Transformation

http://sweetnovicane.livejournal.com/918502.html

I didn't write it, but I loved it, because it's almost exactly what happened to me. Go, read, enjoy.

One of the first things that was posted on Repo's Website. I really love this song - all of the songs I've heard, actually. If you get a chance to troll YouTube or go to Repo-opera.com this weekend, there are quite a few different vids to check out...

"Mark it Up" - both the actual film clip and the featurette
"Zydrate Anatomy" film clip
"Legal Assassin" Featurette (this one is actually my favorite - because ASH is my fav, duh)
and then there's the "17" film clip (embedded below)

Here's the YouTube Vid for "17":



the Lyrics:
SHILO
Seventeen! Mama drama's got to go, dad
Seventeen! Nothing's gonna bring her back
Seventeen! Experiment with something living
Seventeen! 'Cos I'm sweeter than 16

ALL
Hey hey hey hey
Hey hey hey hey (x2)

(CHORUS) SHILO
(Seventeen!) I've always longed for true affection
(Seventeen!) But you compare me to a corpse!
(Seventeen!) Stay with the dead, I'm joining the living
'Cos I'm freer than sixteen!

ALL
Hey hey hey hey!
Hey hey hey hey! (x2)

[Joan Jett solo]

SHILO
Something's changing...
I can feel it...
I'm seventeen now
Why can't you see it?
Seventeen and you can't stop me
Seventeen and you won't boss me!
You cannot control me father,
Daddy's girl's a fucking monster!

... I won't do anything to you, except maybe beg.

So this is my first photoshop posting. Just a few notes up-front:

1. I use a wacom tablet to create almost everything I do in photoshop. If you attempt to perform the following task without a tablet - no matter the brand - you may just lose your mind.
   Get with the times.
   Get a tablet if you're going to use photoshop.
2. I'm using Photoshop CS3 to make these, and am providing the steps I used in that program. The steps you use may vary depending on the version and/or brand of program you're currently using.
3. I hope you enjoyed the tip. I'll be posting more - at least two a week if I try really really hard.

What gave me the idea for this posting was a tutorial I saw on one of the photoshop blogs I'm subscribed to through Google Reader (which is an AWESOME little webapp, by the way. If you don't have Google Reader, and you enjoy reading other people's blogs, you should get it. nuff said).

The tutorial was talking about the rising popularity of the hand-drawn or hand-written designs sweeping across the web. I think it's an amazing look, and anyone who would like to incorporate a similar look should also consider what I'm about to show you.

What this all boils down to is your Layer Blending Options. These will become your friends in times of great strife. Well, great strife when you're using Photoshop, anyways.

Layer Blending Options are accessible through right-clicking the layer you wish to toy with and clicking - *gasp* - Blending Options. The best way to get to know this handy feature is to play with it. Today, we're focusing on the inner shadow option (screenshot shown below).



Check out the difference Inner Shadow makes with a simple, handwritten message - Flat 2D Handwriting vs. Not-flat 3D Handwriting:


So play with your options, like the light angle, contour options, depth, size, jitter... all of it. Also, look at the screenshot of the Layer Blending Options again (above). I used the inner shadow, tweaked to the look I wanted, and voila! A nifty screenshot that blends into my background.

Easy, but useful (I hope).

K

And before you question me on the seemingly contradictory term of "funny nightmare", let me explain: I had a dream that was scary during the actual dream, but it was so funny when I woke up from it.

We on the same page? Good. 'Cause here's what happened...

I've been doing a mighty fine lot of surfing on the net these last coupla weeks, seeing what other people have to say about Repo! The Genetic Opera. I've also seen and read interviews from different actors/actresses regarding their thoughts on the fans (of all different stuff, but mainly BTVS).

In particular, I was laughing and shaking my head because Anthony Stewart Head (below) was talking about being held subject to a mob of fans at one of the Comic Cons, as well as various experiences with people trying to sneak a picture of him on the train, or approaching him when he's trying to have dinner with his family, etc etc etc.

I was thinking about that last night - about how ridiculous people can get when it comes to a celebrity. There is no way I'd do that to somebody. I just couldn't be that rude to someone who was obviously trying to spend time with their family, you know?

Well, here's where the nightmare part comes in. (Are you ready for this?)

I dreamt that I met ASH and I acted like a total idiot. I couldn't stop myself. It was like an out-of-body experience. I could see myself gibbering and doing every stupid thing a fan does - everything I've mentally spurned.

I had absolutely no will of my own.

And he had to call the police on me! I went to jail for harassment!! Can you believe it? ME?

