It's been a while

It's been a while. I have grown quite attached of this place, but it's very difficult to share personal stuff on blogspot. I used to use livejournal before this so I kind of miss the liberation that it's giving me to set the privacy of each post individually.

I also really missed reading on people's life (so nosy, hahaha) on livejournal. Nowadays everyone is on tumblr, twitter, facebook... microblogging is such a big thing that nobody really bothered to put down their thoughts and days anymore. I guess it's much more practical, and I too, use twitter. But somehow I just really miss blogwalking. I hope that everyone will get back to it eventually...

Anyway I tried to set up a dreamwidth account and imported some stuff from my older livejournal there. The community in dreamwidth is much smaller and rather inactive, but by doing this I am hoping to be able to, sort of, start a new life there.

If you want to see me on dreamwidth you can go to radiuju. Feel free to add me there, I will most likely follow anyone back because I really like reading other people's thoughts. Hahaha. Most of my posts are locked, though (friends-only) so hopefully you would join in the community! :)

Hopefully one day dreamwidth would allow us to cross-post between HTML platforms. That would really make things easier. Haha.

Jo.

Inktober compilation

Not that much because I've been quite occupied...
Sometimes even though I draw everyday, I don't really publish all of them.

"Deliberate practice, by its nature, must be hard.

When you want to get good at something, how you spend your time practicing is far more important than the amount of time you spend. … Regular practice simply isn’t enough. To improve, we must watch ourselves fail, and learn from our mistakes."

- Joshua Foer -

“We're so self-important. So arrogant. Everybody's going to save something now. Save the trees, save the bees, save the whales, save the snails. And the supreme arrogance? Save the planet! Are these people kidding? Save the planet? We don't even know how to take care of ourselves; we haven't learned how to care for one another. We're gonna save the fuckin' planet? . . . And, by the way, there's nothing wrong with the planet in the first place. The planet is fine. The people are fucked! Compared with the people, the planet is doin' great. It's been here over four billion years . . . The planet isn't goin' anywhere, folks. We are! We're goin' away. Pack your shit, we're goin' away. And we won't leave much of a trace. Thank God for that. Nothing left. Maybe a little Styrofoam. The planet will be here, and we'll be gone. Another failed mutation; another closed-end biological mistake.” 

- George Carlin -

How do I calm the fuck down.

Forever a UNIQLO girl.

I don't even dig K-Pop. To be honest I am not really fond of the whole industry. But this guy... This guy has stolen my heart. He's not the best singer, not the best looking, and not the best dancer. But he composes, he writes lyrics that tear your heart apart to pieces or make you giggle like a school girl, and he has good sense of humor. He is a good leader who is really strict but cares so much for his team. He is willing to dedicate his whole life to his art, his craft, and does not give any fuck about the world around him. He owns his own stage.

I tried a whole new painting workflow on this. It's not much, but I will work harder!

Scripta

We found each other with hunger in our eyes.

I have long forgotten the joy in writing, and when I found it back, I feel slightly overwhelmed. But yes, the link above leads to my writing blog.

Something that has been around for about 3 years, but now it has new pages.

A Creed on Defeating Dragons

“Fear isn’t so difficult to understand. After all, weren’t we all frightened as children? Nothing has changed since Little Red Riding Hood faced the big bad wolf. What frightens us today is exactly the same sort of thing that frightened us yesterday. It’s just a different wolf.”

  - Alfred Hitchcock -

How Relationship Defines Our Truths

"An honorable human relationship – that is, one in which two people have the right to use the word "love" – is a process, delicate, violent, often terrifying to both persons involved, a process of refining the truths they can tell each other."

- Adrienne Rich -

Ocean at the End of the Lane

A  painting I did for my muse and idol, Neil Gaiman. Meeting him in person and to be able to give this as a gift to him was such an experience. If it were not for my friend Ainsley, I probably would not be able to attend his last U.S. book signing tour.

The event was opened with Jason Webley, an extremely creative singer-songwriter, delivering his  one-of-a-kind songs (like, a song about Giraffe? That is new). Jason Webley used to be Amanda Palmer's partner in the duo Evelyn Evelyn. At this point of time, cue cards were also being passed around and everyone got to write a question/a note for Neil Gaiman. I wrote, "Do you believe in talent?" as a question. It's one question that always intrigued me whenever I met someone so gifted and at the same time, so hardworking that perhaps they have dedicated their whole life to their craft.

Neil Gaiman answered the questions and notes he found interesting after he finished reading a chapter of his latest book, Ocean at the End of the Lane. I have to tell you that besides being a master of wordcraft, he is a captivating storyteller too. Maybe I was just a lucky rabbit, maybe it is meant to be, but Neil Gaiman actually picked my question as one of the few. I was internally exploding out of happiness. He answered, "I do believe in talent. But I believe in hardwork more."

Did I tell you that he was really pleased by my gift? I got hugged by Neil Gaiman himself. I think I went to the infinity and beyond for a brief moment due to the exhilarating amount of happiness.

Thank you so much, Neil, for making that day unforgettable.

Style switcharound meme with Trish and Jolene.

It was really fun and I am really, really glad I had the chance to work with these wonderful artists. Our theme was sepulchre. 

We kinda break the rules a bit as we don't have any specific size/resolution for the meme. It is interesting how we all came up with different interpretations on the theme.

Thank you girls for doing the meme with me! It was such a pleasure!

"If you perceive the universe as being a universe of abundance, then it will be. If you think of the universe as one of scarcity, then it will be."

- Milton Glaser -

“Physical beauty is passing - a transitory possession - but beauty of the mind, richness of the spirit, tenderness of the heart - I have all these things - aren't taken away but grow! Increase with the years!”  

- Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire -

Don't you see that

a storm is brewing

Style switcharound meme with Sei and Bunny.

Our theme is Shingeki no Kyojin and guess what, we used a randomizer to decide who will draw who, and we all got our weaknesses.

But it turns out to be fun and nice so all is well!

“Breathe. You’re going to be okay.

Breathe and remember that you’ve been in this place before. You’ve been this uncomfortable and anxious and scared, and you’ve survived.

Breathe and know that you can survive this too.

These feelings can’t break you. They’re painful and debilitating, but you can sit with them and eventually, they will pass.

Maybe not immediately, but sometime soon, they are going to fade and when they do, you’ll look back at this moment and laugh for having doubted your resilience.

I know it feels unbearable right now, but keep breathing, again and again. This will pass.

I promise it will pass.” 

 

-	Daniell Koepke -

A video on parenting and love.

"Who would call a day spent reading a good day? 

But a life spent reading — that is a good life."

- Annie Dillard -

my heart in a valise