Sarah Palin is doing a book signing on Sunday at the store I work at. People are going batshit.

FML.



.....wait. No. This is not a FML. No matter my distaste, this is an opportunity. I'm going to shoot the shit out of Palin and whore the photos out to the media for scads of cash XD

Now all I need is about $200 (yeah, right.)

 I'm thinking about buying these shoes to shoot in once (to complement a beautiful red outfit by hurtmeso ), BUT, money is real tight. The cheapest I can find these is $50, and I can't afford to get them for a one-time-only wear. If I were to acquire these, would anyone be interested in buying them off me after the shoot for $35? I wear a size 9, and it's doubtful they'd get scuffed during the whopping 45 minutes they'd be on.

CDs from these bands are bloody difficult to find :[ A running tally (it'll grow; this is off the top of my head):

Kenji Siratori collabs
Farzad Golpayegani
Sawlegen
Gevolt
Butterfly Temple

 
Working on this set for TechnoDolly featuring a new coat of hers. It's got gooooorgeous embroidery on the sleeves and train, and is one of the comfiest/well fitted jackets I've come across!

On a quasi-related note, I think I've lost some weight. No way to tell for sure, as I've no idea what happened to my scale in the move, but I can see the distinct flexors in my hips and my cheekbones are sticking out even more than they used to (see icon!). I haven't decided if this makes me happy or not- I'm fine with my hips and face having some smoothing fat on 'em, it's just my thighs that need to fecking shrink.

 merp. MERP. So WHEN can I post my application then?? I really want to comment on that entry, but I can't ;_;

Also. Really want to get my hands on some Butterfly Temple (russian pagan metal). Anyone familiar with 'em/know where to find their CDs?

More specifically, the really thick pleather like is used in restaurant booths. I've got 4 yards of it that I use as a seamless backdrop, and it got all cruncheld in the move :[ I'd *assume* I could iron it, but I don't want to melt or warp it.....HALP PLZ???

Fun stuff:
Saw Satyricon in concert last night at ElCorazon. Good show, am sore all over (including throat- hi thar, cold virus!). First two opening bands were 'eh'- they should have stayed in their garages. I think Bleeding Through/Toxic Haulocaust canceled, and local crap was all they could find to fill the spots. Chthonic, a taiwanese symphonic-black band of whom I'd no prior knowledge, played right before Satyricon and was SURPRISINGLY good. They actually had somewhat of a stage show, which is a necessity IMO that many bands mistakenly think they don't need, and the singer channeled some *amazing* energy. Funny guy too: "We didn't come over to Seattle just to play you guys music. We came here to teach you some fucking Taiwanese words." Like Kill. And Fuck. So the audience could scream along with the band in Taiwanese. Lawls. They'd sold out of their CD on the previous tour stop, so I'll have to see if I can order it.
Onto Satyricon: Satyr was much taller and thinner than I expected. For some reason, I thought he was short, and in music videos it seemed like his face was fleshier. He was the focal point for the whole show; other than a drum-solo introduction, Frost never spoke. Anyway. Satyr. Real cool dude- it was obvious he really appreciated being able to play for us, enjoyed being up there. Came back and did *two* encores, and, much to my bliss and neck-muscle's chagrin, played 3 of my favourite songs off of "Now, Diabolical" :D It made me not mind at all having spent as much money as I had on this band (4 concert tickets, a shirt, and courtesy of the merch booth a sweet comfy K.I.N.G. sweatshirt. I wish all bands had as nicely done artwork for their merch.)

Side note one: I only saw one other female in the crowd headbanging. What crap is that? Women, you're at a *metal show*. It's OK to get into the music, really.
Side note two: briefly met a guy there that looked reeeally familiar to Kory, and he mentioned having seen him at industrial shows before. The guy asked if I knew Katie, and yes, through her we'd met at the Merc. Problem: I don't remember him at ALL, and didn't get his name. Katie, do you know who this is based on this (sadly rather common in Seattle) description? About 5'10" in knee-high segmented NewRocks, swarthy complexion, multiple facial piercings (mainly lip ones), dark eyes and ragged(?could just have been mussed) long dark hair. I think I remember him wearing glasses.


Photo/Work stuff:
Have got the studio all set up! Huzzahs! Have some light-stands on order, and some large yard signs to let clients know the studio is in the back of the property. Also have been networking/marketing my butt off, and results are starting to show. I'm beginning to get paid gigs more consistently, and, most importantly, they're paid gigs for the type of fantasy/unique portraiture shoots I like to do. I'm not having to do baby-pictures or chase weddings for cash. This is very exciting- if I can get much of a snowball effect going at all, it'll be no problem to quit my part-time-"for stability"-day-job and be entirely self employed XD

OMFG. Guess what arrived in the mail yesterday: jury summons. I can't decide if I want to be inordinately amused or irritated. Amused because 1. I've never been in any court proceeding so am curious, and 2. because I bet I'll get thrown out during the selection process (I'm going to make a point to dress as outrageously as possible- stick all the fake hair I own on my head for sure. Dunno what outfit(s) yet.). Irritated because at a minimum it'll waste several days, at most half the month of November. There were sets I wanted to shoot then, dammit!

In other news, have started the painting process at the new house. The only color Kory and I were totally sure about was this cranberry shade for the bedroom (poetically named "haunting melody"), so it's getting done first. Will probably take 3 coats to cover the white underneath and get the color even. But isn't it puuuuurty? I'll have to take snapshots of the bedroom when it's entirely done.