I had to laugh at myself this morning. I mean, really, who dreams about that? Most people who dream about meeting their favorite celebrity often have a very different, pleasing outcome. Not that I would know about that sort of thing.

My brain spits crap like this at me instead of the fun stuff other people report.

Which is entirely unfair. Completely and entirely unfair.

So... I forgot to post an update on the fanfic front. I've been approved and posted as an author on Dusty's Of Demons and Destiny Giles site (under Giles/Buffy Authors, of course). Yeah, I had such a good day when I found out she was finally updating her website!

You can visit my author page here: KrisB on ODD

I am very proud of my story Family Fun, which I wrote a post about a few months back. It's a fun little piece where Xander and Willow are turned into little kids. Of course, it's up to Buffy and Giles to take care of the mini-scoobies until they can figure out how to fix 'em. And, as a matter of my own craziness, there is the beginnings of a relationship between Buffy and Giles. Hah!

Oops, dinner's done. Gotta go. Later!
K

So I've been checking out some different boards regarding my fav actor, Anthony Stewart Head (click for imdb listing), and I found out that he's going to be in a major role (not that piddly one-liner crap like with Sweeney Todd) AND it's a musical (ABSOLUTE SQUEE MOMENT in and of itself!) AND it's going to be a ROCK MUSICAL!

Can you tell I'm super excited?

If not, let me just say - I'm super excited.

Here's the place to go to see the trailer: Repo-opera.com

Here's a link to one of the Blog posts by the filmmaker (same guy responsible for the SAW movies): blog posting

Here's a link to the MySpace profile that has 3 songs from the soundtrack posted (it sounds pretty cool!): Repo-opera on MySpace

And finally, here is a picture that I found on google (whom I really really love).

So he might look a tad maniacal right there, but that's ASH playing THE REPO MAN. His job is to repossess organs from people who fail to make their payments. hehe, twisted, isn't it?

I CANNOT wait.

Still super excited.

Thought I'd tell ya, just in case you thought I'd calmed down. =)

No bread. No pasta. No cookies, cake, crackers, pie, pastries...

None with wheat in it, any way.

No, I am now living gluten free. I rely on the more expensive, unknown realm of rice and alternative-grain products. (Though I must say, rice pasta w/ alfredo sauce, so yum.)

I've not had any migraines, heartburn, weight gain or upset stomach since I started (except for when I inadvertently ate wheat). I'm losing weight without even going to the gym, though I plan to go back immediately.

I'm going to South Africa in October 2009. That's 15 months from now. I plan to reach all my goals for weight loss and health optimization by that time.

Fascinating isn't it?

I promise to write more later, at home. I also have a plan to write four Photoshop posts a month, two Health Watch posts, and two Goal Progress posts. I'm hoping it will help keep me on track with my goals. :)

By now all my friends and fam know that I have Celiac's and Barrett's. Yay me with all the GI stuff, right?

So, Barrett's is the worst of it. I take some pills, hopefully it goes away. If I hadn't found out about this, it could've become cancerous, like, years down the road. Thank God I got anemic and needed a camera stuck down my throat.

It's a good thing. Really.

So I went to Jen's house this weekend (along with Sarel, Sara and Tabby). Jen's never met Tabby, so it was sort of a welcome to the family thing. I made dinner, Jen-aka-mini-Betty-Crocker made, like, four deserts, and Jen's friend Tina brought the appetizer. Booze was brought. So was the funk. (haha) So we ate, we drank, and we were very merry. Fun was had by all despite the following:

1. Dave, Jen's sig other, totally forgot and didn't schedule time off, so he was way late getting there.
   
2. We needed more Jolly Ranchers to make - gasp - more Jolly Ranchers. On the way to WallyWorld (btw, Jen, could you live any farther from civilization? I mean really, wtf? How can you live someplace where it takes you thirty minutes to get to a frickin' Wal*Mart???), Sara's glasses broke, and she couldn't see ANYTHING. Plus the evil Vision Center Lady at WallyWorld said she didn't have time to help (it was about thirty minutes before the Vision Center was scheduled to close!!).
   
3. When we got back, I discovered Sarel hadn't taken dinner out of the oven and the cheese was all crusty and charred. Which, everyone said was fine, but I was still a little miffed. The presentation was ruined. It's not his fault, though. I should have stayed with him and kept an eye on it. All my fault. Mine mine mine.

So, we had a great time, left way later than we meant to, missed a turn heading back home and basically got in around 3am.
Yeah.
Church was skipped.
That's okay, though, 'cause I'm buds with the Big Man Upstairs. We're cool.

I swear.

. . . . . .

Okay, maybe not, but I'm sure I'm forgiven. Such is the nature of His Love. So Booya, on that!

Pics coming soon. =)