I wish my comics-making computer and my internet computer were the same thing. I'm actually getting LESS work done because when I want to slack off, I have to go into a different room and I'm less likely to get back to work.

Most of the people who had a great influence on me, who were role models for me, are dead. But there is one person who is not: high school art teacher.

We caught up today. It's been about five years since I saw her last. (Six since I graduated from high school. Has it only been six years?)

We were quite close in high school. I'd stay after school lots of times, hanging out in the art room. I learned a lot from her, but she also let me do my own things. It was a perfect balance of freedom and structure.

And we had... the Art Cult.

"Dara, you're so talented! When I grow up, I wanna be juuuuuuust liiiiiiiiiike Daaara!" -All said in unison by six girls in high pitched voices. Whenever someone (not just Dara) did something really cool, we'd all say it. Creeped the hell out of everyone else in class, but god damn it was fun.

I'm not one of those people who wishes she could be back in high school. (For one thing, I'd have to deal with Twilight fans. I don't care one way or the other, and where I am in my life, nobody else I know cares either.) But it's nice to have someone help me remember the good times.

My memory is a terrible thing, full of holes, retaining the strangest things and tossing out things I want to keep. I keep my memories in other people.

• 11:46 Fuck you, snow! #
• 12:28 Jello seemed like such a good idea at the time. :( #
• 12:28 @ZachWeiner Yes. Weird. #
• 13:43 @nenadi I am avoiding stores like they were disease-ridden animal carcasses. I hate black Friday. -_- #
• 14:58 OMG I am scripting the final chapter of YU+ME right now! Holy crap. One word: Epic. #
• 17:21 Ah, the ending is turning out way sadder than I thought it would! #
• 17:49 Entire rest of YU+ME: done scripting. I am kind of sad. I will REALLY be sad when I'm done drawing it. #

Automatically shipped by LoudTwitter Follow me @rosalarian.

Note to self: don't cut your hair when you're full of cold medicine. Don't do it. Don't. Put the scissors down. Doesn't matter how good you think it's gonna be, it's not. It's gonna be even worse than it is now, and you hate it now. Go have a lie down, cup of tea, and think about other things. Resist the urge to go into the bathroom with a razor and comb. You can do this.

I am thankful that I can finally have real conversations with my family, because I am no longer afraid they'll hate me if they found out who I really am.

I am thankful that, for once in my life, the only thing preventing me from going to the doctor is lack of time rather than lack of money.

I am thankful that is hasn't snowed yet.

I am thankful that I have people to talk to.



I am not thankful that I am sick for the 59th time this year.

Finished everything for the ball!

2 days early!







... life seems meaningless now. :(

Tweaks and enhancements

1. In order to improve site security, we've temporarily suspended the ability to change passwords for old email addresses that haven't been used for over six months. For further information and support, please visit our customer care page.
2. We've launched a new mobile site with an enhanced UI at m.livejournal.com. View spotlights, post to your journal, read and post to friends pages, and more, no matter where you roam! Please let us know what you think, since this will eventually replace our existing mobile interface. You can update your mobile preferences on your account page.
3. We've upgraded from Beacon to Facebook Connect to improve dual posting. If you've already signed up for Facebook Beacon, you're good to go. If you wish to update your Facebook Connect setting, visit Account Privacy settings and scroll down to the option labeled: "Send information about my updates to Facebook." You can choose Always or Ask each time. Remember to save (on the bottom left corner of the page). To learn more, check out FAQ 249. While we're on the subject, if you happen to be visiting that side of town, please join our Facebook fan page for a touch of home away from home.
4. You'll now receive the Writer's Block Question of the Day in the body of email notifications. To sign up for Writer's Block notifications, visit writersblock and choose the Watch Community option. Next, update your Writer's Block notification settings by checking the box to the right of "Someone posts a new entry to writersblock."
5. Paid and permanent users can now view, add, and edit Notes of commenters. Notes will appear beside the username of comment posters (instead of stars) on S1-themed comment pages.

Send some lovin' thanks to your friends with our holiday vgifts!

Photos of the week

We're so delighted with the immense talent of our growing, global lj_photophile community that we've decided to introduce a poll. Each week, we'll choose a half-dozen photos (based on user comments and staff feedback) and ask you to select a photo of the week. The winning photo will be announced in the next newsletter. If possible, please limit photo size to 350x350 to ensure that images display properly on friends pages. We want to thank you again (and again!) for sharing your passion.

Check out this week's photo poll and more fantastic user content after the jump!

( Read more... )

Curtains

Thanks for joining us. To our American friends, have a fantastic Thanksgiving. To all of our international neighbors, we'll eat a little extra for you!

With all of the horrible luck that's come my way lately, I thought maybe I had accrued some good luck. So I bought a scratch-off lotto ticket. I won $2. I am a little pissed all this trouble only got me $2. On a lotto ticket that cost $2.

New page

It's funny how you can go a week stuck on a page, then all of a sudden BAM one occurs in 2 hours.

Last week was a bad week for me as me and Matt almost had our own Tom and Alex moment. Twice. It's sorted now, but it's very scary how these things can affect you and what you're up to doing.

I'm very tired now so if there are mistakes let me know in a kind and gentle manner.

Look what I have which you don't:



But that can all be changed! You just have to go visit the Khaos Store and you can get them! You can even buy them for a friend and give them to them as a gift!

