I'm also sick of people who disparage digital media, just because it's the new medium. But was acrylic immediately accepted, or was it "looked down" on as the up and comer, as the new kid on the block? Any time something new comes out, especially something as readily accesible as the digital arts, it is going to be met with resistance. The new people are going to scream revolution, and the old people are going to call them whipersnappers. Only time will show the merit of the media, and will find it more widely considered an acceptable artform. But until then, us digital artists will have to struggle for respect.

But that's just some of my anger at the art communities. There is the extreme frustration of not finding people who can give good and honest critiques. I've seen too many people who just try to shoehorn everyone into the same style. Yes, there are times it is obvious that something needs to be corrected, but there are also times it is somewhat obvious that the artist was intentionally looking for a style. You can't make everyone like the same couple of artists. You have to make your own mark on the world if you want anyone to notice you.

And speaking of making a mark, I am looking for more links to add to my site. So if you have a gallery, know of good artists, good resources, cool random stuff, just email me a link.

I'm also sick of people who disparage digital media, just because it's the new medium. But was acrylic immediately accepted, or was it "looked down" on as the up and comer, as the new kid on the block? Any time something new comes out, especially something as readily accesible as the digital arts, it is going to be met with resistance. The new people are going to scream revolution, and the old people are going to call them whipersnappers. Only time will show the merit of the media, and will find it more widely considered an acceptable artform. But until then, us digital artists will have to struggle for respect.

But that's just some of my anger at the art communities. There is the extreme frustration of not finding people who can give good and honest critiques. I've seen too many people who just try to shoehorn everyone into the same style. Yes, there are times it is obvious that something needs to be corrected, but there are also times it is somewhat obvious that the artist was intentionally looking for a style. You can't make everyone like the same couple of artists. You have to make your own mark on the world if you want anyone to notice you.

And speaking of making a mark, I am looking for more links to add to my site. So if you have a gallery, know of good artists, good resources, cool random stuff, just email me a link.

So, I have four birds in my house. Aleister is my parrot, and a subject unto himself. But he doesn't live with the three ravens, which is good; he's a destructive monster, and the murder are so bratty and territorial. The oldest of the murder is my girl Zim, and the boys Thought and Memory (all hail the Norse mythology!) belong to my fiance. Although, they all respond to me and love me and give me lots of cuddles and playtime.

We've hand raised these little kids since they were about three months old. They adapted to being with us so quickly, and learned how to communicate their needs to us. They make lots of little noises and "talk" to us, and they have their favorite foods and games, and each of them have a completely separate personalities. We could almost watch them grow daily, and they tried to eat us out of house and home. (They still do)

Thought is the leader of the little gang, usually the first to try any new toy or stunt, the one who demands the most attention and love and shiney things. Memory has poor little gimpy feet, so he has made up for his lack of dexterity by being the smartest, the most aloof, the most exacting with picking out the tasty treats and snapping at food. Zim is just kinda special, since she's not as bright, but loyal to whom she loves, and quite aggressive.

Zim is big and growing, and now that she looks fairly adultish, almost like the bird from The Crow. She tries so hard to be like Thought, actually, like she thinks it will impress me. She uses some of his same noises, and she tries to do the same tricks he does. I love her dearly, and I'm trying to get her to really be more friendly. She's the one who sings the most, and it's an adorable little croaky song she gives me. And she still does the wing shake "I want" baby asking motion. Yet, she asks for things, but never really expresses what she wants. She just sees her "brothers" doing and getting things, and she wants, but can't figure out what she wants. I love her.

Memory is my lovely little gimp. He's way smaller and younger than the others, but he's learned to stand up for himself, and I have always defended him from the other two when they get too mean. Because he's been picked on most of his young life, he's stuck to his "brother" Thought, being more his bird than any of our birds. He is now at a stage where he's playing with me like I'm his sibling, and he's becoming more playful in my presence. There was a time he would only sit stoically in the corner of the coop if I were in the room, but now he will even jump out unbidden to my arm.

Thought is his father's bird through and through. He loves my fiance so much. Watching him just cuddle and kiss him makes me feel happy. Thought doesn't bad mouth me anymore, like he did as a baby when he figured I was just his food-wench, and he even cuddles and loves me. When growing up and being trained, I used to be the one to spoil Thought. When we were weaning them of being fed like babies, I would sometimes just sit with him on my arm while playing a game, and just feed him like a baby. It used to upset my fiance a little, because the little boy would come running to me for that kind of attention.

It's amazing how intelligent they are, figuring out little puzzles and how to antagonize me, and what new games they can play with each other. They're almost as smart as my parrot, who's six, and they're eight months old. They've been using vocal commands since they were very very little. Within days, they began understanding commands, and now they even understand some fairly abstract commands. Like, I tell them not to do something, and they normally do it (when they're not being bratty birds). I have recently started telling them "go to bed" and they know to go get up on their high perch and roost.

They are fantastic animals to have, but they really do take a lot of energy and time. They are not good companions unless you have time and love to devote to them. Whenever I'm in a bad mood, they can cheer me up. But there also have been days when they frustrate the crap out of me. Or days when they need me by their side all the time, and just want to eat and play and cuddle and chatter to me.

