I'm Awesome

Just cuz

pixil3333@aol.com — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 20:52:09 GMT

Dear Santa...

Dear Santa,

This year I've been busy!

Last Tuesday I bought porn for anime_possessed (-10 points). In October I farted in an elevator (-6 points). In March I helped raptorix see the light (8 points). In January b34rytal and I robbed a bank (-50 points). Last Wednesday I helped kashiwrites across the street (6 points).

Overall, I've been naughty (-52 points). For Christmas I deserve a lump of coal!

Sincerely,
Sevlow

Pictures for Sad Children

pixil3333@aol.com — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:58:26 GMT

because these are all great questions and i laughed all kinds of hard.

omg lol

pixil3333@aol.com — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:51:43 GMT

So, I'm in the CSUF library working on my TPA (I'm at 21 pages now. I'm predicting it's gonna end up around 27)...

And I notice this guy next to me is reading fanfiction.

I don't know why this struck me as odd, but it did, so I kept looking over at him every ten minutes or so to see if he was still lurking around ff.net... AND HE WAS.

This guy, on the last Friday before finals week, has just spent over TWO HOURS reading various Twilight fics in a University library. TWILIGHT! IN A PLACE OF LEARNING!

I don't know why I am so amused/disgusted/oddly pleased by this.

...

Back to work, I swearz.

TPA Blues

pixil3333@aol.com — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:33:15 GMT

I passed TPA 1 (which stands for Teaching Performance Assessment, cuz a lot of people were confuzzled by my last post). Not with the score I wanted, but it really doesn't matter as long as you pass.

I am currently working on TPA 2, which is officially due Tuesday the 15th... but it's REALLY due Monday the 14th because it has to be in by noon on Tuesday and we aren't allowed to take that day off from teaching our classes to actually, uh, turn it in on the due date.

I like your logic, crendentialing office.

/bitter sarcasm

Anyway, these TPAs are probably among the hardest projects I've ever undertaken in my entire college career. Holy shit. There are 4 of them total, each more difficult and detailed than the last. I have to write a good 10-20 pages for each one, but it comes out to more like 30 pages with all the charts and whatnot. Some of the writing/researching/getting to know my students and using them as case studies is actually pretty interesting and rewarding, but turning it all in by the due date is a strain.

I will be a much happier person when this particular TPA is polished and turned in.

...

On a gladder note, people are starting to get the holiday cards that I sent out and their pleased reactions thus far have made me SOOO HAPPY! :D

Also, I will never again paint individual cards for everyone (and I'm STILL not done). Fuck that shit. Next year, y'all are getting photocopies of old artwork stapled to pieces of red and green construction paper. And you'll LIKE IT.

...

Also, dude, it's so freakin' cold right now. This pleases me.

WAAAAAH!

pixil3333@aol.com — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 23:10:16 GMT

I WANT MY DAMN TPA 1 SCORES, BITCHES! I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I GOT! WAAAAAAAHH!! GLAAAAHBGAAAAH!!!

*twitch*

Observation update

pixil3333@aol.com — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:24:24 GMT

I so ROCKED that observation!

But, as I'd predicted, I wasn't too happy with my 2nd period Seniors' performance... though my Professor seemed pleased.

My 3rd period Sophomores were a BLAST, though. I had them write little skits that used their vocabulary words and then act them out, telling them that they'd get bonus points if they could make me laugh...

And they were so. freakin'. funny. One group decided to have their scene set in downtown Los Angeles, with Godzilla terrorizing everyone. The kid who played Godzilla had a green sock on his hand that randomly attacked people's faces.

In another group, one of my boys is actually an actor and he ad-libbed beautifully when his scene partner was laughing too hard to deliver his lines... not that I could blame him for laughing, since I was doubled over against the wall in stitches. It was such a fun class.

I just got off the phone with my Professor, who had nothing but praise for me and openly wished that all of her Student Teachers were on my level this early in the game. I'm so deeply thrilled to finally know for sure that this really is my calling in life.