 

 I feel like I'm continuing to advance with the quality and style of my work :D
Shot for Rocklove Jewelry Designs

Oh, GODS. Mustis (Dimmu Borgir's now former keyboardist and composer) looks *eerily* like Kory. Same overall face shape, hairline, cheekbones, even the same flare/widening to the bridge of the nose. Kory's got a more chiseled chin and slightly thicker/more arched brows, but still, WOW. Guess if one is going to have a twin somewhere, Mustis wouldn't be a bad one to have :D

BTW. What I would give for the sheet music for the above video. The man is a brilliant composer.

*rubs temples* OKAY, I've crumbled under the peer-pressure. I'm writing my application to join metal_community . It's taking a surprising amount of effort to get all the questions answered quasi-eloquently. I have roughly a 1/4 left to complete.

No one has taken me up on the two Baltimore Satyricon tickets I need to sell :[ It's going to be hard to afford going to the Seattle show in October if I can't recoup *something* from my idiocy there.
Another concert has popped up that Kory and I reeeeally want to go to: Heathenfest, via Portland on November 23rd. Bands include Alestorm, Kivimetsam Druidi, Vreid, Belphegor, and Eluviete. Don't particularly care for Belphegor, but all the rest....hells yeah!! 

What is it with the metal shows I can/want to go to always being in the fall? Just noticed that. Blackest of the Black tour was in November last year, and Nightwish in 2004 was in early autumn. Huh.

Hmmm. Ought I post this to DeviantArt? I've already submitted the previous diptych, but this shot turned out really good too :\ Decisions, decisions.

 

( Work with ByteStudio: large versions under cut )

I don't think I ever posted the photos I shot of Bad Charlotte. Ooops :X She was a real doll.

( Pictures under cut...3 sets )

1. Our offer on the house was accepted. Huzzzahhhhhh!!!! It's basically ours, just need to push paper to make it official :D I have all sorts of decorating plans, lol, only a few of which we can afford to do at first. Like painting. Every room will be a different color, unified by white trim. The front living room pale blue, breakfast nook pale pink with vertical cream stripes, office/library in greens, bedroom deep plum/red with brighter red demask pattern stencil painted on top, and the bottom half of the bathroom painted royal blue (at some point I'd like to *tile* it with cobalt tiles, but we won't have the money immediately). Anyway, we'll be taking possession on the 30th of September, and be moving then.

2. We didn't initially plan to have a honeymoon, 'cause we're poor and that costs moneh, but my parents and Kory's parents deduced this and, in an offer full of win, are joining forces to send us on one. :3 Gods, my life is blessed with such awesome people. I love them all so much it feels like I'll burst sometimes. Not least of all my greatest love. Husband. Weird to be saying that word after almost 5 years of 'boyfriend'. Sorry for the tangent: Sept.17th-20th, Kory and I will be honeymooning at the gorgeous Oregon Coast.

3. Satyricon is touring!! In my excitement, I was SUCH A DUMBASS that I'm *still* pissed about what I did. For some fool reason, I was convinced that I was buying tickets to the Seattle show, and ended up buying two tickets to the Baltimore show. Fucking A. Of course they're not refundable D: I *might* have found someone who could buy them from me (thus enabling me to have the funds to get the *right* tickets!), but in case that doesn't work out, hey metalheads: know anyone near Baltimore that may want to take these off my hands?

I've been MIA from the internet for a bit here, but, I've got good reason!: Kory and I got married last Friday. It was a shotgun wedding. 1 week's notice. The 'baby' was the house after we realized it'd be legally advantageous to be married BEFORE buying it. It was held in my mother's back yard, planned mainly by her neighbor who got all excited about doing a WEDDING (lol. We just wanted to sign paperwork...but obviously people had different plans :P). So. We're now married.

( Behold the snapshots! )

I've kept quiet about it, not wanting to jinx anything, but Kory and I have been keeping our eyes open for a house, and I think we've found one we want to buy:



Really, it's about as close to perfect for our needs as is possible. The house itself is small (which means low property taxes on the upside), BUT, it's nicely laid out, soundly constructed, has a large yard (veggie/herb gardens!) and a deck, and, especially awesome, a HUGE insulated/powered garage. Can we say STUDIO? XD Because of that garage, we don't *need* a larger house. It allows us the room for me to shoot, him to exercise, and have the cost of the property remain low. 

I've crunched numbers, and I am damn excited. We can afford this. Factoring in the $8000 tax credit (we're first time home buyers, obviously), we have near the 20% down-payment necessary to avoid the nasty private mortgage insurance banks like to tack on. Even at our current combined  income, which is not particularly large as we both currently work retail lackey positions, we can pay the mortgage/utilities/food/etc. other monthly expenses and still have at least $200 per month extra to save. If Kory gets a better job--crossing fingers here for him to get hired as a government employed economist!!--we will be totally cushy financially. Neither of us have debt or bad spending habits, so most extra income can be shoved towards paying off the principal super fast.
Now we have to get the wheels turning with finding good financing and all the other paperwork involved. The seller is not using a real estate agent, and so while that means we need to figure everything out ourselves, it does keep the costs lower. What's especially nice is that the seller would be willing to work with us and let us take possession in October, giving us the time to drum up more money to cover moving/closing costs and do all the legal stuff.

Ahhh, it will be SO NICE to not live in a basement anymore, and have a place that is our own! Does anyone have any advice about the house-buying process?

 

Shot Ariel on *very* short notice Wednesday. As in, called her at 11:30pm Tuesday night about shooting at 2pm the next day, and she was up for it. I adore her :3
We tried for an Elizabethan flavour. The wardrobe was slap-dash and safety pinned into something approaching the era's fashion, and her skin/lashes/brows painted white (that's not photoshop, folks! Took a *long* time to do the makeup. It's an especially striking look paired with her near-black eyes). We were a bit constrained by space issues, so there weren't tons of different poses, but I love the way these shots turned out.