Spring Cleaning 2022

[Lizica]

Updates... My main thing recently has been trying to finish the birthday card, and I've resigned myself to mailing it late. XD It's been trickier than the usual cards I make, since it's overly ambitious and has *~textures~*. Like, I've never really done much sewing before, but after I finish finagling the inner design part, that'll be next! I finished the lineart and watercolor, so tonight and tomorrow I'll do some cutting and maybe sewing??

Aside from that, I inked a couple more panels of Nice End. It's maybe a little over halfway done now, minus the computer editing afterwards. (This is an NTWF thing, so I'm kinda psyched about showing it eventually. XD)

The other major thing I accomplished recently was getting my covid booster last Tuesday! \ o / That feels like a big deal. (If I'd had the spoons at the time, I would have furiously ranted long and hard about how many unmasked people were at the shopping area where I got it, but. spoons.) In any case, since it's on my list, I get to file it under my "stay healthy" bullet point! Be safe and considerate, folks

[Rasaiu]

I finished the first book "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. The ending was satisfying, so I'll definitely pick up the next book by this author as soon as I finish a story collection (which is not that fun) by my writing course lecturer and another story collection which my friend gifted to me.

This week I made so many paper tubes that my hands almost got cramps. I'd say that box is ~40% full. Now I'm running low on materials so I'll have to go on 'a paper hunt', lol.
Of course, this activity didn't allow me to do other things, like, spend time learning.

Well, I did some stuff for accounting courses - I had 2 online lectures + I read through the 1st chapter and wrote out important things. For the writing course I daydreamed about my homework and I ended up doubting myself and characters.

I sorted out my sewing things. One day I just took the bag and did it. Nothing fancy. The main thing is that everything is folded nicely and nothing is falling out of the bag. Plus I also sorted some things that were besides sewing things - candles, gardening stuff, etc.

I planned to wait till the weather was warmer but as the running plan takes about 9 weeks I figured that I had to start now. On the 2nd April I went for my first run. According to the running plan I have to leave one day in between. I'm using that free day to do strength exercises. The bad news - I'll probably exhaust myself, especially with my poor eating habits. How to deal with those - I have no idea.

[June Scarlet]

I guess the theme of this week is job search for me. Had three interviews in the past week. And I just finished filling out a contact form for a nearby tech-company. I'm not sure if I'm a good fit for what they need, so I didn't want to just apply, but I am interested. So I filled out their generic contact form asking for more information. Hopefully they get back to me.

I'm looking at my list, and so many of them (all of them?) are huge, on-going projects that I'm not going to likely be able to finish by the time Spring is over. Maybe I should come up with some easier tasks to throw on there. Or maybe break down the big tasks into smaller tasks? That sounds smart too.

[Rasaiu]

Apr 6, 2022 20:22:22 GMT -5 June Scarlet said:

Maybe I should come up with some easier tasks to throw on there. Or maybe break down the big tasks into smaller tasks? That sounds smart too.

I suggest you break down your big tasks into smaller ones. It’s easier to motivate yourself to do smaller tasks and after completing them you’ll see the progress instantly. In this way, huge, on-going projects will be pleasantly coming to an end. c:

[June Scarlet]

NT comic guide has been published! www.jellyneo.net/?go=neopiantimes_comics Thanks again to Twillie for her help on this one. I've crossed it off my list.

Started pulling together sources for the Art Gallery Guide refresh. I also did a quick update to the neohome guide, though that's not reflected on the main site yet. I was also reminded of possibly doing a Neopian Times History article or something of the like for JN.

Been thinking about Storm and Story, I think I might have figured out how to begin the story there.

One of the libraries got back to me; they decided not to proceed with second round interviews. But I'll hear back from the library whose interview went better early this coming week, so there's still a chance.

[Rasaiu]

I gave up on my characters for writing course homework and picked up other characters. At this point my browser's history is amazing: from articles on how to go on retirement to psychological sites about controlling behaviors/partners. Though I'm still not completely sure I want to work with these characters for my final story. Right now I spend more time writing stories without beginning, ending or plot which I'll never ever show to anybody. And I'm enjoying them more than I should.

I finished reading the story collection by my writing course lecturer. Finally. Never again.

I went to the clothing store to which I planned to go for weeks. As I expected, clothes in the online shop looked much better than in real life. Though I managed to buy jeans. Not the quality I expected but at least they are long enough to cover ankles.

I also searched for backpacks. I still have to figure out what size I actually need.

It finally happened - I skipped one running day. Due to my bad planning skills I didn't have time for a run yesterday but I hope my body took this one day to rest. In my own defense a day before I went on a hike for half a day + did my exercises.

[June Scarlet]

When I submitted my latest Saskori short story, I asked that it be saved for Cybunny day. However, now the Festival of Neggs is in Neovia, and I worry that elements from that will affect my story. So I asked Mx. Macabre to move it up to the 15th. They were accommodating, and now my story will be published this Friday.

