http://www.merchants-guild.com

The site is doing well, and there've been several successful auction sales on the site, but WE NEED MORE SELLERS!!

Do you know someone who does any kind of sewing, armor-making, leatherworking, crafting, etc?  Do you know anyone who is a member of the SCA, does LARPing, or goes to Renaissance Faires?  We need to get the word out and get more crafters and sellers on the site, so there is more variety!

There ARE people out there looking to buy, we just need more things for them to spend money on.  The market is there, the buyers are there, the money is there...  We just need sellers!  Tell your friends!

Sometimes I feel on top of the world. I have a sexy, kind, and sweet boyfriend who's a great cook and more, roommates who are fun to hang out with and do crafts with, a nice apartment in a great complex, and a fun, cool, and reliable car. I'm doing great at my job, which is challenging, fun, and keeps me on my toes. I get to do things I love in my off-time, like LARPing, leather crafting, mask making, and gaming. I have a snuggly cat in my lap all curled up and purring, and I run a small business that has loads of promise and helps a large community.

Sometimes I feel like I'm dying. I'm up to my ears in debt, just barely able to make the rent and car payments each month. My job isn't paying me what they should be for the work I'm doing, and is making no promises of when I'll ever get a raise. I'm in pain and I don't know why, and I can't stop it. I'm missing work because of it, and I'm scared I'm going to get fired. My roommates won't help keep the apartment clean, and more often than not I'm too incapacitated to help, so I'm no better. The apartment is a mess and we're constantly tripping over things. The cats are getting up on the counter, yowling at the top of their lungs, and breaking my stuff. The business isn't growing and it seems like nothing I do helps.

I really do love my life. I just wish it weren't such an impossible struggle sometimes.

http://community.livejournal.com/merchantsguild/ 


If you like LARP, Renaissance Faires, SCA, medieval fantasy items, etc. (or know someone else that does), take a peek!  I just opened it...  It's for my new site, The Merchants' Guild!  It opens this weekend, I'm so excited....  Please do me a favor, if you know anyone who would be interested, pass the word around!  

I'm doing better.

Derrek has a new job which doesn't pay as much, but gives way better hours, and has room for advancement and raises. Money isn't going to be so tight, soon. I hope.

My health is a bit better since I saw a doc who actually has brains and would tell me honestly what she thinks. She thinks it's fibromyalgia. I'm seeing a rheumatologist today to weed out any last possibilities. Using an exercise ball at work seems to help. And it's fun. :3

LARPing and prepping for LARPs has taken up a lot of my time, and it's all good and fun. I've been doing leatherworking and making latex masks and sewing costumes... Some craft photos are HERE.  I've been creative. And that's more fun to me than being artistic. Besides, I can make money with these hobbies too. I have commissions for leather journals and latex masks all over the place; probably more than I can fulfill before the next game.

I've got a new website opening. It's like FurBuy, but for LARP and Renaissance Faire and SCA: http://www.merchants-guild.com  Yes, it's built off FurBuy's code.  No, it shouldn't have any association to FurBuy, other than they're run under the same corporation and with the same coding.  I'm praying this doesn't cause issues...  Grand Opening is supposed to be Sept. 5th, but here's a secret: I'm gonna be LARPing that day, so I'll be opening it a few days early, probably that Thursday or Friday, to be safe.  Sshhhh.  

I really need a new laptop. My current one is dead, and has been for a while. I keep finding a need for pulling up picture reference for crafts, or having to do things on a computer while friends are over, and other things that a laptop would make SO much easier and less frustrating. Actually, I don't care if it's a netbook. I just need something to pull up Internet pics, access FTP/SSH terminal. and maybe IM.

But I'm broke. (Part of why I'm looking at a netbook instead, besides ease of portability.) So, before I go trying to sell off personal items for cash to afford one, I was wondering: does anyone have a decent functional portable computing device of SOME kind they're willing to sell for cheap?

I've been in pain for almost two weeks straight now. 