YU+ME-related:

Trapped in his own body for 23 years - the coma victim who screamed unheard

Not related to the actual story, but I find comas incredibly fascinating.
Just so you know, if I ever fall into a coma, don't pull the plug. I want to see if I can't conjure up something close to the Dream World inside my own head.

65redroses
Eva is a vibrant young woman with Cystic Fibrosis who survived a double lung transplant. Read about her difficult recovery and personal triumphs over pain, isolation, and fear. Back in school, Eva now works part-time in a children's center and enjoys running and cross-country skiing. A documentary on her story, entitled 65 Red Roses, won three awards at the Vancouver International Film Festival.

meet_other_moms
A warm and welcoming "Add me" community for moms of all ages and backgrounds from around the world. If you're a mom, just post a little about yourself and start connecting with other mothers based on similar hobbies, musical interests, book/TV/movie preferences, or taste in humor! A great way for busy moms to socialize online.

kitchenfaq
Want to share a fabulous home recipe for coconut bread? Suddenly run out of confectioner's sugar with company on the way and need to find out a quick in-house substitute? Searching for tips on what to charge for a custom-designed wedding cake? Whether you're a professional chef, an aspiring culinary wizard, or a happy home-baker, you'll get delicious guidance from fellow and sister foodies.

I bought a dresser today. Up until now, my room contained a bed, a nightstand, and a laundry hamper. It was weird. So I bought a dresser with a mirror, a headboard for my bed, and a second nightstand, all matching.

For some reason, the dresser is freaking me the hell out. I don't know what it is about it, but it's making me not want to go in my room.


Some time from now, I am going to come back to this post and pinpoint it as the day I officially went crazy.

naturesbeauty
Always on the lookout for compelling images, we were delighted to discover this flourishing community of artists who share a love of nature. Honoring the subject with photographs, paintings, sketches, prose, poetry, and
other creative works, you'll be simultaneously riveted to your monitor and inspired to run helter skelter towards the nearest wooded dale.

I have a friend going to the cosplay ball who didn't get tickets in time before they went offline for sale. I was going to pick on up in tokyo toys on the saturday for her, but to save me worrying, does anyone have a spare tickets that I can buy from them?

Me: Why are you in a box, T?

T: Cuz I drank and cuz I fit!

Postcard winners!

We wish to extend our heartfelt gratitude for sending so much joy our way. Frank is still blushing with excitement over the love notes, proposals, propositions, and occasional intimate photos sent from his admirers around the world (China, Norway, Japan, and Poland just this week)! At his request, we blindfolded Justin, one of Frank's BFFs, spun him around in five dozen counterclockwise circles, and asked him to point to ten random postcards/envelopes pasted to the wall. After a brief trip to the bathroom, he chose the following lucky winners, to whom we will give a six-month paid account token (for paid, basic, and plus users) or, for our permanent account holders, a $15 voucher for the LiveJournal gift shop.

So, without further ado, the winners are:

1. seraphene
2. fotog
3. boykitten
4. seshat_6
5. anti_aol
6. lisalees
7. katrinkacat
8. mistyboston
9. _woody_lein
10. another_slender

Bugs, Tweaks, and Enhancements

1. We fixed a bug from the last release that was causing screened comments to become unscreened if they were edited
2. If you happen to be gaming around the corner, check us out on Facebook and be sure to spread the word!
3. We've added new vgifts to celebrate Thanksgiving! Check out our feathered friend, below!

Give more with charitable vgifts

In honor of national adoption month, we're offering a charitable vgift (priced at $2.99) to support Love Without Boundaries, an organization that provides healthcare and adoption to orphans suffering from life-threatening diseases. LiveJournal will donate 100% of gross proceeds from the sale (we'll cover the cost of credit card transaction fees). To learn more about Love Without Boundaries, please visit lj_cares. You can purchase your Love Without Boundaries vgifts in the Virtual Gift shop. We'll keep you posted on how much we raise!

Photos of the week

We're delighted to showcase yet more incredible photos from some of our brilliant LiveJournal photographers around the world. Keep posting (and tagging). And be sure to show some love by commenting on the awesome view at lj_photophile.

Check out this week's photos and more amazing user content after the jump!

( Read more... )

Curtains

Thanks, again, for joining us. See you next week!

Uh, the tremendous problems I've been having lately were a real killjoy. The owner of the flat was the culprit of it all, but maybe I should not drag it out now? I mean, we settled everything down. She was not - as presented by my flatmates - ferocious, at all. Today I was a snarling little creature and at the same time I just wanted to snuggle up somewhere. Anger was overpowering, though, and I even thought I could try screaming at the top of my lungs to get rid of it. But no, I had to refrain myself from it. My flatmates would think I have rabies or something! That maybe I've met a raccoon of doom. Uh, no. That way of learning new words does not work this time.

I miss Alex.
Why do I miss her so much?
I've seen her this bloody morning!
But I bloody miss her.
Not that I want her to come here.
I do, of course, as always. But that would not end well and I know that.
Uh, that's tough!

Why aren't the mornings serene anymore. I wake up vexed, I bolt to the bathroom, already late. Ouch, if I could just flap my arms and fly away. Instead I pad.
I'm so tired.
But!
Ouch, I live alone right now. My flatmates have moved out and I have the whole flat for myself!
And the kitchen. And the bathroom, yay!
I shall go and take a bath!