...Also, right before I was going to go teach my first period, one of my Master Teachers gave me a present and told me good luck with my observations. The gift is my very first Teacher Coffee Mug, and it says "A teacher opens the window to tomorrow". I was so touched I kinda glomped her to hide the fact that I had a lump in my throat.

My god, I'm so happy to be alive right now.

O_O

pixil3333@aol.com — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:20:34 GMT

My Methods professor is coming to watch me teach tomorrow.

The thought makes my stomach do all kinds of unpleasant acrobatic displays.

I've spent all day polishing my lesson plans and hoping to GOD that my kids behave tomorrow. I'm not too worried about my Sophomores, but my period 2 Seniors make me more than a little nervous. I'm making them do group work then get up and do presentations in front of the class, so hopefully their public speaking-terror will help keep them on task.

omfg.

...

In other news, my old Illustration professor/editor/art director (finally) returned my email (that I sent in September, mind you) about my Zombie Girl book and we've set up a date to get working on it.

He was very sweet and apologetic about the tardy reply, so my irritation has mostly transmogrified into joy and I'm getting excited about the project again. Hopefully I can dedicate some time to it this Winter and have it submitted to publishers before the end of the school year.

I hope. I hope. I hope.

headdesk

pixil3333@aol.com — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:29:51 GMT

This week--all two days of it--has officially sucked.

I've been sick since midway through last week.

My poor computer is officially dead and is in need of the Geek Squad's aid and/or a replacement that I can't afford.

I still have 10 cards to draw and paint and 2 other art pieces to finish.

My ex-art prof/editor is not emailing me back about finishing Zombie Girl.

My TPA assessment is coming up.

My professor's observation in my classroom is coming up, and--because my Master Teacher sucks and never gained control of the class--my first two periods think I'm Satan for establishing rules.

...There is not enough wine in the world.

EDIT: Although, honestly, I think I had one of the highlights of my LIFE today.

One of my students--who had had an F- when I first stepped into the classroom--has, through my help and constant nagging, raised his grade to a C-. He literally squealed and grabbed another student, embracing him with joy. I don't think I've ever felt more proud of someone. He's been trying so hard. I almost cried.

Holiday Cards?

pixil3333@aol.com — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:00:25 GMT

Since I posted it on dA, I figured I'd post it here too.

Stolen from mayracs and hikaru_9, because I've never done it before and it seems fun.

IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN! Yes that's right, time for Christmas cards! If you want one you must either:

* Leave me a note here with your address.
* E-mail me your address at pixil3333(at)aol(dot)com.
* You can also try to catch me on AIM under the screen name YouSmellUsed.

Frequent Questions:

1. I don't celebrate Christmas... Can I still get holiday mail? YES! If you don't celebrate Christmas and still want a card ("Winter", "Hanukkah", "Happy Holidays" but not "Christmas", etc), please let me know. Personally, I prefer "Pagan Holiday" :aww:

2. I live over seas; can I still have a card? Yep.

3. I wanna send you a card too! Can I have your address? Sure! Just fling me a note or email asking.

4. I want a card, but I probably won't send you one in return. Can I still have one? Yep, you sure can. It would be nice to get one back, but it is in no way required :heart:

If you have any other questions, just ask.

As for what these cards will actually be... I have no idea. A nice little sketch at the VERY least. Color too, if I have the time/energy.

If anyone is at all interested, please let me know by the end of this month, preferably by Thanksgiving so that I can get crackin'.

HAAAA...!

pixil3333@aol.com — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:33:17 GMT

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

?

pixil3333@aol.com — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:54:23 GMT

My iChat/AIM is being bizarre.

When I first launched it today, it tried to tell me that I didn't have any contacts on my buddylist. So I restarted it. When it re-launched all my buddies were there, but it said that none of them were online... which I know isn't true, since there's always SOMEONE online and my bro was one of those someones.

Thinking this odd, I switched to my other screen name... and THAT was working just fine!

So now I'm like WTF? What do you have against that particular screen name, AIM? Assface.

...