• My hands, arms, legs, and feet have been going numb and/or tingling
• My right knee has been flaring up again
• My lower back has been hurting and twinging
• It feels like a wooden wedge is being shoved up under my shoulder blades
• My upper traps are tense, sore, painful, and knotted to hell and back
• My neck hurts and is stiff and sore
• I've been getting headaches in the back of my skull and behind my eyes
• My entire right side has been tense and twitching and in pain
• I've been getting the shakes (muscle twitches and tremors)
• My forearms are tensing back up and hurting

All this, and I can't get a straight answer from a doctor.  "We can't find what's wrong with you, here, have some pain killers."  "Here, have some muscle relaxers, maybe that will help."  "You're fat, go exercise, it'll clear right up."  (Yeah, love the last one. That was the SPECIALIST I went to.)

It's affecting my work, because sitting in a chair for any period of time causes everything to get worse and I wind up writhing in pain trying to get comfortable.  I had to get special permission to be able to work from home, so I can lie down and utilize a heating pad and ice packs and pain killers and pills that I really shouldn't be taking while working.  I haven't been going out much, or doing anything with friends, because even walking is painful at times.  (Yes, to all you people I've been blowing off for various reasons, I'm sorry, I've been spending my spare time on a couch.  All this has gotten me irritable to a point I'm really not fun to be around, and I'm sorry.)

I just wish I knew what was wrong with me, so I could get it FIXED.  I hate doctors.

Been feeling down on my art, and made a post about it on FA about why I haven't drawn in so many months.  I don't like my art.  It's not what I want to draw.  Well, it is, but it's just a pale, pathetic imitation of what I REALLY want to draw...  Most of the time.  And of course the comments were the usual "We love your art" "You're not as bad as you think" "Every artist is their own worst critic" responses.  As expected.  But... I can't be THAT awful, can I?

So I went through my galleries and pulled out the few pieces I actually like, just to remind myself that I actually do succeed sometimes...

Vikky's Badge
My Own Badge
Honey Husky's Badge (though the scan was awful)
Nacha Tokalu's Badge
Maid Marian's Badge (are we seeing a badge theme here?)
Rougia's Pendant
A Dragon's Best Friend (drawn in a flurry of inspiration, I'm afraid to work on it for fear of ruining how much I love it)
...and the picture I submitted for the folio here, which I can't post: http://www.lettersandladies.tk/

NSFW:
Party Animal
Tau & K'sharra (I kinda feel I cheated on this, though, because I used reference...)
Chained Down
The Closeup Series (I don't think I ever finished these...)
Lick It

Yes, out of the hundreds of art pieces, these are the only ones I actually LIKED after I was done.  Yes, I'm sure there are some pieces people liked/loved that I didn't include...  Because *I* don't like them.  They weren't what I wanted to put on paper.  They're nice and all, but they don't have the soul / detail / proportions / look and feel that I was going for, so I'm sorely disappointed in the end result. 

Maybe eventually I'll draw again. 

http://www.lettersandladies.tk/

I has art there.  Very pleased with how it turned out, actually, but I'm not sharing it online... it's only in the folio.  ;3  Other really fantastic art in there, should go take a look!  (Don't worry, it's just pinups, no nudies.)



-----

P.S. Before you ask, no I have not gotten out of my art funk.  The piece of mine in there, though, is one of the last pieces I was able to draw, and DAMN I'm happy with it.  I want it poster-size for my room.  :3

NO COLOR EDITING WAS DONE WITH THIS PIC!!!

I was watching one of his speeches on TV and thinking about how orange the President's skin looked, when it hit me... He looks like an Oompa-loompa! A coworker didn't believe me, so I whipped this up to show him.

This was done from pre-existing photos and I did NOT edit the colors, contrast, hues, etc. AT ALL. All I did was copy the face into the pic and move it around to fit. The end.

Enjoy.  :3

P.S.  As a side note, he also matches my new car:

Well Happy New Year! *looks off to one side and mutters* Okay I said it, can I go now? .... Oh come on! .... Rrrrr, alright...

