I really want to write a post tonight... er, this morning. Whatever. I seem to have lost sight of what I wanted to do with my blog. I look back, and I see a ton of movie reviews, and not a whole lot else. And yeah, a lot of my summer has involved going to the movies. I think I've gone at least a dozen times. Spock and I just saw Iron Man 2 last weekend. It was the second time I'd seen it, since the whole family went on Independence Day. But anyway, I feel sort of bad about just writing about movies. And then there was that post that was just a rant about my ex, Nietzsche. It just hasn't been a note-worthy summer, for the most part. Possibly, I just don't have a note-worthy life. But, I keep on truckin', or I guess Trekkin', being an unholy nerd and all.
I used to truly fancy myself a writer. It was my dream to be published, but until that day came, I knew I would write and write, and write some more. Until something stuck, you know? Until I actually found something worth writing an entire novel, or short story, or even poem about. And now, well, I think my brain may be deteriorating. I can barely go a day without forgetting how to spell a word, or not being able to articulate what the word even means. This, from the girl who was dubbed all throughout school as 'The Human Dictionary'. Now, I sit around every day, wondering what to write about, and almost nothing comes anymore. It's extremely frustrating, and I think that it may be contributing to my current bout of depression. I had originally worked this blog out. I was going to write, and have lists, and people would be intrigued by what I had to say. Instead, I have seven followers on the actual blog, and twelve on Facebook. And I'm related to three of them. So much for intriguing the masses. And it's not like I don't try to put the word out; I back-link all over the place. Any comment section that asks for a website, there's a link here. Any status message on any gaming site I use links here. I feel really naive about the whole thing.
And don't think that I'm quitting. No, I'm not giving up. I'm just not going to care as much, I suppose. And certainly not set my standards so high.
~Sushi
Simply put, this blog is about my adventures in college and beyond. I want to share my joys and pain, the movies and books I love, and the events I attend.
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Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label blog. Show all posts
14 July 2010
12 January 2010
Mind Readers, Nervous Teachers, and Jell-o Worms
Today was a fabulous day. No doubt about it. I got out of my first class, Community-Oriented Policing, after about 15 minutes, because the teacher, who I also have for Juvenile Delinquency, had to catch a plane to California; his son is getting married. So, no morning classes for the rest of the week! I walked down to the cafeteria, to try and find Spock, but I was deterred by the school-provided entertainment. Our coordinator takes very good care of the students; she comes up with most interesting things for us. This time, she hired a mind-reader named Christopher Carter. He did hypnotism, and blind-folded identification of random, audience-provided items, and other things that made us giggle. I have a bad feeling that it's all a hoax, and that he was being fed information through a headset, but it was interesting nonetheless. However, the last part of his act was a rather shameless plug of the CDs and DVDs he was selling, so I went upstairs to go to my next class, Middle Eastern History.
I believe that this class is the epitome of what I am trying to accomplish with my blog. In times of crisis such as these, college classes are about as close as I can get to Middle Eastern culture, and because I am in community college, the class is even reasonably priced! We are going to explore not only the history of the Middle East, but also its literature, culture, and people. I'm extremely excited for this.
Oh, and today was the first time I ate Jello-o with a straw. It was amazing.
One thing I have to mention is my teacher, Mr. Kistler. He is a very nervous person. Nice, friendly, cheerful, but very nervous. He says "Uh," a lot. And, I've decided to keep you all posted on how many times he says "Uh" per class. Just for the giggles. He gets a free day today, being the first class and all, but from Thursday on, I will be keeping a running total.
Let's hope he doesn't read this on my Facebook feed...
~Sushi
I believe that this class is the epitome of what I am trying to accomplish with my blog. In times of crisis such as these, college classes are about as close as I can get to Middle Eastern culture, and because I am in community college, the class is even reasonably priced! We are going to explore not only the history of the Middle East, but also its literature, culture, and people. I'm extremely excited for this.
Oh, and today was the first time I ate Jello-o with a straw. It was amazing.
One thing I have to mention is my teacher, Mr. Kistler. He is a very nervous person. Nice, friendly, cheerful, but very nervous. He says "Uh," a lot. And, I've decided to keep you all posted on how many times he says "Uh" per class. Just for the giggles. He gets a free day today, being the first class and all, but from Thursday on, I will be keeping a running total.
Let's hope he doesn't read this on my Facebook feed...
~Sushi
11 November 2009
American Cosplayer: Delving into Japanese Tradition
~This is a paper I wrote earlier this year, for the summer semester. Enjoy!~
In early May, I attended my first anime convention, Anime Central, located in Rosemont, Illinois. Anime is a Japanese style of cartooning and comic books, the drawings in which showcase characters with elongated limbs, large, expressive eyes, and frequently, magic powers of some kind or other. I attended this convention because I had become acquainted with the art form of cosplay. A cosplayer seeks to accurately recreate the costume and mannerisms of a character from a particular show, book, or even video game.
Cosplay is, in effect a sort of theatre art. The convention I attended even offers what is dubbed “The Masquerade,” a venue that allows cosplayers to perform skits in costume. As is stated in our textbook, “Costume designers work with the entire body of the actor” (204). Such is also the case with a cosplayer. To properly design a costume, its purpose must be understood, and attuned to the body of the wearer. In my case, my mother and I created a costume of the character Raiden, a combatant from the Mortal Kombat video game series. As a fighter, Raiden’s costume must be able to move freely; the clothes he wears must never keep him from using his body to its fullest. And because of this, I chose breathable fabrics with which to create the costume, not only for the sake of the character, but also because of the weather conditions.