In other news: I was proctoring the PSAT all morning. That was both interesting and mind-numbingly boring. I had two of my Sophomores in there, one of whom tried--without success--to butter me up the entire damn time. I mean, what does he expect, that I'm going to give him a fabulous score on the PSAT because he's being so buddy-buddy with me? I don't even grade the damn PSAT! They are graded, by strangers, in a far away location! FAR FAR AWAY! Go be annoyingly friendly to them, not me.

I also have like 60 Senior papers to grade. Some of them are actually pretty interesting. Others... are just whiny. The essays are all really personal, though, and I really feel like it's helping me get closer to my students. *happy sigh*

...

In other, other news: My last day being employed by Hot Topic Inc. is officially this coming Saturday which, coincidentally enough, is our Halloween event at Torrid. SO! I get to be all dressed up on my last day at work. Sweeeet. I'm going to be a diseased harlot with a bad Cockney accent and a blacked-out tooth. Who walks with a limp. And has lice. And has "just a touch of th' syphilis, love."

I'm going for "kinda sexy, but so... SO gross... oh... o-oh, god... ugh..."

My managers are going to kill me XD

Teaching Realizations

pixil3333@aol.com — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 03:42:02 GMT

Few things can get to me the way art and literature do. This makes reading aloud to a class of Sophomores from a novel... a novel that is both heart-stoppingly beautiful and deeply sad... a little difficult for me.

Especially when the big, tough football player in the front row starts crying. And so does the girl next to him. And another girl in the back.

That's something they don't cover in the Pedagogy Seminars: How to Not Cry When Your Students Are Touched By Literature to the Point of Tears and You Are So Overjoyed That They Feel It So Deeply That You Really Want to Cry With Them, But Know That You Shouldn't.

Oy. I didn't cry, but it was close e-damn-nough.

...

Also, I am vaguely horrified by the translation of The Canterbury Tales text that my Seniors have to read. I didn't read it in high school, and so my first exposure to it was in the original Middle English... AND THAT IS THE ONLY MANNER IN WHICH IT SHOULD BE READ. The Modern English translation is just so... wrong. No bueno. Completely unnatural. Do not like.

...Though I can understand why they wouldn't want to teach the original text. Even for advanced students, it would be difficult (or impossible) to grasp in the short time frame they would have to read it.

BUT STILL! MY EYES, THEY BURN!

Ukraine's Got Talent

pixil3333@aol.com — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:32:31 GMT

I was listening to NPR the other day and they did a story about this Ukrainian chick doing sand art stories and how amazing it was.

Didn't get around to looking it up until now. And holy shit.

If you haven't seen this already, it's worth the eight minutes. I nearly cried, it's so beautiful.

The story she tells describes the WWII German invasion of the Ukraine and... just watch it. Good god. The things this woman can do with sand.

Meh.

pixil3333@aol.com — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 21:49:50 GMT

I hate writing lesson plans in the EDSC format. Good gravy. Why can't they just let us write them in the structure of our content area? I mean, seriously. The English format makes SO much more sense.

Student teaching is still awesome. The other day, one of my Seniors told me that if I came to his wresting match to cheer him on, he'd throw in a move just for me. He said it with the gravity of a marriage proposal. It was both adorable and creepy.

....

I'm quitting my job. Whether or not I will have another one afterward remains to be seen, but I can't--I cannot--keep up with this pace anymore without sacrificing something from my education or my students' education and I am NOT willing to do either of those things. I'll just take out more loans if I have to.

On a very related note, I'll likely be opening art commissions again. Which I hate doing, but every little bit helps.

I'm also cracking down on getting Daisy De Kaye and The Creepiest Zombie Contest edited and sent of to publishers. I'm communicating with my old prof. to get this done and--hopefully--have it as a source of income in the near future.

....

Also:

Marlan. You are fantastic. Never, ever doubt this fact. You are, truth be told, the most fantasticist life form that ever existed, ever. Like whoa. My head, it a'splodes to think of how cool you are. I think it's the glasses.

We should get pie to celebrate the return of the day that you transitioned from Fetus to Baby. It will be joyous and good.

pixil3333@aol.com — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:41:12 GMT

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

....

