Words words words

I'm quiet in conversations, like will not say anything within a large group of friends for hours. There are several reasons for this I can think of, and several I tell myself as an excuse. Among them are:
1) A comment I was going to make was already made
2) I don't know have a good feel for the rhythm of the conversation and don't want to risk inturrupting anyone
3) I am very in-my-own-head so when I do comment it doesn't make as much sense at least half the time to most of the people involved. So it comes down to how many more times I can look (and feel) like a dumb ass without becoming annoying (and given the choice, being a silent "creeper"at least allows me to listen a few minutes more).

An example of the loops that go around in my head have to go with words and imagining them in a different context. Words like 'fortified'. A conversation at a dinner with friends came up and a few of them where talking about fortified wine. To me flashed the image of a bottle of wine on a sun lit pedestal guarded by dwarves. Dwarves and barricades. Dwarves, barricades, traps, a labyrinth-like maze, built into a mountain, and blocked by a walls and guard towers. The wine was fortified.
I know the difference in meanings given the context of the conversation before me, but no, my mind doesn't care. So I listen and smile beside myself, and every time the word 'fortified' came up, so too the image. I don't doubt that I'm the only one, so you'll understand if I didn't say anything after all it doesn't quite fit and there is really no fun in having to explain it (unless feeling like an ass is fun to you).
Then again there are times that I am just not thinking about anything...not even zoning out, just not thinking.

Next time, ugh...I'll commit to it... I'll put some of the short story I've been writing up. Its still on it's first draft so...

Tempting Fate

Still working on various things. So the short story I'm writing, as it turns out, falls under fan-fiction if only for the fact that I suck at world building or details of it. To clarify the short story is based in Shadowrun, I made a character for a campaign that may not see the light of day, but i like the character enough to write a short story involving him. Since he is in the world of Shadowrun I have a bit of a crutch for describing the world (which is, once again, a weakness for me).
Previously I had thought that fan-fiction was not just taking a world that was made by another, but also their characters. Reusing well-known characters like that, to me, never made much sense. That being said, if it helps someone find there voice, I can't really be down on someone for that.

Oh! So next month I plan on doing avatars in much the same way I did the Christmas cards, for free to anyone who wants one. That being said, there are 28 days in February, to which I hope to get 28 avatars done. If you want an illustration/avatar (keep in mind the illustrations I've posted already/simple and in B&W) please send an email with the title "February illustration" one person has signed up already so there are 27 um...openings?

Keepin' On

I find that there is little talk about again besides progress again. Though if I keep every update with "still working on ___" then eventually it will get boring.
So first what I did get done:

As of now I'm about a third to half way into completing the first draft of a short story. It's based in Shadowrun with a character i made for a game, but just wanted to explore the character more. I'm also still doing research though at this point I should be putting together what i got and get started.

What I've been watching:
- Sherlock
- World Wrestling Entertainment (still a wrestling fan, I know its fake but I still appreciate it)
- JoJo's bizarre adventure (a friend sorta' dragging me into that, it's... it's okay)

All In Progress

So I don't have much to add to for today, but I did promise myself to attempt to write something every Tuesday content or not. As of now I'm still working on the shirt design, granted I'm letting distractions get the better of me. Distractions named XCOM: Enemy Unknown, Far Cry 3, and various movies. XCOM I like, even when it kills my best soldiers and I, in a fit, reload a previous game. The frustration doesn't keep me from playing it, and I was lucky enough to get the last copy from my GameStop (The manager mentioned that it was getting hard to find/not getting traded in, so its obviously selling well).
When I get too frustrated with XCOM I put in Far Cry 3. Far Cry 3... I describe it to people who don't know it as a modern Skyrim (which I'm sure it's been described the same way by others). I find that it perfectly suits it, although if Far Cry 3 was a Bethesda game the rpg elements would be more complex/in-depth.
Beyond the distractions, I have been doing... something like research on apples and Atlantis for future projects.

Happy Day of Future Now

So its new years day, and where the beginning of the day is used for celebration the rest of the day is usually used for recovery. Unless you have work today, in which case I salute your vigilance. When I was younger the talk of having a new years resolution was prominent, a promise to change for the better in the coming year. I haven't heard much about it now though (no one asking "what's your new years resolution?") and I never put faith in them much myself. In fact the only resolution I've consistently kept is the resolution not to have a resolution. I think my main problem with the idea is that most people I know give it a solid month then start to give up, going back to they way they were.
I know why, habits are hard to break and people are uncomfortable with change. Most people who give up on their resolutions go at it with first few months with everything, but permanent change is about the long game and that's where I think it falls apart. These are, after all, really just goals. I'm not sure if people understand that, like if the word resolution means that it is more sacred but if that were the case we wouldn't give up on them as much.
Looking at them as goals, I feel, does push it into the mind-frame of long term agendas. Anyway, I guess the main idea is that resolution = goal, don't give up on them, and don't burn yourself out trying to get it all done in a short shot.
My goals for 2013 (these are baby-steps I know, but if I do them correctly then these are to serve as the minimum and a jumping off point for continued success):
- Get a steady job (so right now I work part-time, its not bad but I would prefer something that was a bit more stable in the full-time market.)
- Sell artwork (Still not used to selling my work, but I should really start)
- Make 5 minutes of new animation (This is a minimal thing, ether that if be done in one animation or over the course of quick gifs, this should not only ad to my reel but keep me focused on small projects to not overwhelm myself.)
- Publish writing (I have a list of short story idea's that I really need to get on.)

Hope ye all be well.