Confessions of a Deadbeat Artist

Found this pasta recipe on Martha Stewart's website.  It's what I ended up cooking for a final, since we had to do a pasta dish and could pretty much do whatever we wanted so long as the pasta itself turned out right.  I changed some of what Martha had in her recipe though, so it ended up being a 'Piper Original,' kinda.  ^.^; Anyway I thought I'd share it since it turned out delicious if I do say so myself, and it's pretty simple to make!

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Lmfao I just realized Indiana Jones' dad is not named Indiana. I've got the dums.

Ahh, facebook. Primary cause of my distractions and, ergo, lack of sleep some nights.

If anything, I discovered today that I really do like my career choice, seeing as how I spent 8 hours in a bakery to come home and do what? More baking. Wee.

I really should be doing dishes. I made cream puffs!! =3

I have returned from Midfur! Here is a tip, when on a plane going from Australia that is transporting a person who has just eaten a lot of Mexican food, make sure that person is you. Heh. That was fun.

Midfur this year was like dousing a house cat in axle grease and throwing it down the front of your pants. It was awesome! Last year was great, but they really stepped it up a notch this year. Of course, I haven't been to every furry even in the world, but I would have to say that next to Eurofurence, this year's Midfur was the most professionally hosted foreign furry con I've ever experienced.

Being the GOH at Midfur was a pleasure. They really took care of me! I'm not talking about "here, have some beer! Have some food! Have this toothless kangaroo we trained to suck!" No. Well, except for the booze and the food. They did do that. And they offered the kangaroo, but the hotel wouldn't let it in the hot tub with me.

But there were also limousine rides to and from the airport and literally a long red carpet into the event space! They made me feel like a dignitary in a foreign country! Not only that, but they inducted me into their Furry Hall Of Fame. It was a brilliant ceremony! It was like the furry version of the Academy Awards. And the statue they awarded me is absolutely beautiful! I'm proud to display it in my studio.

While I was there, I was interviewed by several magazines and video shows, some furry, some not. One of the ones I had the most fun with was ACTfur On-Air. They're a furry video show that is starting up in Australia, and their material is really nicely put together. You can check out some of what they've done on Youtube. http://www.youtube.com/user/HuskyPause

In short, everything was taken to the next level this year. Probably actually the next two levels. For those Americans who like to travel to more exotic places to far away fur cons, this convention is perfect! I truly believe that Midfur is quickly going to become the next big foreign fur con in the world. And from what I've seen, the staff there will be more than able to handle it.

I certainly hope to be able to attend again next year!

AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE!

Angie L.
you look sexy in that boiler room, milo thatch ;)

ijackskellington
hahaha

Angie L.
i like that skull on your desk
i like the cut of your ancient polynesian jib

ijackskellington
you know that way too well
what is on his desk
and all his crap around him
valuable crap
but crap

Angie L.
i actually have no idea what is on his desk
i just remember a fish and some tiki masks
let's find out

Angie L.
apparently there is nothing on his desk
ohhh look at that
now there is
Screenshot2009-12-14at114536PM.png

ijackskellington
lol
i hate you a little

--

dragonsfire130
man, this is hard.
The induction cooktop heats SO FAST.

Angie L.
why is that hard?

dragonsfire130
I've made pancakes before, but this like...I put the pancake on and then it's done in like 2 seconds.
And it burns in 5.

Angie L.
ooh
maybe turn it down

dragonsfire130
yeah
This is awesome
...lol @ burnt pancakes being awesome

dragonsfire130
I am a pancake making failure. That last one was more like a scrambled pancake.

Angie L.
lol
my eggs are always like that, if it helps
but they're not REALLY scrambled enough to be "scrambled"
they're just like "junky eggs in a pan"
"miscellaneously cooked eggs"
"somehow i cooked this"
that's what i'm calling it
"i can make cooked eggs, somehow"

Angie L.
you can call yours fuckcakes
we're having fuckcakes and junky eggs in a pan
you'll like it or you'll get the fuck out

--

EternallyxBound
when i think of animal names, i think mostly about how i'm going to look at the vet's office
'what is your parakeet's name?"
"thundarmountain."
"k"

I need to stop having dreams about my ex-boyfriends. Like, now. Sure, we never do anything but hug, but still. It's weird, and I don't like it.

So. I go back to CT next weekend for Christmas. Maybe this time I'll own up, grow a pair of balls and apologize (theoretical balls, of course).

Started reconnecting with J this week. I got a message that he added me on Twitter and was like "wtf? We haven't spoken in three years". So for whatever reason I e-mailed him my life story since we last corresponded aaaand now we're on speaking terms again.

I'd like to think that my desire to rebuild bridges is an extended one and NOT just one of those goodwill Christmas-y spirit things that'll fade after January 2nd. But we'll see.

Speaking of January, I have NO idea what I'm doing for New Years... I'd like to go to Danny's and see that bunch of wild, insane folk because I never got the chance to say a proper goodbye before I left for Vermont. Truthfully I'd rather be there with Bryon, but I'm not sure he would enjoy himself. Of course I would ALSO like to hang around Kevin's shindig, although I'm not sure I want my family to see me shitfaced. Then there's the whole question: do I really want to drive to CT and back TWICE in less than two weeks time? But I'm not sure I want to stay here... New Year's in VT doesn't look to be that exciting.

Well I guess I'm out og things to say for now. Next time I update I will probably be with my folks. Toodles.