And let me explain the title. They all love stashing their food and toys, that's just a natural reaction. Thought has always loved my hair, and he used to stick his food in it, until I started knocking him off my shoulder for it. So he stopped doing it...to me. Now I'll see him taking tid bits of food (not all the time) over to his baby brother, and stuffing it in his feathers right at the base of his neck, between the feathers. And he makes Memory sit there and wait until he's done stashing the food, then Memory eats the food. Thought has tried doing it to me again, but I stop him. I have no concept of where this weird little habit of his has come from. It's too strange.

I don't expect everyone to be super geniuses, but it would be nice if I could encounter people who had IQs higher than their shoe size. It's just shameful to meet people who can't even learn something that's been repeated several times a day for the last couple of weeks.

And even worse are the "pretty" ones, those who have skated by on their looks, and can't read to save their lives, let alone do anything without a giggle and smirk, and expect everyone to just do their work for them. To add to that, there are people who fall for it. *screams* My god, is intelligence that much of a turn off to men? Could they possibly NOT want someone they could have a conversation with?

It's just absolutely aggravating that idiots are allowed to breed. I wish the gene pool could get a little chlorine.

And now when I see him, I just want to slap him. I don't take lies well, especially not from people I loved. I just want to hurt him for the lies, since I had told him I didn't care about who he was, since he was my friend. It's all that bitch's fault, and I want them to pay.

I don't get it, don't understand why so many people who used to be my friends are now so hated. And they now hate me. It's like people either love or hate me, and it gets to me sometimes. I am just sick of those that I love and care for turning into people I can't stand. It's been like that for years. It's not like I do anything but be myself.

I guess it's just a curse I'll have to deal with.

I joined a writing site that's advertised all over DeviantArt. Helium is kinda neat. Gives me something weird and random to talk about, even get up on a little soapbox about. *shrugs* Just something I feel like playing with.

Missing my old man very badly. It's not helping that we're both stressed. Since we share dreams, it laps over through dreams, and I suffer for it.

The biggest raven chipped his beak. So he looks all stubby and sad. Must add more protein to his diet to help that regrow.

Watched a fun little Orlando Bloom movie. Damn I love him.

I haven't been able to find the attention to work on a painting, even though my other roommate has asked me to do one for him. I have the sketch done, but I haven't even gotten as far as picking the colors. Part of that is because I'm stressed out of my mind, and I hate my fucking job. God, it is just despicable.

But I am going for a job interview tomorrow, at a place that offers more money.

And I find myself wanting to do things, but just not feeling motivated to do so. It sucks.

Just one of my icky winter moods, I guess.

Which is weird, considering how horribly depressed I am other than that. I haven't really been able to paint lately, and it is fairly annoying. I want to paint, and just can't do it.

Getting all excited about World of Warcraft Burning Crusade next week. hell yeah! I am so dying to play a blood elf. And no, there probably won't be any fanart. I've just kind of slipped out of my fanart days.

I am always amazed by animal recovery power. Thought busted the tip of his beak a couple weeks back, and he's already doing a lot better.

There are some fairly interesting movies that are going to come out this year. I am so looking forward to things like 300, Pirates 3, the remake of Halloween, and other such really cool stuff. Yay for movies.

But last night, this ignorant, non-driving, non-English speaking twit pulls out in front of me and stops. I was almost to the intersection when she stopped, so I had no time to really apply my brakes, and I just had to swerve around her. By the merest of inches I clipped her back bumper, and creamed the passenger fender of my car even further. I was so pissed. I was so angry at her, as a matter of fact, that my two roommates got out of the car to make sure I didn't attack her.

She kept saying "I had the green light", when what she really had was one of those "Yield on green" lights, and she was just too god-damn ignorant to be able to read the sign. When the cop explained to her what the signals meant, she then changed the story to say she had a green arrow. Which she didn't, and the cop so didn't believe her.

So I now get to deal with my insurance company, and see what the hell kind of payout I can get. No one was seriously injured, but I am stiff as hell today. Even the back of my arms hurt. I can't recall details of how I tried to get around her, like if I used the brakes or not, but I do know I was almost clear of her. I was in one of those blinding, pure instinct adrenalin moments. Coming down from the adrenalin while standing in the cold, no jacket mind you, was a really bad experience. I was shaking and weak, and then I thought I was going to throw up, and then bitterly cold.

To top it all off, when I was within a block of home, another cop pulled me over for not having my front license plate. He was so frustrated because everything he could have given me a ticket for, I had (within an hour) just been issued a ticket for. So he slumped off all frustratedly. Apparently that was the second time that night it had happened to him. Damn those quotas.

But the whole accident just had me so fucking pissed. I don't understand why she stopped. If she'd have continued through the intersection, it would have merely made me yell at her, but there would have been no accident. As it is now, her entire rear bumper is torn off, and the passenger fender is smashed up. My car is pretty banged up, but it's an 84 Buick. I can get a replacement fender and bumper from the junkyard. I can only hope this accident will teach her how to drive better. I hope her husband (who was American) will teach her how to read and understand traffic signs.

I mean, why do you move to a country and go about on the public streets if you don't understand the traffic system? It's god damn dangerous. I know the first time I go to a foreign country where one drives on the left side of the rode, I'm going to be a nervous wreck. That's rather intimidating from my point of view, and I would do my damndest to make sure I understand traffic laws before I went on major roads. But I'm apparently a rare person for that, and it makes me want to toss her in traffic for what she did.

I just have to hope I can get her insurance to pay to fix my car.