So, some random mullings, etc. That or just jotting some character stuff down publicly. You know, this kind of thing.

( Pony-related stuff under cut.Collapse )

So I've been dealing off and on with the concept of possibly making a pony character of my own. A starting point is somewhat eluding me, though. I could probably take any possibility and run with it. So, I introduce a simple poll here on LJ!

edit - And as a reminder - multiple selections allowed intentionally /edit

Poll #1871191 Pony Thoughts
This poll is closed.
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 10

Type?

As some of you know, for a while now I've been pondering putting my photography and stick figure skills to good use as an illustrated tutorial for artists who might need some help on working with reflections.

I've been hesitant to critique on this matter for this reason, actually. If I suggest to an artist that they need to work on what can be one of the most difficult matters for the human mind to wrap around, well, I want to have solid advice to work from.

However, I carry some interesting questions on starting this. As a photographer, I involve myself in one of the few fields where it is next to impossible to foul up a reflection on technical terms. My artistic and scientific experience with how optics work actually are why I notice details being off in reflections so frequently.

Stick figure diagrams will, of course, be the first and perhaps easiest part of my work. The second part, detailed visual references, will be more interesting. I have options here, folks. One of the easiest would involve making little people out of a variety of household objects, fruit, or whatever and then dressing them. Also to some degree simple, but would involve getting a friend's help, would be to get someone with a BJD or two to assist me in setting up some scenes. A third, which would also probably mean convincing a friend to volunteer, would be a live model.

Mostly because, you know... artist friends? I love you all, but I'm not ponying up the money to pay a model for her/his time for a guide.

My other thoughts are somewhat more... vicious. See, I could kinda use a victim or two willing to subject some pieces with reflections to a more thorough and focused critique than I normally give. I'm not planning on being mean, and hopefully it'll be very helpful, but it's also not going to include talking about anything other than what light bouncing off which surfaces would actually hit the viewpoint - so I'm probably not going to be including as much positive commentary.

Thus the poll. For the volunteers one, no vote means "do not consider me". Just don't check a box. For the specific piece option, feel free to note me here, on art sites, e-mail me, or catch me on IM. Just remember to get a confirmation out of me on IM as sometimes my machine bounces online and off.

And the public review check box? Important stuff there, it means that if you check that box I may, after confirming with you, draw up a fully illustrated review of the image I go over as an example, and after a further confirmation post it. I'd like to be able to have some real-world examples of how it's just a matter of learning how to do a reflection and it's something that would take a ton of work to get down perfect.

Now, to the poll.
Poll #1740573 Reflections
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 3

Photographic Illustrations style?

Vic... er, Volunteers? Check if you want to be considered.

Any further thoughts, please do comment! Anonymous comments screened by journal default, but if remotely topical will be unscreened for this one.

So I've been looking over my "mobile broadband" options, as quite honestly it's about the only option I have at the moment. Virgin Mobile is powered by Sprint's network, and I'm on a "legacy" plan no longer available that gives me 5GB full-speed/month and then unlimited throttled-back (apparently to about 256K).

I tend to consume about 6-8GB on an average month, though some of it gets rolled over onto the sat service we still have. Still, it has me looking at options to keep myself at full power.

First is re-up my VM earlier in the month, when I run out of speed. As that'd only happen as often as I'd need it, that would put me around $60/month with no remains of a clearly defined billing date. That's the only "pay as you go" or "prepaid" option. The rest of these are contract "post-paid" systems.

Second I looked into was Sprint directly, which offers unlimited usage on their 4G systems. However, those systems aren't on Whidbey Island (yet... we're a suprisingly high-demand area). So instead I'd be at $60/month with .05/MB overage fee for their 3G region. To be blunt, that would cost me anywhere between $90 and $190/month for an "average" month. o.o; Ouch.

AT&T is the exact same pricing, with roughly the same coverage, and quite frankly I hate the company with a loathing that defies expression so they're out.

T-Mobile, regrettably, doesn't offer 3G on Whidbey so they're out.

Finally, for the big companies, we come to Verizon Wireless with two plans that would be servicable to me. First is $50 for 5GB with $10/GB overage resulting in $60-$80/month for coverage - a little more expensive than VM. The second is $80 for 10GB with $10/GB overage - the same price as VM if I were to be pulling nearly ten gig a month (I can do it, honestly, I've metered 16.6GB one month)

So, cheapest option for me to stay at full power is just to shell out $40 as I need to, but there is the slight temptation of Verizon's... um... f'ing huge 3G coverage area. There may come a time, especially if they broaden their 4G horizons with a 4G MiFi device, that they'll get my business. Especially with their statement that they plan to get their entire 3G footprint converted to 4G in the next two years and one of my more common day-travel areas already having 4G coverage. I suppose a deal like what Sprint's got on the 4G end would sweeten the deal considerably though.