Okay so I've been pretty antisocial lately. I haven't read my LJ Friends page in about a month. Haven't been out to many get-togethers, except the weekly Sunday gathers. Haven't been on FA, or FurryMUCK, or drawn anything, or chatted on IM, or been to any cons, or nuthin.

I've been kinda down on money, so I haven't been going places that cost anything. Working on finances to get them straightened out for the future. And my IM client, well, it kills my phone's battery. Not to mention, my phone has a glitch that makes it stop producing sounds at random intervals. So I don't hear incoming messages about 9/10ths of the time. Calls, too. And voicemail. And SMS. I need a new phone. Chatting, well, my online life has been converted to WoW time and/or Derrek's WoW time. He still doesn't have his computer, so he uses mine for game-play, while I get my quiet time in, reading books or watching TV or taking a long relaxing bath.  I might be on the PC a bit more when I have my laptop, which Dennis is fixing right now.

I don't really miss the drama, and the con work, and the social awkwardness. I've never really been a people person, I don't know how to react to people very well. My life right now is quiet, a bit serene, more relaxed, and a bit calmer. I do miss gaming (which is why I go to the weekly events), and I miss just hanging out and chatting with close friends, but I feel a little weird not being able to spend money so it's kinda... eh. I can't pitch in for pizza on game night, I can't go out to dinner with friends, I can't go to a movie or grab lunch with the guys at work...

Yeah, I'm a homebody. And I'm kinda liking it.

As far as the new year, well...  I have a good feeling about it.  Not the kind of "oh my god my life is going to change this is going to be the best year ever" kind of foolishness.  No, it's just... off to a good start.  I have a job that I enjoy, and that I'm damn good at (authoring and editing tech articles), that I hope will become a permanent position.  I have a good mate that, despite a few flaws, he makes me happy, and I think I could see myself with him for the long haul.  I have an apartment I like, a roommate that's not so bad, a couple scooters that give me something interesting to work on and ride, a truck that despite a few minor issues has lasted me 8 years and shows no signs of stopping, a bank account that hasn't run dry yet and is slowly starting to recover from the holidays... 

Nothing's perfect, but everything's good. 

Well I think I'm gonna go level my Priest in WoW.  Or maybe read a book.  Or do dishes.  Or just take a nap.  I have the day off, and dno one's home, so it's nice and peaceful and quiet.  Happy new year, everyone.

Okay, so yyyyeah, it's been a while.

Thanksgiving was awesome. We had lots of people over. Thanks to everyone who showed up and brought food and played games and made it all fun! We must do this again next year.

I got moved to a different department at work! I love it! No more talking on the phones with people. I think I'm doing a really good job at it so far, though I'm still learning.

The black scooter is a really cold-starting machine, and I think I need to take another look at it to get it running better. The red one is also in, but I only just got the paperwork for it, so it's not registered and I haven't checked it out yet.

The weather's been too cold for scooters anyway. It's been below freezing, and we had some snow. Derrek's so giddy, he hasn't seen snow in years! I know the feeling. It's supposed to snow a lot more over the rest of this week too.

Money's awfully tight, and getting tighter. I got Microsoft Money to help me manage things. I'm going to be cutting way back on dining out, scooter stuff (since I've already got most everything anyhow), and groceries. Yes, groceries. $700 in a month is too damn much, and I'm going to stop buying luxuries and start making my roommates cover a more even share.

Yeah sure, everyone's posting about it. Why not? Baa.

I don't vote. Yeah, I'm a bastard that way. I don't like jury duty (I don't think they'd take me anyhow, after I explain my views on the death sentence and human population control) and I'm forgetful. Plus politics confuse me.

But this whole Prop 8 thing, I take it by everyone else's outraged posts in LJ that it was a law passed to null gay marriage. What, are we still on that? Why do people still have an issue with gay marriage? Oh, wait, the intolerant morons are still alive, and still breeding. I tend to put them out of my mind because they're usually not worth my time considering. But they and their progeny are registered to vote, and I'm not. Guess that makes me a moron, too.