In other news, my Student-Teaching is going well. I adore all of my students, even when I want to kick them in the face (like when they lose their bonus point on a quiz because they don't know who the Vice President of their country is -_- And this is a wealthy, academically FANTASTIC school! ).

Nothing else to report other than me being excited about having sushi and scarlet_sparrow tonight. Hellz to the yeah.

pixil3333@aol.com — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:36:03 GMT

I do not like that most of my school/work days now mean that I leave the house at 6:30am and get home around 10:30pm, with perhaps two hours of down-time scattered around in between.

No, sir. I do not like it at all.

I'm so happy that I have tomorrow off, I could cry.

My bed. It calls.

Because I love Depressing Comic Week

pixil3333@aol.com — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 19:28:32 GMT

Why do such horrible things make me giggle so?

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

Cyanide & Happiness @ Explosm.net

DAR

pixil3333@aol.com — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:30:31 GMT

I lol'd at the most recent DAR comic and had to share. I just love the expressions in the last three panels.

Erika is still my hero <3

...

I still have almost two hours until my next class. Blech. Next Tuesday I'll remember to bring my sketch book, which I've usually had on me over the years when I've had long breaks between classes, but have somehow failed to bring today, even though I knew I had a break from 12-ish to 4. Grumble.

Still, it's really good to be back on campus. I always miss it during summer/winter breaks.

My "classes" are a little weird this semester, but I knew they would be. Most of the "classes" aren't really "classes," but seminars and externships. I only have one "class" that's really a class (well... more like 1 and 1/2), which is where I'm headed at 4. I kinda dislike the prof, but I'm trying to be optimistic.

...

There's no point to this journal. Just killing time.

La la la la daaaa.

Doot doo la la doooo!

Hurr durr!

Derpa derp!

LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Okay, I'm done.

(derp.)

Deep, Well Thought-Out Journal Title

pixil3333@aol.com — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 03:02:12 GMT

Stolen from mayracs

Your challenge is to write crossover fanfiction combining Scientology and Harry Potter.
The story should use anorexia as a plot device!

Generated by the Terrible Crossover Fanfiction Idea Generator

I lol'd.

...

ALSO! I start school tomorrow! YAY! XD

...

ALSO! I start school tomorrow! BOO! DX

Oh, Doogie.

pixil3333@aol.com — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:19:31 GMT

I had the weirdest NyQuil-inspired dream last night.

It involved a film that John Malkovich was making. Everything he jotted down from his director's box overlooking the set--the whole world, that is--just automatically happened. The "actors" were all just normal people who thought that their actions were really their own, having no idea that they were being manipulated by Mr. Malkovich.

I was one of the few who knew what was going on, and spent a great deal of time trying to get ol' Johnny-boy to write some crazy shit into the screenplay because I thought his movie was boring and needed a little flair. He eventually got fed up with my bugging him and let me take over scribbling down the story, though he wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea.

I began this new chapter of the film with a "It was a dark and stormy night..." cuz I thought it would be hilarious. No one else thought so.

Somehow I ended up wandering around on the set later with Mr. Malkovich, half-forgetting that none of it was really real. We wound up in a parking lot of a Quiznos, but the name of the chain had been changed to "Dr. Doogie's" because, you see, Neil Patrick Harris had bought the franchise to soothe his deep urge to meet the public's sandwich needs.

Then, NPH himself ran out to greet us, flailing. "Margaret! It's been so long!" he cried, embracing me hard against his chest and nearly smothering me. I didn't have the heart to tell him that I wasn't Margaret. "Let me make you a sandwich, my friends!"

...And then Neil happily/manically dragged me and Malkovich away and that's the last thing I remember.

Yeah.

Raped... in the face.

pixil3333@aol.com — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 05:14:54 GMT

Hamlet 2 is officially the best movie ever.

I can't get Rock Me, Sexy Jesus out of my head.

That is all.

Oh Sweet Jesus

pixil3333@aol.com — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 01:09:25 GMT

I just had my first solid food since Monday... and it was Heaven.

