The Marian Call concert was wonderful! You also know when it is srs bzns – the Jayne hat comes out!

She has such an awesome, passionate voice. If you haven’t listened to her, I have no idea what you are waiting for!

I was able to give her the w00tstock fan art that I’d done, and as a bonus, I also got to give a w00tstock fan art print to @stepto . YAY!

Buffy, Fringe, The Guild and Jonathan Frakes & Brent Spiner panels from the Emerald City Comiccon.

The guests and artists at the convention were awesome! I was able to give fan art to Wil Wheaton, Nicholas Brendon, Felicia Day, Amy Okuda, John Noble, and Jasika Nicole. They were all so nice! I almost died when John Noble called me a clever girl, and I almost died again a minute later when Jasika Nicole squeaked at her fan art. I gotta say though, I’m still pretty noobly and head-in-the-clouds about Felicia Day, too. The webcomic artists were also really great about doing cheap or free sketches depending on what people were getting, and I was so, so happy to see lines at so many independent artist booths. Great big YAY for that!

There was… an unfortunate experience for me on Saturday.

You know, for a long time there’s been a movement to get people at cons to keep after personal hygiene. I’ve noticed over the years that the situation is vastly, vastly improved. Sure, a couple people – likely for medical reasons – are a bit out of it, but I think the message is getting through. What I’d like to see next is some kind of encouragement for how to move around at a con. Tips like: Look down, there may be wheelchairs, people with canes, and little people around. Be aware of your space, and what you’re doing – backpacks will stick out at least a person length behind you, carry it in your hand if you can or be cautious with your movement (maybe consider an over-the-shoulder messenger bag you can wear in front). I’m not fond of taking bags to the face or chest even when I am far behind you – I am unable to move as quickly as you can. In the restrooms, tidy up after yourself, if you can’t or if you find a mess, tell the staff RIGHT AWAY. I’d like never again to see someone in a wheelchair unable to access at least half the stalls because people left messes behind, and puddled the handicapped stall so much it was entirely unusable.

For me, the worst was being assaulted between panels. When I stood up to let people out of my row between panels, people going in every direction were pushing and shoving trying to get seats up front. A guy about a foot taller than me and at least 100lbs. more thrust his belly into my back, knocking me into people ahead – repeatedly, I thrust back and showed my cane, and he shrugged and did it again. When I managed to dislodge myself from the crowd, I looked around and saw people handling other folks with canes and moving them out of the way so they could get ahead. I cannot even begin to tell you how NOT OK it is to handle, push and shove disabled people. This particular situation seemed very poorly planned for and handled. They didn’t even try to get crowds under control until about 2 hours into the panels. For this reason, I will not be going to any more “celebrity” guest panels at large cons. It is not worth being assaulted. Really. I’ll stick with YouTube from now on.

Or I guess I could shrug it off as my first ever mosh pit experience. *cough*

You can find a few more photos from recent events here .

Now to catch up on some sleep!

I’m busying getting a new computer running and sorted out, so I’ve been a little inaccessible. Not helping my productivity is that I had to send it back for repairs. I’ll have something fancy to show you once it gets back! In the meantime…

Brainstorming!

Does anyone have any good website suggestions for topic involving developing board games? Specifically tile based things like Settlers of Catan and Carcassone? I’m not sure how to go about coming up with rules and stuff.

So, I’ve been doing this Spoonflower thing for a while, and for Steamcon III I might be getting at least one article of clothing made with fabric I design, and my thought is about maybe making an exclusive design you would have to order from me directly. I dunno, it could just be a passing thought.

I would like 2011 to be the year I finally get software upgrades. I have no idea how to do this, the full Adobe suite is CRAZY ‘spensive. The priority keeps rising, though. I’m still using Photoshop 7, Illustrator 10, and thankfully I at least have InDesign CS2. I do not have Flash, or other media editing softwares. I also would love a font editor- I have none, and have just been relying on free generators, and man is that problematic for actually getting things kerned and proportional. (Not that I don’t still have hardware on my creative wishlist, like a new tablet – mine is almost a decade old and I’ve worn grooves into it – and camera – not so old, but has a few totally dead sensor spots.)

I’d like for 2011 to end up with me having made a lot of paintings. There is a problem here, in terms of equipment more friendly to disability (I’m looking into that already, though), and cost of supplies. What do y’all think of Kickstarter?

Upcoming Events!

I’ll be at Emerald City Comic Con, and I am already spoken for during the following times:

Friday: 2:30pm – 7:oopm
Saturday: 12:00pm – 5:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am – 3:00pm

I also have the good fortune to be attending 2 concerts in March, Paul and Storm and Marian Call. SO EXCITING! I am so, so grateful. With so much time spent trying to take care of my medical issues, and so much time too broke to do anything, being able to get out and enjoy life once in a while is so important to my sanity. Gifts of “stuff” not at all equal to gifts of time-spent-happy.

