Tattoo three, Round two

So today I had my second session at Urge in Vic, my tattoo destination of choice. I've been to two other places in the city, the first of which was terrible, while the second one was good but not good enough to bring me back. Why'd I go back to Urge? Emily. She's my artist.

She has a style all her own. She specializes in "all things rad," which is perfect for me. I like rad things. Better that these rad things are on me, raising my rad-factor tenfold! Also, I promise that I don't have a tiger and unicorn at tea tattooed on me.

I do have a mythological beast, though. My most recent (and hopefully final) addition is a Russian firebird, known throughout the English-speaking world as a phoenix. Yes, I have a story for it but no, I will not be sharing it here. It goes a little deeper than the usual "rising from the ashes" phoenix motifs into the Russian lore. I'm rad like that.

Urge logo by Urge, painting by Emily Shoichet, firebird artwork by an unknown artist

the WPC11 & Christmas

It's Christmas Eve, and to pass the time I've been working on drafting up the challenges for the Winter Prose Competition 2011 on Protagonize. I've got all five challenges thought out now, and I can't wait until February to see the finished results! But first, Christmas.

To be honest, it never really feels like Christmas anymore, now that I live in the Okanagan most of the time. I mean, it feels like Christmas in the Okanagan, where there's snow on the ground and I have no choice but to wear a scarf, mittens, and jacket everyday, but here on the island? Not so much. It probably doesn't help that I'm listening to Röyksopp instead of the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack.

Still, I'm excited for tomorrow. I might actually be more excited to see the reactions of the 'rents and the sister to their presents than to my own, actually. Weird. Apparently I've matured since I was twelve. That said, I'm stoked on the massive Tim's Card on the way. Seriously people, I asked for nothing but a gift card to Tim Hortons to satiate my massive desire for hocho and baked goods. It's a very expensive need.

And yes, that's a mitten on top of my tree. I sewed it myself, therefore it doesn't work too well as a regular mitten, but is redeemable as a tree mitten. That's also a ceramic chicken near the bottom. I also have a sheep somewhere. It's a quirky tree, okay?

photos and post-production by me.

and the Holidays Approach with Uncanny Speed

Whoa, that happened fast. Sometimes I feel like it was only a few days ago that the term started, and now I'm told that Christmas in on Saturday. I'm not even back home yet. I haven't done my shopping yet. In a word, I'm doomed.

I'm the victim of the speed, agility, and cunning of Christmas Raptor.

photo by a friend, shooped by me.

Music Monday: Daft Punk - C.L.U.

So last Friday Tronday I saw Tron:Legacy. I was tempted not leave the theatre and watch it again (edit: I went back and watched it two more times in the same theatre). I'm in love. I'm also in love with the soundtrack, which was composed by Daft Punk and features the London Symphony Orchestra (I think. It's a symphony orchestra in London, that's fersuure).



While not my favourite song on the soundtrack, C.L.U. is probably the most exemplary of the beautiful style that Daft Punk crafted when given the chance to work with more "traditional" instruments. Who knew synth and strings went so well together? Or feedback and timpani? Love love love.

the Regular Programming

Alright, I'm ditching the picture challenge series because I got bored of it. That sudden boredom may or may not be because of the next few days of awesome I have in store. It goes a little something like this.

Team project? Check. Two 10-page geography research papers? Check. Final exam in anthropology? Check. There's nothing left for me to do this term. Rad!

Everybody knows what Wednesday means. Heck yes you do. Wednesday means Wing Night, and I plan on hitting it for some buffalo-style lovin'. Mmm mmm!

Thursday morning I'm hitching a ride to Biggie to shred some gnar powpow. In more standard English, I'm going up to Big White to snowboard on all the fresh snow they've got. First time up in two years!

Friday Tronday is Tron day. I'll be watching the original at least once that afternoon before donning my Disney RealD glasses for the multidimensional experience that is Tron Legacy. Nerdgasm.

photos from around. Biggie photo by me.