan's Gwendolyn armor, then the props and blah blah blah.) Then when I finish those things I can put all the small pieces I have left together, and HOPEFULLY be done with all my stuff by Wednesday.

Phew though! My luck today was finally turning around and not a moment too soon. I woke up this morning at 10:15 and didn't STOP, not to pee, or eat, or anything, until like 5:30 - 6:00 pm, then I stopped for like 10-15 minutes to cook a meal for Ne-chan and I and eat, and then I worked some more until 8:30, and finally decided I was exhausted and couldn't fit anything else in today without dying. So yeah.
Finished my Aegis headphones pretty much, just need to glue the actual ear muffs onto the headband and everything.
Cut out all the stars for Velvet's hood and painted them.
Found some mardi-gras beads for Velvet's head that were perfect, thank God I saved them.
Sculpted the head of Gwendolyn's spear (which took two hours but it looks really nice and I'm proud of it. I don't get to say that too often :X)
Cut out my Flareon ears and put wires into them to help them stay up. All I need to do is have my mom sew the fabric around what I made and Flareon will be finished.
Painted half of Lindsey's Titania dress.
Drew Boopy's fairy wings for her.

I'm sure there were other things I did this weekend but those are all I can remember right now. Lots of work finished. Dx The deadline is at least feasible at this point. On Thursday I'll be picking up my dad's Lincoln Navigator and then Friday morning we leave for Fanime! I feel scared to get excited because I've got more work to do, but somewhere deep down excitement is wanting to come up. I have a feeling these next few days are going to feel like only a few seconds. Wish me insane amounts of luck, you guys! XD

[Rough. Friggin'. Week.]

It seemed like everything I touched, cosplay wise, was screwing up or just not working at all this week. My Q&A class is kind of painful and, to add to my already irritable mood, I've been getting migraines almost every night. Last night I woke up at 3 in the morning with a migraine like I've never felt before and then threw up tummy acid for the next half hour. Usually when I get a migraine just one side of my head hurts. When that happens, if I apply pressure to that specific area it helps relieve the pain somewhat, until my medication kicks in. Last night, however, my ENTIRE brain hurt. Every area of it, in places I couldn't even reach, excedrin did nothing, pressure did nothing, it felt like my brain was too big for my skull and I just wanted to drill a hole into it to relieve the pressure. It was really strong >_< I got so scared I woke my mom up and told her what was wrong... There wasn't a lot she could do. I woke up this morning still with the remnants of the headache but at least the nausea was gone. Last time I had this sensation it was just discomfort, not really incapacitating pain. If this doesn't stop I'm gonna go to a doctor, even if they don't find anything in particular... :( But this is too much for me. I'm stressed out all the time and getting angry about trivial things because of it. Fanime is less than two weeks away and I have work to do. Ugh...

At least I finished like 90% of my Aegis and Flareon... I just need to be in the state of mind to enjoy it. @_@