A friend of mine, Jia, has been cosplaying for several years now, and I have taken her as a mentor in order to further myself in the understanding of what it takes to be a great cosplayer. Jia is an award-winning cosplayer and costumer, and she judges at conventions country-wide. Below is Jia, cosplaying as Belldandy, a goddess from the anime/manga series Ah! My Goddess:
My classmate, Shy, has offered his comments on the construction and design of this costume:
"The focal point is her face with the lines created by the gold triangles leading the eyes. The draping cloth of the arms of the costume feature vertical lines that seem to imply a high status for the person the costume represents, and seem to give a sense of lightness. That, along with the light, loose fit of the clothes, and the pose seems somewhat reminiscent of the goal of ballet dancers to portray dancers as ethereal beings not bound to the earth. Mass is primarily in the torso and head with the blond hair and dark blue fabric being darker and more opaque than the lighter blue."
These comments really capture the essence of the costume, and the skill with which it was created.
I encourage those who enjoy sewing and camaraderie to consider cosplay as a possible hobby. It is a wonderful way to meet fascinating people, and to become more cultured in the art of costuming, and in Japanese culture as a whole, I enjoyed Anime Central, and plan to attend many conventions to come.
And now, five other totally amazing blogs that you should visit:
1. Jia*Jem
2. Damn Interesting
3. Neatorama
4. Why the Fuck Do You Have a Kid?
5. David Mulley
6. Apostrophe Abuse
So, if you ever get bored with my [absolutely fascinating and awe-inspiring] posts, check one of those out. I'm still way cooler. [WARNING: SARCASM DETECTED]
~Sushi
In early May, I attended my first anime convention, Anime Central, located in Rosemont, Illinois. Anime is a Japanese style of cartooning and comic books, the drawings in which showcase characters with elongated limbs, large, expressive eyes, and frequently, magic powers of some kind or other. I attended this convention because I had become acquainted with the art form of cosplay. A cosplayer seeks to accurately recreate the costume and mannerisms of a character from a particular show, book, or even video game.
Cosplay is, in effect a sort of theatre art. The convention I attended even offers what is dubbed “The Masquerade,” a venue that allows cosplayers to perform skits in costume. As is stated in our textbook, “Costume designers work with the entire body of the actor” (204). Such is also the case with a cosplayer. To properly design a costume, its purpose must be understood, and attuned to the body of the wearer. In my case, my mother and I created a costume of the character Raiden, a combatant from the Mortal Kombat video game series. As a fighter, Raiden’s costume must be able to move freely; the clothes he wears must never keep him from using his body to its fullest. And because of this, I chose breathable fabrics with which to create the costume, not only for the sake of the character, but also because of the weather conditions.
A friend of mine, Jia, has been cosplaying for several years now, and I have taken her as a mentor in order to further myself in the understanding of what it takes to be a great cosplayer. Jia is an award-winning cosplayer and costumer, and she judges at conventions country-wide. Below is Jia, cosplaying as Belldandy, a goddess from the anime/manga series Ah! My Goddess:
My classmate, Shy, has offered his comments on the construction and design of this costume:
"The focal point is her face with the lines created by the gold triangles leading the eyes. The draping cloth of the arms of the costume feature vertical lines that seem to imply a high status for the person the costume represents, and seem to give a sense of lightness. That, along with the light, loose fit of the clothes, and the pose seems somewhat reminiscent of the goal of ballet dancers to portray dancers as ethereal beings not bound to the earth. Mass is primarily in the torso and head with the blond hair and dark blue fabric being darker and more opaque than the lighter blue."
These comments really capture the essence of the costume, and the skill with which it was created.
I encourage those who enjoy sewing and camaraderie to consider cosplay as a possible hobby. It is a wonderful way to meet fascinating people, and to become more cultured in the art of costuming, and in Japanese culture as a whole, I enjoyed Anime Central, and plan to attend many conventions to come.
And now, five other totally amazing blogs that you should visit:
1. Jia*Jem
2. Damn Interesting
3. Neatorama
4. Why the Fuck Do You Have a Kid?
5. David Mulley
6. Apostrophe Abuse
So, if you ever get bored with my [absolutely fascinating and awe-inspiring] posts, check one of those out. I'm still way cooler. [WARNING: SARCASM DETECTED]
~Sushi
11 October 2009
Entry the First; Also, Avatar Makers
I am Sushi; no, this is not my real name. My parents would never have come up with that as a name, considering that they both absolutely hate raw food. My real name, given to me by my father, is not yours to know, unless you know it already. If so, thank you for continuing your support of my internet endeavors. This entry will be fairly short, given that it is the first of what will likely be many.
My plan is to end each blog entry with a list, and, because I discovered this website trying to find avatar generators, I will give you my top 13 list [in no particular order]:
1. Face Your Manga
2. Design Her Gals
3. Hero Machine
4. Female Furry Maker & Male Furry Maker
5. DNI Avatar Maker
6. Doll Wizard
7. Mega Doll Maker
8. Karoobatar
9. Lili Factory
10. Whuddle World
11. School Girl Dress-Up
12. Face Place
13. Vocaloid Chibi Maker
Oh, and why thirteen, you ask? Because thirteen is my lucky number; it's never done me any wrong, so why should I consider it unlucky?
~Sushi
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