It’s The Most Wonderful/Awful Time of the Year

From a human standpoint, this is my favorite time of the year. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, and on TV is the 83rd Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. I’ve not missed seeing one since I was 3. I’ll wind up coming home and going to bed early, so I can be up for the 9am start time. Then, on 12/6 we’re going to the “ICE” display at Opry Mills. This year’s theme is “A Charlie Brown Christmas”. Hard to say who’s more excited for that one, me, or my mom.

But from a work perspective, I HATE this time of year. Tonight will be absolute lunacy at work, as all those people who thought they could get a great last minute deal on Turkey’s by waiting til the night before will show up, and be pissed off to find out we’ve been out of Butterball’s since Saturday. The next Thanksgiving item they’ll be after is the dammed peanut oil. Deep fried turkey is a big deal here. As of 11pm last night when I got off work, we had 3, count em 3, containers left. And I can all most guarantee that those are already gone. But people will be pissy over that too.

We’ll sell more papers today than normal. Why? Because all the ads for Black Friday will be in it today. I’ve already gotten the luxury of seeing what we’re going to be offering, and god help me. It’s bad enough I have to be there at 4am, but they’re going to actually make me have to witness a mass murder tomorrow. How so? Because I’m going to wind up killing people before it’s all over. There are always those who want to sleep til 10am, thinking they can get better deals on all the sale items b/c we’re going to want to get rid of them. NEWSFLASH!!! Those items wont go on clearance til after Christmas!

Every year there’s always one customer that tries to bribe their way into getting a hot item early. It happened last night, and it happened to me…AGAIN! He was certain I knew what all the big items were, and offered me $100 if I’d tell him what they are, and then put one back with his name on it if it was something he wanted. He couldn’t believe that I had the balls to laugh in his face, tell him my job was worth way more than $100, and then turn around and walk away!! He demanded to see my manager, but oddly, when I told him that I’d go get her, but he should know that bribery is illegal, and if she found out that’s what he was doing he could get arrested and be sent to jail…he quickly left the store. Surprise surprise.

My only bright note about Black Friday is that I’m only working a 4 hour shift, and then I’m off the Saturday afterwards.

Holy Rusted Metal Batman!

Wow….sorry I haven’t updated in a bit. Will hopefully do better at this sort of thing. This is what’s been going on with me.

August:
*Nothing much major to report.

September:
*As if the 11th wasn’t rough enough, my entire family on my mom’s side is a part of a scandal going on, that just now wrapped up. For the last two weeks of the month I literally didn’t want to do anything online, or otherwise, but hide in the rec room, and wait for the whole thing to blow over.

Half Blood Prince Photos…

So these are the shots of myself, and my friends attending the 12:30 screening of Half Blood Prince.

Group Shot 1

Jaimie as Harry Potter, Me as my version of Ginny Weasley from a moment in book 4, Christopher as Lucius Malfoy, and Jennifer as Bellatrix Lestrange disguised as a MoM employee. My mom got me a frame a couple of weeks ago that says “Do You Believe in Magic”. I’m so having this picture printed for it, it’s too good not to use.

Christopher as Lucius and some Anti Malfoy Muggles...

This was quite funny, as Christopher looked so spot on, that EVERYONE kept asking him for pictures! Even some of the staff at the movie theater did a double take…

Ginny is brought under Malfoy control...

And then, it happened. A time turner was slipped over my head, and and…before I could fight him off, I don’t know what happened…

Costume Update

Talked with Marla, got the initial idea going of what we’re going to do to get this costume made for the 2010 Convention.  Fortunately, I get a discount at Wal-Mart, so I can pick up the supplies cheaper.

She’s charging me by the hour, but she doesn’t think it’ll take her more than 5 hours to complete it.  I’m just not sure if that includes fees for Curtis or not.   I’m hoping to find out from her soon, so we can get the ball rolling on it.

This is great, just the booster I need to keep me excited about the Con until I get my gold ticket bought, which should be done by the end of this month,  July 9th at the latest.

