Wow, has it really been over nine months since I've posted a new journal entry?

So, I was expecting 2009 to be another epic year, much like 2008. Yeah...no. Okay, well, that's not entirely true. In February, I did get to go on vacation with my boyfriend and his family to Steamboat Springs, CO. It was a trip of firsts: it was my first venture outside of the Gulf South (I've only been to Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida before), it was the first time that I've seen real snow, it was the first time I've ever seen real mountains, and it was the first time I've ever tried snow skiing. Although it was surrounded by drama, I had an awesome time.

A week after I returned to work from my ski vacation, I received the awful news that I was being laid off. Yes, the bad economy caught us with the company that I was working for. So, I scrambled for two months trying to look for a job. The good news is that I found employment elsewhere. The bad news is that during my hiatus, my relationship with my boyfriend fell apart.

It should be no surprise that after I lost my job, my confidence took a huge hit. Instead of being the conforting, supportive man that I was hoping for, my boyfriend was seriously bothered by my dip in self-esteem. We had never had any problems before with our relationship, although we both have our own separated issues. It just so happens that his issues were...umm...rather unique. For whatever reason, the circumstances brought all of our individual problems out into the spotlight.

Eventually, I had to realize that my boyfriend was turning into an entirely different person, and that what he was going through was not just a phase. We had talked about marriage, children, and moving away to start a life together, but his issue was growing and I knew that none of the plans we had made would work because of it. As much as I didn't want our relationship to end, I had to give him an ultamatim: issue or me. He chose the issue.

I thought we would still be close friends, but instead, he has chosen to completely erase me out of his life. He won't talk to me anymore, and that includes seeing me in person, calling me on the phone and sending emails or instant messages. When I try to contact him, he just gets angry. He's even deleted and blocked me on Myspace and Facebook. It hurts like hell, and the worst part is that there's nothing I can do about it.

I've been practicing with the Wacom tablet that he gave me last Christmas, as you all can see from the last few deviations that I've posted. Unfortunately, every time I use it, I think about him.

2009 is more than half way done with, but really, it's been such a lousy year so far that best I can say is that I don't see how it can get much worse.

I hope everyone is having a fabulous holiday season! I know I am!

So, I received a brand new Wacom tablet this year. I have never drawn with digital media before, but I've been playing around with my new toy all evening, and I gotta say, I'm really starting to dig it. I hope to gain more skill through practice, and maybe get some pointers from some of my artist friends here who know more about this stuff than I do.

I've posted a quick sketch that I did to show everyone what I've done with this thing so far. No, it's nothing great, but hopefully I will make progress.

After a nine month lull, I have finally submitted some new art on dA. Better yet, it's not a mermaid! *gasp*

As most of you have probably guessed by now, I am a big fan of color. If there's anywhere where color can be found in great abundance, it's Japanese street fashion. I'm not really a huge fan of all things Japanese, such as anime and Hello Kitty, but I find the street fashions being sported in the Harajuku district fun and interesting to look at. I find the style known as decora the most appealing of all. It must take those girls FOREVER to get ready to go out.

That being said, my latest deviation is inspired by the decora style. I'm thinking about doing a full figure version, although drawing in all those colors and accessories is going to be a challenge.

...and of course, I'm going to try to not go another nine months without uploading to dA.

I can't believe I haven't done anything on here since spring! No deviations, no journals...I feel so inadequate.

I'm not sure why I haven't been doing any drawing lately. My best guess is that it's a combination of life being so busy and myself being uninspired. For whatever reason, I just don't have any desire to do anything. I've gotten started on a few drawings, but they don't turn out the way I envisioned, so I scrap them. Hopefully, though, I come out of this funk and start creating and uploading stuff.

In the meantime, I'm planning a Halloween costume that's based on one of my drawings. A few years ago, a drew this portrait with the markings and colors of a queen angelfish superimposed on her face: [link]

I always thought it would be fun to try and make-up my own face to look like the drawing with a funky costume to go with it. I'm pretty sure that I won't have to worry about anyone else wearing a costume like mine.

Woo...it certainly has been a while since I've written on here.

In some ways my life is going great, yet in other areas, not so much.
On either side of the coin, I've been very busy and have been left feeling too drained to work on any drawings. I still have things that I want to do and have promised to do, but just haven't gotten around to doing them.

I know, I'm lazy.

Anyway, I've been browsing dA and it has me feeling inspired again, so hopefully in the very near future, I'll start working on all that art that I promised to myself and others.

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These are the clubs that I'm in: