Anyways, Christmas. Good times. It's been the first time in two years that the entire family has been together. Not only that, but we're even +1. Exciting stuff. Lots of talking and sitting around and joking. Joking and smiling, and making eachother laugh. A sense of humour that fits like an old glove. I wish I could take that glove and put it in my pocket and bring it everywhere with me. Hell, or take that glove and wear it everyday.
I'm sitting here trying to figure out how I can record everything, and I have no idea where to start. So I'll just kinda spit it out in random-ish order:
- I've been 'playing' (or just messing around on) the mandolin a lot, which I brought with me, while the family sits around and does whatever. I really enjoy that - having and instrument for my fingers to dance across.
- It's amazing how the energy and focus changed once there was a new baby in the family. She's sickeningly adorable, and no one can take their eyes off of her. Such a little magnet or black hole for attention. You should see the gifts pour in for her.
- Speaking of gifts... Hopefully this will be my last year of not getting any for the family. Time/money/energy seem to be at a premium due to school shinanigans. It makes me feel horrible, but I just can't get it done.
- My brother got me a (rather nice) camera tripod. I'm pretty blown away, and super thankful. Kinda adds on pressure for next year to get on my game...
- My sketchbook is changing. Morphing. It's becoming less... "Draw what you see", and more... Stream of conciousness/patterns/faces/linework/journal. I kinda like it. I keep thinking about how I'm not a great illustrator. I want to keep drawing, sure, but I know I need to focus on my design work and improving that. I wonder how my sketchbook can be used for that. I've also been using an ink pen, and I really dig the line quality of it.
- My family and I spent Christmas Eve at my brother-in-law's parents' place, with his family. It was pretty good - a little bit awkward, but good. They're fairly laid-back people, and we had no problems having conversation and taking it easy. Still made me realize how awkward I can be around people I don't know very well. I keep finding myself thinking, "I gotta fix this. I gotta get better at this." I don't know why I'm so hyper-aware of it right now.
- I'm tired. I have tired all up in my bones. I sleep and sleep, and it's not enough. I had two naps yesterday, even. I've really racked up quite the sleep deficit during this last semester, and I can't quite shake it off.
- Christmas turkey dinner was delicious, as always. But I'm changing - I used to have two, if not three, servings in the past. This year, one was more than sufficient.
- I weighed myself for the first time in a long time. It seems that I've lost ~13lbs over the past semester, on the standard "Stress, bad eating habits, and less sleep" diet.
- My brother, meanwhile, has been super-aware of diet and calories and weight and such. It's quite a foreign mindset to be around, and feels odd considering how close we used to be with our terrible eating habits. This change is by no means a bad thing. Just different.
- Because I'm allergic to the family house (and therefore my room and my bed), I've been staying with my brother. It's pretty nice. Again, the widening gap in living habits is kind of... Unsettling in a way, but we still get along pretty well. I've been having a good time while we pick up some Minecraft (still addicting), browse Steam (too many games, not enough time), run errands (yaaay groceries) and this evening make lists of albums, comics and movies we should listen/read/watch (I'm going to be busy for many years to come).
- I went shopping, briefly, with my brother and sister. We took a quick peek through one of the bigger malls, and there was a first nations group performing some traditional dance and music in protest of some bill. I have no idea what bill it was, but I hope those natives lose their cause, just for the sheer volume of what they were doing. It was painful - the sound reverberating into every store, and it seriously hurt my hearing after ~15mins. I mean, hey, good on them for using the democratic tools and their disposal and expressing their concerns in a traditional way, but... Damn. That place did not have the acoustics to handle that kind of sound in a comfortable (or safe) way.
- I've formatted my laptop and a kit to double my RAM. My laptop is going to be on top of its game for the final semester.
- I'm stressin' out. I need to:
- Reply to many emails
- Find a name + URL for a portfolio site, make a portfolio site
- Fix up old pieces and start gathering portfolio pieces for a shoot
- Talk to a friend about the freelance work he needs me to do
- Change my home insurance provider
- Start thinking about the project for next semester
- SLEEP
- Find time to cook dinner for friends
- Book an optomitrist appointment
- Figure out when extended medical coverage ends
- At one point on Christmas, I was so stuffed up and my breathing was becoming so shallow that I had to get out and get some air. So I put on some music and went for a stroll. I found myself walking down the middle of main-street, smack-dab center of the road. It was dark, with mostly full moon, a starry sky, and whisps of clouds being blown by the chill winds. Florence and The Machine sang through my earbuds. Not a soul was to be seen, up or down the road. It was perfect.
One thing at a time.
-Cril
Brian Setzer Orchestra - The Nutcracker Suite
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