This evening I wrote about 600 words for Storm and Story. It has begun. I suppose I better go ahead and throw in my hat for the Meridell collab.

Still waiting to hear back about various job stuff. I guess it's time to apply to another place, just to keep things moving forward.

[Twillie]

Fell out of updating here the past week >>; To be fair, most of what I've been doing the past week is focusing on the new job and adjusting to waking up early, so I've been productive at least lol

I adjusted my list a bit; originally I was hoping to streamline it, but really all I did was add some extra points x3 Right now, in between work days, I want to focus on the NT thumbnails I've started doing as well as writing for both my comics to make more progress on their stories.

I haven't been keeping up on Wuthering Heights rip, I've kind of forgotten about it. I think since I have a digital copy of it, it's easier to slip my mind as its cover isn't staring me in the face every day. Maybe if I keep it open on my laptop I can remember better to read, we'll have to see.

I also got a couple of (shorter) books from the library for ghost story research purposes, and I'm hoping to finish those tomorrow perhaps!

[Lizica]

Pretty belated update here, but I did at least finish a couple things! I finally got to writing That One Long Email, success~

And I also finished the birthday card. ^^ That thing took WAY too long and was a ton of effort, but I'm overall proud of it! The sewing part was actually kinda cool, though I let my mom handle the more difficult part. After that, it turned out that the trickiest part of making the card might not have been the coloring or the sewing, but the gluing and cutting. XD Whew.
Anyway, I got to deliver it belatedly in person! The young recipient seemed to like it, I think? She didn't immediately put it in her mouth, and enjoyed waving it around a little. She may or may not have liked the envelope more than the card itself, but I'm happy with both, so yay. xP

I think it's also been long enough since I updated that I can still say I inked another couple of panels for Nice End, too. And after pausing for a bit to figure out a particular artistic choice, I may have a better idea of how to do the last several? We'll see!

Also, June Scarlet, I'm sorry I'm so incredibly out of it, and I somehow did not realize until several weeks ago that you were doing stuff for JN, and I just wanted to say that I got such a nice thrill out of visiting their staff page and seeing you and Kat there. =D

[June Scarlet]

First off, thank you Lizica! I like being on Jellyneo staff, it's fun.

Heard back from the second library; didn't make it to second round interviews there either.

Applied to work at a bookstore, waiting to hear back on that.

I did hear back from Geekify about a Neopets writing team position. They're looking for Neopian Writers to help write a ttrpg. I sent in my second round application, so fingers crossed.

I started my Storm and Story piece. I'm almost a thousand words in, but I'm not quite sure I like how it's going so far. I'm trying to convince myself to keep going and go back later and rewrite, rather then start over again.

I think my Saskori story will be published this upcoming Friday after all. It was held over and accepted, but not published last issue. If it's not in this upcoming issue, then I'll have to ask Mx. Macabre about it, as I don't want it to get lost in the system.

Went and saw an animated movie today as a special treat. "The Bad Guys" was a very enjoyable movie, and while it was 3d animation, the characters moved like 2d animation. Very cartoony, very fun. When I got home, I was inspired to do some sketching of my own. Did one two sketches for The Magician's Guinea Pig, then all the rest were for Crime Show Comic.

When I felt warmed up, I decided to do a test panel for Crime Show. I've done one before, but I wasn't completely happy with how it turned out. This one was much better, I was much happier with the lineweight. In fact, I think I might possibly be ready to start making real panels, and actually make this comic after... what, six years?

Yard work's been going well. Got yard waste service, so now we have motivation to fill up yard waste bags every week. So that's good.

I coded a simple lookup for Keng, so I guess that counts as coding practice, right? I was a bit rusty, at least, because it's been so long since I've touched Neopets' user lookups. In return, Keng is drawing Storm and Storyweaver, which is cool.

And that's it for now, which was a lot.

[Rasaiu]

Nothing good to report.

Last Friday slapped me in the face and I considered giving up on some things. However the next day just destroyed me and I gave up on almost everything. Till this day I haven't got up and tried once again.



Writing course was the one that gave me the final blow.

SPOILER: Click to show

In an online class the lecturer said: "If after this course you will decide to stay in literature (read: continue writing and publish your work), then...". I realized that he was right. Even if I finish this course, I don't want to publish. I have 1 (maybe 2) stories which I want to finish but not publish. 10 years ago I wanted to publish and I dreamt that my stories would become bestsellers, but now I don't.


Why am I there in the first place? Because a friend of mine encouraged me to participate in that contest? And because I won an opportunity to participate in this course for free?
Now I feel guilty about wasting this free spot, wasting lecturer's and other participants' time and nerves for reading or listening to my nonsense.

It's been a week since I last ran. Last 2 times I went running I knew that an inevitable obstacle was approaching.

SPOILER: Click to show

My favorite time to run is in the dark for many reasons - it's quieter, more peaceful, less people around and thus nothing disturbs me to focus on every step, breath and rhythm. With daylight growing longer I had to push my running time later in the night till it reached my limit - 10 pm.