You know, the worst part is not having the energy available to hate this depression. Just a lingering dislike.

Speaking as someone who lives in a "temperate" climate... we have seasons, four of them. Warmly wet, sunny wet, breezy wet, and cold wet.

Seriously, though. More pronounced seasons (100's summer highs with -40 winter chill) exist inland, perhaps, but an oceanic temperate zone definately has seasons. It's just more... tolerable.

This was a quick one-hour $10 shaded commission out of strawberryneko of FA, (strawberryneko33 of dA, or just ichigoneko33), and I must admit it's really nifty and good!

As for if Molly has anything on below the frame, it may or may not be a tube top dress. Such theoretical matters are an exercise left to the viewer.

Now working on a post to A_B, more fully known as artists_beware, though only asking a question/seeking advice.

My geek is showing, in what happens in my brain when in a fever-induced state. Things about a dream are becoming a little more clear rather than less.

I was just dreaming that I was engaged in some sort of construction project in a hyperbolic space thing. I had to build a tower with nice neat parallel lines - in hyperbolic space. Yeah, with some vauge promise that if I could build it about ten meters tall without having it topple (gravity... in hyper, yeah... wtf...) I'd get over my cold. Let us call this vauge promise hyperbole, because I knew that was the exact word to describe it, but still I tried. With what pass for tetris blocks in hyper. Or at other times I was building a freeway or walking path, still in hyperspace.

Seriously, brain? This is what you do with just a fever and a little bit of cough syrup? WTF. Never gonna try mind-altering drugs, just not ever. I'd probably rig up a device that'd travel to another star, or blow up Earth. I'll come to and there'll be some thing with a big shiny button and I'll be like "wtf does this thing do?"

Oh, and I typed this in the dark entirely by touch with keyboard illumination off because it was hurting my eyes. Few issues from forgetting my home row placement, but not much. If only I could convey this information to my mom, queen of hunt-and-peck.

Cough syrup's still working, kinda.

Boring-life showing.

A is for age: 28
B is for beer of choice: I admit a certain partiality to Henry Weinharts root beer.
C is for career right now: Retail wage-slave and television hawker. (i.e. Walmart Electronics Associate) I also help people decide on the perfect color of paint sometimes. Go being one of three floor associates in the store after ten.
D is for your dog's name: Personally dogless and proud of it.
E is for essential item you use everyday: Highly dented black '96 Geo Metro.
F is for favorite TV show: Viiiidddeeeeooooo Games. Otherwise I vote Fraggle Rock.
G is for favorite game to watch: Cat-fights around the house. Otherwise I'm normally the one playing the games.
H is for Home town: Coupeville.
I is for instruments you play: Nope. Unless you count lead guitar in rockband.
J is for favorite juice: Cranberry-Pomegranete.
K is for whose butt you'd like to be kicking: Ummm... I plead the fifth.
L is for last place you ate at: Mah Couch.
M is for marriage: Nope... wouldn't mind with the right girl. Someone I believe is highly qualified does read this. >.> <.<
N is for your name: Bartholomew, most people prefer Bart.
O is for overnight hospital stay: Not yet.
P is for people you were with today: Cats, parents, and probably customers and co-workers later today.
Q is for what's your best quality: I've been told I could sell snow cones in hell. Unless we're talking the deepest and coldest depths of Dante's Inferno, I don't think this would be that much of a challenge. Apparently a silver tongue, though.
R is for what are you currently reading: Not much at the moment.
S is for relationship status: There's this girl I know that I'd jump at a chance at dating, but... otherwise I live in a 99% dead zone of every girl around is either a teenager or married to someone in the military.
T is for time you woke up today: 8AM to the sound of a goddamn woodpecker. Then 10AM to... up. Another woodpecker. Then around noonish to get ready for work and do this meme.
U is for the type of underwear you have on: Briefs, white. :p
V is for vegetable you love: Baby leaf spinach.
W is for worst habits: Dunno... getting really depressed about lack of prospects in the area count?
X is for x-rays you've had recently: Dental set, six months ago.
Y is for something candy yummy: Eat my superior spelling skills, meme. Oh, and let's go with caramel.
Z is for zodiac sign: Gemini

Alright, there.