I know I've been incommunicado (AGAIN) lately, but I guess I'm in one of those don't-wanna-talk-to-anyone-unless-it's-in-monosyllables-or-grunts phases. However, my guilty conscience kicking me in the back of the head has spurred me to pen this update on my life as it currently stands.

We, Eric and Traci and me, have moved into the new house, which is in Phoenixville, which is the home of the movie The Blob and is like what would happen if you took Madison, made it the size of Menomonie, and removed all the college students*. It's also right by Valley Forge, yes THAT Valley Forge, so. Y'know. History and stuff.

I bought a car ('92 Nissan Sentra), which despite having passed the buyer's inspection with flying colors blew out it's fuel pump last Saturday night and left me stalled in the middle of the road at midnight, with a heater that didn't work. By the time Eric got there, I was surrounded by very unhelpful policemen and quite probably had hypothermia. They towed the car to a bad auto repair place that overcharged me, but it's fixed and currently it's getting a nice free tune-up from the mechanic students at the school Eric's mom teaches at. Traci also got me a fuzzy wheel cover that has dolphins on it.

The cat stayed at Eric's parents for the week we were moving in, and is now apparently suffering from some kind of separation anxiety because she will not leave me alone and will follow me from room to room, which she didn't use to do. She also jumps at any new-house sounds, so maybe it's just the house freaking her out. I just held her on the way back from Eric's parents, because we did not want a repeat of the infamous Kitty Carrier Incident. Selena was very well behaved for most of the trip, although she made very loud, unhappy yowls if we went around a corner fast.

I have the application for Temple's program in, but I can't turn in Madison's application until we find where the printer got to. I'm still rooting for Temple most of all, especially because I am no longer a citizen of Wisconsin and would have to pay out-of-state tuition for school there.

Honestly, I really have no idea where else to apply to. I feel nervous just applying to two schools, but every other good program here is horribly overpriced. I mean, overpriced to the point where if I got rejected from Temple and was accepted into another school here, I would not be sure if I wanted to go there, just because of the price tag. They're good schools. They're just totally unaffordable, even with state residency. Pittsburgh's program is okay, but if I got in...I'd have to live in Pittsburgh. Hm.

Also, I'm employed now. Starting Dec 30th (the day after I get back from Wisconsin), I will be a full-time nanny for baby Stephen and possibly also Jennifer, the not-quite-two-year-old. I feel like I should get a Mary Poppins outfit and start flying with my umbrella.** The job is good, the pay is very good, and I like the kids. The only downside is that I am not supposed to take any vacations until the family takes their vacation, which will not be until next Christmas. So, no fun summer roadtrips unless plans change. Poo.


( Anyway, Christmas! )

Hello folks! I'm still down in Australia after having performed for Midfur. The organizers were kind enough to give me a few extra days to relax and see the country and I have to say, it is very hard not to fall in love with this place and the people. Not only have I had a brilliant time down here entertaining the Australian furs, I've also had a few very enlightening moments. In fact, one of these moments has very likely changed how I look at the world entirely -- probably forever. Bear with me a moment and perhaps I can give you something to think about...

Jenner.

Jenner is a friend of mine down here. What makes him so cool? Well, in the first place, he is the creator of the Doc Rat comic series (http://www.docrat.com.au/), probably the best anthropomorphic comic strip in all of Australia. He's royalty down here. He's like the Bill Holbrook of Down Under. But what makes him even cooler is that he's a 51 year old furry who is an actual medical doctor currently practicing in Melbourne.

Jenner whips up a mean martini, let me tell you. I know because he invited me to his place to have one. His wife cooked a wonderful dinner and then he and I sat down for a couple of his "Doc Rat" cocktails -- made with some crazy fruit that only happens in Tazmania or something. Very unique and very tasty.

Well, as a person who is also very deep into comedy, we began to discuss what it was that actually created a laugh. After all, as comics, this is very important to us. I told him my idea that in the end, death was always the base motivator in human emotion. And then, he laid it on me....

Injustice.

"What?" I said.

"It's not death that is the base motivator, it's the injustice of death," he said.

Injustice. I thought about it a minute. Injustice. Of course! If I'm dying, it's not the sole fact I'm dying that makes it suck. It's that I'm dying and others get to continue living. It's that I'm dying instead of bad people who don't deserve
to go on. That no matter what good I've done in my life, it's not going to keep me alive any longer than anyone else, no matter what they've done.

The biggest, wide-spread emotional defense to the concept of death has been religion. And basically, religion is just a judgment system. It's there so we can believe that evil people are punished and good people are rewarded. That's what really matters to us as humans. We're not so much adverse to the idea that we'll leave this existence one day as we are to the idea that an innocent six month old baby and a 60 year old child molester could both die and wind up in the same place. The entire purpose of the most popular and unavoidable mind cults on the planet is to develope the idea that this can't happen!

If you talk to religious people, many of them are not afraid to die. But why not? Because they believe their consciousness will continue past death? Or because they believe it will continue in a place where there will be no worry of the people who cause hardship and pain? Would religion take away the fear of death if it taught that we would continue into eternity in the same place with murderers and thieves?

Upon thinking about it, I believe Jenner is some kind of whacked out, crazy, doctor genius. The guy is fucking DEEP. And he's given me a lot to think about. He's said that he might be able to make it to AnthroCon for the first time next year, and I certainly hope he can. I have a feeling I'm going to miss him a lot when I leave here.

I will have a more detailed report of Midfur when I return. For now, see you later, Australia. Thank you guys for the astounding hospitality you've showed me while I was here. I hope to see you again next year. You guys rock!