Golden mashed potatoes... French-cut green beans... and an absolutely gorgeous, buttery salmon. It was orgasmic.

My jaw aches like hell now because of the chewing (though it was more like mashing everything to the roof of my mouth with my tongue, cuz that ended up being more comfortable), but... oh... so worth it. Mmm.

My tooth-holes don't hurt too much today. They mostly just itch. My jaw is still being an asshole, but it's way better than it was yesterday. Today was the first day I could open up wide enough to get a toothbrush in there and man is it nice to feel clean. I feel like a whole new woman.

Ow.

pixil3333@aol.com — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 05:43:03 GMT

Surgery went relatively well. I feel like crap and the vicodin feels like it's doing next to nothing, but the ice-packs I've been keeping on my face off-and-on all day are like a dream. I took some mild sleep-aids with my most recent dose of vicodin about 40 mins ago, so I'm hoping I can eventually get some sleep today. I had planned on knocking out the minute I got home, but no such luck. Instead I spent the day watching M*A*S*H, which is awesome, but it's really frustrating to be groggy, in pain, and unable to sleep.

Also, my jaw locked shut from the strain the surgeons put on it, which I was afraid would happen, but I'm not at all surprised. It's happened three times before because of various reasons that didn't get along with my wacky TMJ issues, but the longest it was ever jammed was only like 2 weeks, so I'm not too worried.

And they wouldn't let me keep my teeth :( I had been all excited about making a necklace, too.

...

On an entirely unrelated note, I've noticed that my dad and older brother (who have not really been on speaking terms for years) are sending each other messages on facebook.

It's a step in the right direction and I'm so happy.

Wisdom Teeth of Doom

pixil3333@aol.com — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 04:43:48 GMT

I have to get my wisdom teeth removed. As of today's lengthy consultation with an oral surgeon, the extraction is planned for next Tuesday.

The problem is, my wisdom teeth don't appear to like the thought of eviction very much. Three out of the four I have to get yanked out of my skull are having complications, one of which is going to require at least one additional surgery. Because, you see, if they yank it out in the usual way there is a certainty of nerve damage that would leave me with a potentially permanent case of novacaine-lip--that is to say, I'd have chronic numbness and drooling from one side of my face--so it has to be done in two separate surgeries (or more).

Yeah.

Also, the roots of another tooth might be up in my sinus cavity, meaning that--when removed--the resulting hole would allow me to suck air up into my nose through a tiny void my upper jaw, which is actually kinda awesome. They won't let me keep this discreet third nostril, though. They'd have to sew it up. :(

But still!

JAW-NOSTRIL!

Also, I'm not entirely sure if I have a ride home afterward or not. I might call Lauren or Marlan if I absolutely have no other option. Your reward is to see a very drugged-out Mindy, and possibly pie after I'm able to eat solids again. I asked the surgeon if I could get by with just a local anesthetic and some laughing gas so that I wouldn't need a babysitter, but considering all the things that are wrong with these errant teeth she kinda laughed in my face.

"Noo... Oh-ho-ho, nooo, Sweetie. You are gonna be out. And I mean out."

The horrified/amused tone of her voice was both unsettling and endearing. I like her.

...

JAW-NOSTRIL!!! :D

Go Ahead, Be Dirty

pixil3333@aol.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 04:41:35 GMT

I had fun gallivanting with dis_c0nnected last night. Then again, I always do.

He needed to be in Hollywood at the ungodly hour of 1am-ish for a caravan to Comicon today and so, since I knew I'd be awake anyway, I gleefully offered my chauffering services.

After some mild begging and pleading, I convinced him that we needed to go drop in on my brother's gig, since his bar/stage is pretty close to Hollywood anyway... and I hadn't seen him since he got back from Europe where he was touring with Al Mckay of Earth, Wind and Fire fame (Here they are in Rome! Justin's the short-haired trombone player on the left: Funky shit, man).

/shameless plugging

Anyhoo, Marlan and I went to Justin's bar and saw his band The Makers for a couple hours before heading off to Hollywood.

All in all, a nice evening.

...

In other news, I start grad school in a month! Woo!