Grades for the semester are in!

Human Skeletal Analysis: A
Research Methods - Personality: A
Statistics in Psychology: A
Short Story Sequence: A-

Current GPA: 3.80
Current GPA within major: 4.00

In Research Methods:

Write-up - 91.5%
Proposal - 88%


Needless to say, I'm happy!

--

I've been sewing, too (obviously). My steampunk skirt is almost done! I have the underskirt all made (except for some tacking down) and the overskirt constructed.

What I still need to do for the skirt:

Hem overskirt
Sew on trim
Make interlining
Sew interlining, overskirt, and underskirt together.


For the jacket, I have the lining all cut out.

Still need to:

Cut main fabric out
All construction
Buy zipper


I dyed my sheer fabric for Lenna, and got a few pictures, but they're not that true to life. Just believe me when I say it is GORGEOUS. Darker than I had planned, but I think it'll work. It's mottled green/purple/blue with splotches and splatters and smooth gradients and rough gradients... it'll be gorgeous. :D


Once I have some finished projects, I'll post pictures.


(Also, starting to feel a lot better the more progress I make.)

Telling David about the Beyond the Impossible page on TV Tropes:

Me: "Part of the Dungeons And Dragons community enjoys turning a Game Breaker Up To Eleven. Some call us "Munchkins", but we prefer "theoretical optimisation". Notable exploits include turning Locate City into a tactical nuke, implanting your mind into a bizarre creature with an impossible parentage in order to make over one million thrown knife attacks in a single round, and the infamous Pun-Pun, the first-level kobold with arbitrarily high stats and all abilities in existence useable at will.

What's the break DC of a planet?

The /tg/ board on 4chan has been seen discussing how to properly min-max Surtr. As in, the Norse fire giant destroying the world. That Surtr. Min-Maxing him."

David: I LOVE THESE GUYS

David: also i get the tactical nuke thing

David: pretty neat, really

David: i should try that with animal messnger

David: DUDE

Me: XDD

David: NO

David: YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND

Me: NOOOOO WHAT HAVE I DONE



SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS. THIS IS SCARY. :

I'm feeling overwhelmed again. I've planned too much for this break. I'm expecting too much of myself. I have to make two vests and a tie for David and a whole oufit (skirt, petticoat, blouse, jacket) for myself. And I want to work on Lenna, and I want to cook, and write, and visit people, and spend time with my dad, and RP, and play with the kittens at my aunt's, and read, and play video games, and just veg in front of the TV, and...

Suddenly I have too much to do again. And I go into the lab next week.

Tomorrow alone I'm running to the fabric store (again) and cooking a dish that will take about three hours to make. I'll probably RP, too. Watch TV. Maybe do even more.

I have until the 16th.

And on top of this, I'm frustrated with my sewing, my lack of patience, my stupid mistakes and rushed results. I need to redo the entire back pannel of my Lenna bodice because I couldn't just wait to find/buy a new measuring tape and so just eyeballed where the eyelets should go. I need to redo the top seam of the bodice.

And now, thinking about how much I have to do for Otakon THIS BREAK and how little time I'll have during the summer, I'm even starting to question if I want to keep cosplaying. What it seems to boil down to is:

I want to create pretty things
I want to go to conventions
I feel strange not cosplaying at a convention
I'm never happy with what I have done already

And so... I feel contrained. And feeling constrained like this always makes me panic.

I'm considering just not going to Otakon this summer, but I want to give myself that vacation and ridiculousness and time with my convention friends, and I don't want to let people down.

I don't know what I want to do.

I need to make doctors' appointments and I need to get everything ready for next semester. And then next semester will come, and I've learned not to expect any cosplay work done while at school.

I just want to see some progress, I guess. Some hint that I can get all of this stuff done.

I just want to sit and do nothing for a day, recharge, and not feel guilty about it.

Maybe I'll feel better after New Years. Then, at least, I won't have to work my schedule around holidays.

Sooo more cosplay stuff.

I'd love to make Lia for Otakon, however I'd have to make her over this break most likely to also make Spoiler theater!Argilla in time for Otakon.

SO.

Last Exile peeps-

I'm thinking about fixing up my uniform (redoing the white banding, since I could do it way better now, adding the rivets on the back, generally cleaning everything up, rehemming the skirt, etc) for one last ride at Otakon. I know you guys are doing a Katsu group, but is there any chance of a reprise at Otakon?

I think it'll either be reprise of Sophia or making Lia. :)

(On the topic of Lia- think I could get away with pillows instead of full on paniers?)

So, I'm still trying to figure out what I'm doing for Otakon.

Definite: Spoiler Theater!Argilla (Digital Devil Saga)

And here are possibilities:

( Lenna, FF5 )

( Lia de Beaumont, Le Chevalier d'Eon )

( Penelo, FF12 )

( Archaya, Eternal Poison )

( Jane, Tarzan )

( Sophia, Last Exile )

( Talwyn Apogee, Ratchet and Clank )

( Virginia Maxwell, Wild ARMs 3 )

( Maya Shrodinger, Wild ARMs 3 )

( Flora, Professor Layton )

So opinions? Other suggestions? I'm currently leaning most towards:

Lia
Virginia
Maya
Flora
Talwyn

AND I CAN ONLY DO OOOOONE

So, Jane's on hold, Otakon costumes wise. That means, unless I try to get Lenna to a wearable state for Otakon (HAH), I have an open spot on my cosplay list.

Anybody have a group that needs spot-filling? (Envi, nobody's really catching my eye anymore in the HTK group :< ) I'm pretty picky about who I'll cosplay as, but.

I really hate being home. I love my dad and my step-mother, but I can't stand my step-siblings and the way they treat everybody around them. They're slobs, with rotting FOOD in their rooms from MONTHS ago, shit piled up to knee height or higher, and no desire to clean their rooms. I helped my step-brother start to clean his, and he did next to nothing. Same when my step-mother helped my step-sister start to clean hers. They're lucky they GOT presents.

Anyway, last night it was just me and my dad, so we had filet mignon, ate good cheese, and watched Muppet Christmas Carol.

Today was all over the place, so here's the customary haul list:

PS3
Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction
Science Papa
Food processor
Bowls
Nice dishes
Tongs
Scent diffuser
$25 Amazon gift card
Framed picture of me and all my maternal cousins
Camera

And Stacey and I are planning on getting professional massages after helping the kids clean their rooms.

To do tomorrow:

Sew boning into lining of Lenna one-piece
Sew lining to main fabic at top and sides
Add eyelets
Try on with lacing
Clean up living room
Clean up sewing room
Help bake pies

All before relaxing with dad for Muppet Christmas Carol with wine and good cheese. :D