After I get it bought I plan to make announcements about the party idea I have for next year.  I’m hoping that it has a decent turn out.

Dressing The Part – Part Two

Okay, in the post below this one, I shared how to transfer the basic outline from a computer generated image, to an outline on the shirt, or medium of your choice.   In step two, we’re going to fill in the outline.  Before you fill in your design, it’s a good idea to try the shirt on, and make sure you’re okay with the design.  If you’re not, this is your last chance to make small tweaks to correct it.

If you’re satisified with it you can continue…

STEP ONE:
You can continue to use the paint you already have, which creates a stiffer image, or you can buy fabric paint from Tulip that allows it to dry flat, and be more flexible.  The choice is up to you.  I chose to use the paint I already had.  In either case, work in small sections at a time, and “draw” on small lines of paint.  Then with a square edged paint brush, use the lines to fill in your design.

STEP TWO:
Keep going until the entire design is filled in with one thin layer of the paint.

STEP THREE:
Lie somewhere flat, and allow design time to dry.

STEP FOUR:
As you can tell, the design isn’t completely filled in yet. Repeat steps 1 – 3, to add another layer to the design, this will take care of any see thru areas that are still left.

STEP FIVE:
You should now have a design that looks something like this:

That’s it.  You’re almost done!

Coming Up In Part 3: The Gold Trim

Dressing the Part – Part One

K, so since Creation isn’t likely to come out with a Hope shirt anytime soon, I decided I’d make my own.

STEP ONE:
Take artwork generously and painstakingly drawn by friend and fellow Xenite (Love you Charis!) and enlarge to desired size, with transparent background:

STEP TWO:
Print pattern onto card stock and cut out.

STEP THREE:
With ordinary masking tape, tape pattern to desired medium, and use sharpie to trace outline of design

STEP FOUR:
Remove pattern, check outline.  This is the only time you’re going to have to make slight corrections.  If you  need to do anything major, you’ll need a new shirt and sharpie doesn’t come out easily.

STEP FIVE:
Trace sharpie lines with fabric paint of desired color.  MAKE SURE you have cardboard, or something inside the shirt, otherwise the fabric paint may bleed through and cause the shirt to stick together on the inside.

STEP SIX:
Allow 24 Hours for outline to dry. (If you want to be brave and try to paint it all at once, go for it. I however do not trust myself to NOT smudge my outline and get paint smudges all over the shirt.). Make sure you lie your medium flat, to avoid running, dripping, or even little paw prints.

Part Two….and the filling in, Tomorrow.

2010 Xena Con Costumes

I can’t make up my mind what to do (and yes, it’s necessary to start thinking about this now, as making costumes is NOT cheap).  So I decided to create a poll and get some opinions on what to do next.

For those who haven’t seen it, photos of me from the 2008 Con are on pages I & III of the photo pages.

WTF? Xenites From Hell?

What is it with people, okay I’ll be honest, fellow Xenites who feel that they have to wine gripe and    bitch about every little thing that goes on in the Xenaverse if it’s not to their liking.  It’s like they get  out of bed every morning, and LOOK for something to complain about, otherwise they’re unhappy.  I  just don’t get it.  Did they wake up a few weeks ago when Lucy’s concert announcement came out, and  decide that they’re going to suddenly treat the people who are going like total shit just because they  cant go and its unfair?

So you’re not going to the Convention.  And I know how depressing that is.  But that’s no excuse to slam  other people in an attempt to bring them down with you.   You want to be miserable, fine, but keep your mouth shut, because I for one am tired of listening to how unfair it is for you, that you wont be able to see Lucy in concert, or at the Convention, not to mention be among the first to get your hands on the newest shirts, posters, and pictures.  At least Creation is stepping up and giving you the chance to get them at all.  They could just say that these items are being sold exclusively at the Convention, and if you don’t go, then it’s to fucking bad for you.

Grow the hell up.  So you can’t go, for whatever reason.  Stop blaming your issues on other people, and trying to spoil everyone else’s good time.