The sad thing is, I have a lesbian friend in CA and her domestic partner who have been DIRECTLY affected by this. They were married in a religious ceremony, and heck, I think they've been legally married a couple of times, and still they keep getting it nulled by law. It's affecting their insurance, it's affecting their ability to start a family, and it's not right. I think it's sad that people can't get over it and see that this is just another discrimination issue.

I liked what my friend, Kiefer, said: "Marriage" is a word with religious AND state meanings, and that confuses everything. They should make "marriage" a responsibility of the church, with no legal ramifications or benefits, and they should change the name of all state marriages to "civil unions", and give equal benefits and legal standing to all unions of that nature. So you can be condemned by the church and still be able to see the person you love in the hospital, or put them on your insurance, and other things that someone else's God has no right sticking his nose into. And it should be universal, so there's no state discrimination. If the religious zealots want to be a bastard about it, they can do it all they like and not affect someone's AMERICAN rights. Yeah, that's right, marriage isn't a God-given right, it's a federal one. God isn't our president and he doesn't make our laws, and in fact our country's laws state that he SHOULDN'T have any say in our laws, because he's not everybody's God.

To those bastards saying "God hates/looks down on homosexuality" and that's why you should deny gays their happiness and equal rights per the U.S. Declaration of Independence, that's like the people who said back in the day that God permitted slavery (based on the Bible) and that women were evil (based on the Bible). It's more religious intolerance, and I don't see how that still stands up in this day and age. Maybe I was just one of the apparently few people who was raised right in a religious family, but I just don't get it.

As a side note, for the people concerned about the "sanctity" of marriage... Why don't you go put your time to better use protesting outside Vegas "minute-marriage" chapels and divorce lawyers' offices? You'd be doing more of a service for people of all types that way.

Well, so far, MY scooter hasn't arrived. On the bright side, though, I found a local dealer who has even better prices (if not lower quality scoots) and got a scooter for Derrek. Which I will be keeping for myself until he pays me for it. :3 That should give me enough time to get the one I ordered. It's a nice scooter, all black and purty and shiny with big 16" wheels. Riding it home was AWESOME. We also took it apart over the weekend, cleaned it up, made sure everything was in good order, adjusted a few things to make it run better, etc. As soon as the rain clears up, I'll be riding it to work.

Yes, I was planning on riding it rain or shine, but I have an ulterior reason for not riding in the rain: I just got over being sick. Had the call center bug-of-the-month, which left me exhausted, woozy, feverish, and sniffly-sneezy-coughy. I finally broke my fever on Sunday, and Monday was spent sleeping and recovering, and I'm still feeling a bit weak from it all. So I'm going to wait until I feel 100% before I make cold, wet rides to and from work.

Work is doing well, by the way. Somewhat. My quality scores have dropped from being perfect, due mostly to two calls that had to have been the WORST two calls of my entire month, which were coincidentally the two calls they picked to listen to and score. Otherwise, I've been working hard on getting better at my calls, and I also got to do some job shadowing for a position which, I have decided, I MUST HAVE. So I didn't call in for any of my days of being sick, and I'm gonna work hard at being better in my scores, and I'm going to do everything I can to get into that team!

Financially, money is GONE. I had enough money for the scooter, just fine, I had budgeted for that, but all the little things that came up after it, well, THOSE have robbed me of money. The little things needed for the weekend maintenance on the scooter (including a few things I didn't need but which wound up in my basket anyhow, wtf). Gas money for friends to come visit and money for going out to eat to be sociable and pretend I'm not a total hermit. The pet deposit, which was $100 more than we thought. Groceries, which are on my head because the roomies are usually too broke to buy. (Yes, Derrek, I'm including you in that statement.) And of course, the usual monthly bills, which this month had to come out of the same check as rent.

