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So, the year has ticked over and it’s time for me to spend weeks second guessing myself when I write the date. Wheee!

But really, I’m glad to have a nice concrete ‘that’s enough of that’ drawn under last year. Not that it’s been horrific or anything, but it’s good to have the explicit reason to turn over a new leaf and sort yourself out and make things all together better. It’s time to put my foot down and find my own happiness, instead of panicking and worrying about the many changes in my life that are out of my hands. Insert air-punching and dramatic music here. (Also sunglasses, drills that will pierce the heavens and KICKING REASON TO THE CURB AND GOING BEYOND THE IMPOSSIBLE ROW ROW FIGHT DA POWA* etc for good measure.)

I graduate from my MA at the end of the month, drawing a nice line under my education for at least a couple of years, and after that, well, I’ll have to see what comes my way.

So, 2008 looks to be a year of… god, I don’t know actually. But it should be interesting finding out, right?

I have made some vague resolutions though, which includes updating this more often, which I WILL do. If possible, at least once a week. Those who know me, feel free to kick me if this does not occur.

Anyway guys, hope you had a great 2007, have now recovered from your respective hangovers, and will have a brilliant year ahead. Cheers.

* 2008 is also the year of Gurren Lagann on DVD. In the UK, please.

Have a great one, guys.

For my part, I’m back at home with my parents. Have had some fantastic presents, some expected and planned (such as new very lovely camera) and some unexpected and also awesome (such as a pair of hardcore Sabatier kitchen knives :D).

Currently drinking a tequila sunrise (parents got an ice crusher recently, and a juicer. Win win win) amidst the bustle of cooking.

Anyway, enough interwebs for me. I hope you all have a lovely day, however you spend it. :)

So, due to horrible shift schedules and other issues, my housemate Mike and I failed to make a Christmas dinner together. However while we were buying some lazy food this evening it was decreed we should buy a cake and ice it ourselves. So we did.

There is a lot of RegalIce in a box, so we made SNOWMEN. I made the one with the scarf and eyebrows and Mike made his friend. (And did the fancy blue icing, go Mike go!)

And because there was a snowman for each of us, I made a little snow hamster for Mike’s pet hamster, Rex. Mike gave it a hat. It is totally a hamster. Shut up. It’s totally hamster like.

Mike did not realise it was a snow Rex (he is very ill so I forgive him) until after we’d cut the cake so it didn’t go on. However when he noticed, it was demanded there was a group picture. So there was. Yay!

So, there. That’s us being daft and festive for you, and it’s all silly but I thought I should share. Have a great Christmas, guys!

Job hunting is not going ever so well, and to get a little bit of extra money I’m doing some cheap commissions (alongside my usual ones).

£10 or $20 (via paypal) for a basic sketch along the lines of this or this. Add on an extra fiver or ten dollars and I’ll give it some basic colours. Oh, and this is just digital, I’m keeping the originals.

I reserve the right to refuse stuff that I don’t think is reasonable for the price or I just flat out don’t want to draw, and also, I’m not drawing you porn.

(Oh, and if anyone wants a normal commission, I’m still doing those too.)

So go on. Tenner for a sketch. You know you want to. :)

I love the 5th of November, and its surrounding days. Yes, there’s the magpie attraction to shiny things aspect, but mostly there’s just something about this time of year. Christmas itself is great, but having trad musician parents has meant the run up has always been a bit associated with being alone (as soon as I was old enough. Before then it meant village halls and tiny sandwiches and more mince pies than anyone needs to eat.) November and December are cold and dark, but shot through with all these little sparks of warmth and interest, and one of the few times people aren’t afraid to hold to some traditions for a change. We don’t have many any more. I’m desperately glad today’s hair-trigger panic about terrorism hasn’t destroyed this one.

Bonfire night though, is the threshold to all that. But I’m typing this on my own in a dark flat. The real place to be right now is at a display, surrounded by friends and strangers, everyone a bit cold but dealing with it because coloured stars are going crazy up there, and besides, it’s just what you do. It’s a time for fairgrounds with dubiously safe rides, more candy than you’ll actually eat and more coloured bulbs than you can count. I would have gone to the one near here last night, but I didn’t want to be alone and people had excuses. I’m making up for it next weekend with Hel and Scott.

But anyway, the flat is dark partly because my flatmate is still at work, or at the gym or something, and partly because the moment I got home, I didn’t bother with the lights, I went to the balcony. I’ve never lived on the 4th floor before. And I’ve never lived in a city like this. And even though I’ve not made it to a huge public display this year, the landscape is amazing tonight. I only wish I was higher up. This is the one of biggest buildings in the area 13 stories high, and nothing would block my view up there. In every direction, there is something. The ones furthest away blur with the streetlamps and it looks like the night time city is developing waves like the sea. It’s still going on. And it’s impossible to see everything. There’s always the bang of something happening when you’re looking the other way.

Am I going anywhere with this? No, not really. But despite all the things on my mind, the slight ache around my eyes that says I’m too tired, and the cold November air, tonight is really beautiful and I wanted to say something.

So, now I’m going to see if I can get onto the roof.