It's really funny. People ask me what I'm up to, now that I've graduated and I'm not heading to school until the beginning 2010. The short answer is -- NOTHING! This isn't entirely true, but close enough without going into a lot of detail. I do lots of chores (yay washing dishes...), watch a lot of tv, and play a lot of videogames. It's nice for me also, cause I'm able to draw and write and do things that I wouldn't normally have time to do.

Consequently, it also allows me time to go to El Salvador for week to build houses, without having to worry about missing a week's worth of classes. I'm heading down there with a team this Saturday, and I'll be coming back on the 22nd. There's been a lot of bad weather down there in the last week, but the trip is still a go as of right now. Please pray for a safe trip, and that we will be able to make a difference, however small. Thankeesomuch! <3

Short journal... will update when I get back! Brought to you from a galazy far far away...

Movies movies movies!

I've seen four movies this month! Haha. Surrogates, Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, Where the Wild Things Are, and Astro Boy.

Surrogates was an okay movie. I like that sci-fi type of movie, and I thought the concept behind it was really interesting. I thought it was weird, though, you know, with all the people who like to dress up as ninjas or elves or Dr. Spock, why there weren't more roleplay type surrogates. People with purple skin and the like. But, then it might be a little farfetched for the "normal" folk.

Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs was absolutely HILARIOUS. Loved it! The animation is very cool and slick, and the characters are memorable. Flint Lockwood is a super-nerd! The way he types cracks me up. The movie was a pleasant surprise in how solid and funny it was, which isn't how the commercials portrayed it. Cool story too, with a good plot, and some wonderfully unexpected character development. Very, very good movie, and I highly recommend it.

Where the Wild Things Are was a sweet and nostalgic movie, cute, but not fantastic. I liked how much of the book they actually stayed true to, which, with a children's picture book, is an impressive feat. The wild things look exactly like they do in the book, which was awesome, and the way they were brought to life and given personalities was cool too. However, the movie didn't finish things up as nicely as I would have hoped, as it left quite a few things unresolved. But, then again, that is the nature of life and families. If you liked the book, you'll probably like the movie, but it's not one that HAS to be seen in the theatre.

Saw Astro Boy last night, and fell immediately in love! Love the animation, the voice actors that were cast, and the revival of a beloved character! I came home and watched some of the old Astro Boy cartoons, and I think that the movie did a really great job of creating a solid and entertaining origin story. The characters look super good, and are pretty darn accurate in comparison to their older cartoon counterparts. If you liked the old cartoon, I think you'll like the new movie, and if you're like me, and don't really know much about Astro Boy, I think you'll still like it. Highly recommended!

I'm totally buying Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs and Astro Boy on DVD when they come out! What do you guys think of these movies, and have you seen some other ones recently that you want to recommend?

I watched the entire first season of Lost this week, and now I'm hooked! It's got some very awesome survival plot (which I love - Lord of the Flies, Hatchet), and just enough sci-fi-ness to keep the crazy part of my brain happy. Now, waiting for the second season. No spoilers, people!

In other news, through some crazy connections I made, someone at Disney's Club Penguin asked me to send in a portfolio. Still haven't heard anything, but I'm hoping and praying! It's not what I want to get into in the long run, but it would be absolutely fantastic work experience! Anyways.

I picked grapes at a vineyard last week. We picked mostly Pinot Noir grapes, which are tasty. The vineyard we picked at doesn't use pesticides or anything, so we were allowed to eat the grapes right off the vine. They have huge seeds in them. Pinot Gris grapes are very pretty and tasty too! I ate a lot...

Finally got my hands on a copy of Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book 5 - The Last Olympian, and it was a stellar ending to a fantastic series!

Other than that, I haven't really been up to much. Still working slowly at my comic, and doodling here and there. Filling out student loan applications. Getting ready to go to El Salvador.

Anyways, drop me a line and tell me what's been going on with all of you!

Edit! - Congrats to Mistress Tate who caught the 5000 hits. I'm sorry to everyone else. I really should have mentioned this a loooooong time ago. I will have another one sometime!

Heys all!

So, yeah, I've never done this before, but my 5000 mark is coming up sorta soon, and I'm going to offer a character drawing to whoever catches the screen shot. No background other than some colour (this might change) but it will probably be coloured and everything cause I tend to get carried away with things like this. XD It can be one of your original characters (or someone else's original characters but they must say it's ok), but I won't be drawing any fanart for this. Just your very own awesomeness!

In other news, I totally stayed up until 6:00 Tuesday morning watching Heroes like a maniac. Now I'm totally addicted. I must see the end of the season, and beyond! Who else here likes Heroes? Who's your favourite character?

Most of you won't know this, but I totally started to rewrite my werewolf comic. I know, I know, it's hard to believe that I, the person who never ever finishes big projects like this, is actually steadily working on this. Right now it's nowhere near to ready to be drawn and posted, just writing, but once I have more written I will start to draw. Since I graduated and I'm not in school yet, I'm making this my big personal project for this fall. Big huge thanks to Mistress Tate for her invaluable help on this!

I'm looking for more work before I go to school, so I was wondering if anyone here would be interested in commissioning me. Unfortunately my skill set isn't very broad yet, but I sure can learn. Let me know!

*Is debating whether to catch a bus into town to buy Heroes...*

...he doesn't like you very much!

Ahoy, mates!

Still camping, yay! Currently in Qualicum Beach, on Vancouver Island, and it has rained all day so we stayed inside and didn't go anywhere. That's okay though, cause we tend to do something every day and it was nice to just sit around and read and play games and stuff. Also, I'd like to report a distinct lack of art on my end, so don't expect much once I finally do get home.

Just for fun, here is a list of the little references from my last journal:

- "There and Back Again" -- Lord of the Rings (a hobbit's tale!)
- "Yum, I just ate some ice cream (for lunch), now what? What are you going to do?" -- Andrew Pants, songs to wear pants to. You know it!
- "This is my partner, Lavender Gooms." -- Psych, of course Psych had to show up in there somewhere.
- "Dr Frankenstein (it's pronounced "Fron-ken-steen")" -- Young Frankenstein.

ANYWAYS! Sorry about that. I am a little crazy... most of the time...

Ignore me and have a good summer!

- Jaderade

Hello everyone!

So the whole updating every couple of days from Spain did not work out as planned. This is mostly because we were super busy all of the time, and I didn't have access to a computer every day. Also, my house was almost destroyed in one of the many forest fires that are burning in our area right now. The rest of my family still at home had to evacuate while my mom and I were away. Everything is slowly getting better though. We are in the house, but still on alert.

As you can guess, we got home safely, and everyone here is safe. That's what really matters, and I just want to thank people for keeping us in their thoughts and praying for us. The fire behind our neighbourhood is apparently 100% contained, which is excellent news.

Now, we are leaving on another trip! My family and I do an annual 3-week camping trip, and we're leaving in about half an hour. So, if I don't answer, it's cause I'm camping up and down the Sunshine Coast. Yay!

Yum, I just ate some ice cream (for lunch), now what? What are you going to do?

Also... I JUST GOT PSYCH SEASON 3 ON DVD AND I ALREADY WATCHED THEM ALL AND THEY ARE SOOOOO GOOD! EEEEEEEE! We are going to have so much fun watching these, eh my friends?

This is my partner, Lavender Gooms.

I will try to post soon! Cheers!

- Dr Frankenstein (it's pronounced "Fron-ken-steen")

PS - props for anyone who can catch all of the references in this journal.