And of course, with all my money gone, here come the holidays, with Thanksgiving dinner to buy, and tickets to purchase to go see family for Xmas, and presents to get, and vacation days to take (which I may not have enough vacation time to cover the holidays, so that will cut my finances worse)...

Thank goodness they're giving out quarterly bonuses soon.

EDIT: Oh wait, rumor has it there's not going to be a bonus for this quarter. Well... Now what?

Too much stuff going on in my head.

Halloween is coming up, and I've gotta get stuff to bring to Dennis' party.
Still waiting for my scooter, but all I can do is wait. And shop for leather pants.
I'm scheduled to work 3.5 hours late today, so I'll be getting off at 2:30am. I will need much coffee.
I have $55 in Canadian money that I can't get rid of.
I need to do my taxes for my non-existent art business this quarter, before Halloween.
The trees look nice outside. Fall up here is amazing.
I'm supposed to go to Louisiana with Derrek for Xmas, but I don't know when. I should ask him.
I need to pull up the invite list for Thanksgiving again, since it's actually coming up soon.
Back to being friends with Fallen. It's weird, remembering the past. I don't do that often.
I feel like I'm forgetting things. A lot of things. Things I should be doing.

I feel like I need another full night's sleep.

Normally I don't post YouTube videos, at least not directly. But this should be seen by anyone who drives... (This affects me personally, since I'll be driving a scooter soon...)



EDIT:

And now for the funny one....


Please pass these along, they could save a life. If you pass YouTube videos by email, or post them to your LJ, or show them to friends, consider reposting at least one of these. The more aware people know they have to be, the more aware they will be.

If you have an old unused computer, or an old obsolete hard drive rotting in a corner somewhere, I'm looking for dead hard drives.  Please donate!  Here's why:

I'm going to be getting my scooter soon.  It's scheduled to be arriving some time next week.  I'm so excited! 

One of the downsides to scooters, though, is that they are small and don't have much metal in them... so they don't trip stoplights.  And I have several stoplights on my way to and from work, so this might be a problem.  But one of the ways to enhance a scooter to trip the lights is with hard drive magnets.  Attached to the bottom of the scoot, they give off enough disruption to trip the lights. 

So...  Hard drives, anyone? 

EDIT: Hey this is mainly for my local friends...  And as it is, Dennis scrounged me enough to more than do the job (hopefully).  Yay for geek friends!

Okay it's not midnight, it's 4am.  The equivalent of midnight for me, because I got to bed at midnight. 

Woke with knee pain.  Been doing great otherwise, but when I woke up, it was too bad to sleep.  Thus I am here.  My roommate needs to turn her volume down (not on her speakers), and no longer has the right to complain about me leaving lights on.  ;)  The livingroom light was off when I went to my room, and on when I tucked into bed, and on when I got up.

Fallen has been getting back into my life since his breakup with Tassy.  It's good to talk to him again as a friend.  A little surreal, but good.  I'm going up to visit him soon.  That's going to be interesting.  At least now he's just right around the corner. 

Derrek got a pretty cruel letter from his ex, claiming he never loved her or tried to save the marriage, demanding money and telling him never to talk to her again.  After she created an account under his name (for the same thing she's demanding money for) and let it go to collections.  I'm so glad she left him, best thing she ever did for him.  I'm glad he's not having to go through this alone.  She's been a royal bitch about everything through his divorce. 

Still waiting on my scooter.  Aaaaaany day now...  I have the license, the jacket, and the helmet.  Need pants.  Or chaps.  Thinking about chaps.  Leather chaps.  Must go shopping when I have money.  Must email the scooter guy. 

I should try to get sleep.  The painkillers are kicking in.  I need more sleep.  But I'm awake now.  I will regret this later. 

1. Do you have the guts to answer these questions and re-post as The Controversial Survey?

-     Yes, yes I do.

2. Would you do meth if it was legal?

-     Ugh, no thank you.  I don't do ANY type of drug, not even weed.  Not interested in being any more out of my mind than I already am.