I don't know what I should change to continue running.
Should I give up for now and resume in autumn?
Should I find another place and route?
Should I try running in the mornings?
Should I go past 10 pm and run even later in the night?

To be honest, this last option seems more realistic (besides giving up). I could try to reschedule my day - after work 2-3 hours nap, light dinner or just a snack, after midnight go for a run and then again back to sleep. Will it have a bad effect on well-being - I don't know. Online articles say so.

[Lizica]

*belated hugs for Rasaiu* I'm sorry things have been rough for you. Please take care of yourself and do what you need/want to do for your own health, both mental and physical, regardless of whether or not you finish or follow through on goals. <3 It sounds like you've been doing and learning a whole lot, even if it's been frustrating at times!


I haven't finished anything on my list, but I wanted to post an update anyway. Mostly because I wanted to flail about the anecdote in the spoiler and bury my face in the thread, but. x'D

Nice End isn't quiiite done yet, but it's so close. I just need to decide definitively where I want the word bubbles, finish cleaning the inky parts, and then put a nice texture on top. Was mentally gearing up to finish that and then wind myself up for more Soft Glow--

But got temporarily sidetracked working on a card for Mother's Day. (It really snuck up on me this year. XD) I also washed the broken mug, because I think it would be nice to glue that back together for my mom before Sunday, too.

We're gettin' there!

Embarrassing/funny anecdote tangentially related to the card:

SPOILER: Click to show

*went to the place I volunteer at on Friday afternoons* *Supervisor is showing me how to cut up the transfer designs*
Supervisor: But you'll be good at this, you're very precise.
Me, who stayed up late last night working on my mom's papercraft card: And I do like cutting things! :D
*Supervisor laughs, returns to demonstration*
Me, screaming internally: WHY DID I PHRASE IT LIKE THAT, I SOUND LIKE A SERIAL KILLER, ASDFGHJKL *mental headdesk*

[June Scarlet]

I've had two interviews at the bookstore, now I'm waiting for the store manager to come back from vacation to make a final decision on the matter. And I guess I need to decide on the matter as well.

I've been accepted as part of the Geekify writing team, that's been fun. Still trying to get our footing there, but it's good.

Saskori story was published, nice to have that out. Haven't worked on Storm and Story in a while, I've been busy with other projects.

At some point I inked and colored another test panel for Crime Show, but haven't gotten around to posting it yet.

Yard work has been going very much so. Been trimming, planting, moved the compost pile, getting yard waste out to the curb, just everything. Still a ways to go, but the yard's already looking much better.

Also applied to yet another job, because I guess I don't have enough to do or worry about already?? This one's a coding job in my specialty, though, so it might be nice.

It'll be interesting to see where I'm at once summer comes.

[Lizica]

Got to cross off a bunch of small things from my list since my last update! (And yes, I also totally added more things to my list for the sole purpose of crossing them off. xD I have been meaning to do them, but didn't think about them when making the list! I have an excuse!)

Anyway, finished my Mother's Day card and fixed the broken mug for last Sunday. ^^ (Though there were about four or five very tiny ceramic mug pieces left that I unfortunately couldn't place, alas. x'D But the mug overall is ready to be used as a neat pencil holder or similar!)

I also cleaned the house windows and put up the bird decals this past week. They look really neat, and hopefully will help birds to see our windows better. <3

And I finished the Nice End comic! \ o / It came out really cool, if I may say so myself. xP

And that means that I have returned to working on Soft Glow once more. >O But, guys. I only have the bottom part left to do. ;_; I'm so close. I've never been this close before. (....I mean, obviously, the more you work on something, the closer you get to being done. But like. *shakes your shoulders* I'm actually close this time???)

...Anyway, as a nice break in between Soft Glow, I finally got myself to do "Doodle-sketch I keep putting off for some reason." It didn't take much time, it made me feel really good, it was fun and loose, and I don't know why brain was procrastinating on this for almost a year. XD

[Twillie]

I imploded my old list and replaced it with a new one, just since I felt the first wasn't working for me anymore. I got rid of some bullet points, namely any ongoing tasks with no clear end goal or date, otherwise they just like to hover over my mind and take away my motivation lol.

It's a funny coincidence that soon after I talked about not finding Dracula at my local library, that an online event called Daily Dracula starts! I'm sure plenty of people here have already heard of it, but when you sign up for it you're emailed the book in pieces, each part taking place the same day that they're sent out. It's not the same order that the book is traditionally read in, but it sounded like a fun event and I'd still get to read the book in the end! I just need to catch up with what's been released so far before the next update on the 28th haha.

I finally painted some plant pots that I plan to use for gardening, the latter being a very slow going process for me. It's just difficult for me to figure everything out, especially since I don't have a yard that I can go digging in. I'd really like to start growing some of my own food, though.