3. Abortion: for or against it?

-     For.  I'm a baby-hating fetus killer who believes in population control because the world already has too many people, and doesn't believe in saddling a child with an unhappy life because their parent(s) weren't ready for the responsibility.  That being said, if you're going to stick it out til the third trimester, sorry Charlie, too late to back out now.  You had 6 months to decide.  It's a baby now, not an option.

4. Do you think the world would fail with a female president?

-     Nope.  I think it's about damn time we tried something different, because look what our choices have come down to in men...

5. Do you believe in the death penalty?

-     Yes.  If they're guilty, why make the tax-paying citizens put them up for life?  If they're innocent, why make them suffer in jail waiting for a shred of hope years down the line.  If a jury has found them guilty and the crime is harsh enough, send them to whatever god they serve to let them deal it out.

6. Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already?

-     Yes.  Legalize it, tax it, regulate it, and get on to more important things.

7. Are you for or against premarital sex?

-     For.  I'm of the "try it before you buy it" mentality.  Marriages usually end over one of two things: money and sex.  Eliminate the chances of having an unhappy sexual relationship by making sure you're compatible there, too, before you tie the knot.  Just play safe.

8. Do you believe in God?

-     I believe that the concept of any god is made valid by the power of the faith of the believers.  That being said, I don't believe in any gods.  I believe in faith, which is the source of miracles, and chaos, which is the source of "acts of God". 

9. Do you think same sex marriage should be legalized?

-     Yes.  Marriage isn't religious.  It's legal.  The WEDDING CEREMONY is religious, so if you're gonna be a religious ass about it, ban same sex weddings.  But let them have a marriage license.

10. Do you think it's wrong that so many Hispanics are illegally moving to the USA?

-     If they're gonna do it, do it right.  And learn the language, for Pete's sake.

11. A twelve year old girl has a baby, should she keep it?

-     I think the twelve-year-old's parents should immediately assume legal guardianship, and all parental rights stripped from the 12yr old.  That way (a) the child is raised by people of age with experience, (b) the 12yr old has to deal with having her rights stripped because of her stupidity, and (c) the parents have to deal with the responsibility of another child because of their stupidity in raising the first one, so they get a second chance to do it right.

12. Should the alcohol age be lowered to eighteen?

-     Seriously?  They're doing it anyhow. 

13. Should the war in Iraq be called off?

-     Yes.  What were we there for anyhow?  I'm sorry, I've been too preoccupied with the economy crash and the invisible WMDs.  Does it have anything to do with 9-11?  Are we really accomplishing anything, anyway?

14. Assisted suicide is illegal: do you agree?

-     I agree it's illegal.  Oh, did you mean "should it be"?  Of course not.  Why keep people alive when they don't want to be?  Make it safe and painless, set up the paperwork so it's airtight, assist them with their final preparations like a will and such...  Even provide grief counseling for relatives and pre-suicide screenings so the intended suicidee has the chance to get help if it's determined they don't really need/want to die.  Might also encourage people who really need help dealing with life to GET it (as part of the pre-suicide screening package), instead of sequestering themselves in a lonely place and hurting themselves with a clumsy attempt on their own.

15. Do you believe in spanking your children?

-     Strike your children in discipline, and never in anger.  (That's a yes, by the way.)

16. Would you burn an American flag for a million dollars?

-     Heck, I'd do it for a hundred.  The American flag is just about worthless nowadays.  Our president is a moron, our economy is in the dump, and patriotism is little more nowadays than a tool for fear-mongers and propagandists...  Seriously, before 9-11, how many of you even flew an American flag for the 4th of July, much less every day?!  How much pride does Old Glory have anymore?  How many people's flags are left flying in the rain, or are old and tattered?  Think about it. 

17. Who do you think would make a better president? McCain or Obama?

-     Eh, I'd pick Obama just for a change from the Republican regime.

18. Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers?

-     If I were afraid, would I be so ballsy as to post?  I can back up everything I have to say here.