Anywho… wish me good fortune and creativity this year, eh? :)

Some of you may know that due to WA State’s budget crisis, they’ve had to cut a number of medical programs and a fair amount of financial assistance for those in need. I am one of those in need, and of what is left, I cannot afford or get coverage for dental care. To further complicate things, emergency treatment is only available to treat dental infections, and they will only pull very degraded teeth, there is nothing else they can do, even under charitable care.

In spite of my hygiene efforts, I have a cavity*. I first noticed it – rather inconveniently – after dental coverage was cut off. I’ve been trying to keep it clean, and use medicated mouthwash to prevent infection, but it may not be working, it is starting to hurt when I eat, and feels somewhat raw and irritated when I’m just sitting around minding my own business.

SO, this is a long shot, but I’m throwing this out there in the hopes that if people who can and are feeling generous enough to donate a few bucks, perhaps I can afford to get it taken care of. I would guess something around 200 or 300 total would help get the tooth fixed, and perhaps the very kind dentist I’ve seen in the past will accept something close to that if I can at least pay up front (he is also mere footsteps from where I live, so I won’t have to deal with transportation and other needs).

If you are able, money can be sent to me via PayPal at the address jadaze at hotmail dot com. If I exceed that amount needed, I will use it to buy other medical stuff that the insurance doesn’t cover – like an actual adequate amount of diabetes testing supplies, and (doctor recommended) supplements that help stave off infections – crucial since I can’t take antibiotics without some amount of hospitalization thanks to allergies – acetaminophen, fiber supplements, etc. I’ll also say something as soon as I have enough for the dentist visit, so people can stop donating.

For future reference, I will also likely have no medical coverage or financial assistance after march and until Federal Disability MIGHT start kicking in for me. If you have ideas for how I can raise funds, I would appreciate it. I am still unable to work, and my medical conditions leave me fairly unreliable, but perhaps I can sell art or something. I’ll try to consider options suggested!

Should you wish to pass this on, please use this link.

Thanks for listening.

*Three things are likely culprits. 1) I have a small and oddly shaped bone structure that dentists tend to complain about, the dentist I saw last predicted something like this, no matter how hard I tried to take care of it since even he was having a hard time getting at things with his fancy and special tools. 2) Medication for diabetes might be tweaking things a bit. 3) I likely have a 2nd form of diabetes that affects things as well.

Update: Half way there!

Update #2: Dentist appointment Feb. 3 (unless it becomes urgent)! He is open to negotiation, so hopefully it’ll work out. :: crossed fingers ::

Update #3: I think I have enough now to cover the appointment!

Update #4: The tooth I thought was a problem isn’t – it’s the gums receding due to acidity (not coming from diet, so another marker for Diabetes Insipidus), the wrong toothbrush, and perhaps too harsh a toothpaste. The gum rose high enough to expose the root, hence the hole and pain.

He did express more urgent concern over one really obvious cavity and two that should be done while still small. This lovely dentist said he’ll eat the cost of x-rays (which he did today, just to ensure there aren’t infections lying in wait – and there aren’t!), and fill the 3 teeth for the money I said I had. I went ahead and pre-paid, so we’ll be good to go.

I need to see my regular doctor to evaluate what the dentist should and should not use in terms of injections and stuff (re: my medications and medical conditions), and possibly get him more info so he can make sure it is all done safely. Then, later this month, I go in and he fixes mah grill.

Overall though, I am apparently doing a good job, so it isn’t as crazy as it could be.

Update #5: 3 cavities filled, exposed roots now not exposed, I’m all patched up! Thank you so much everybody!!

First thing : I know, it’s been a while. See, immediately following ECCC, I got the plague! Well, not really, but it was a serious virus that lingered as respiratory irritation for about 2 months. To top it off, while starting the cold, I took Nyquil, and found out just then that I am wildly allergic. In addition to having a horrible virus, I also had respiratory distress and hives! yay? And following the illness, I have developed some sort of pain that they thought might have been a hernia or cracked rib (which seemed natural with all the coughing forever and ever). I’ve finally got actual diagnoses with empirical evidence that I do indeed have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (hello enlarged Ovary!), and Diabetes (thankfully a mild case). They’re still investigating a lot of other things (like fibromyalgia, IBS,…), but right now, I am so beat! That’s a lot of sickness and pain, and I am tired beyond tired. I’ve been using most of my creative energy on designing fabric patterns, and the random bit of art. My WordPress and ComicPress installs are also having some issues, and I must rely on my techie friends to have free time to figure out how to fix things. And at some point this year, I expect a 3rd volume of my art books to be out on Lulu!

On to funner stuffs!

Back in early May, I was ever so lucky to attend w00tstock 2.0! Back in Feb., I was also fortunate enough to see Jonathan Coulton/Paul and Storm, and when looking at w00tstock, I mean… I just had to go! In fact, I’m also Paul and Storm Minion #293, a fact I forgot when standing in line for autographs, so like a dummy I couldn’t have them sign it “To Minion #293”. I kept going back and forth in my head between 293 and 296.

ANYWAY…

This here is the amazingly adorable, sexy, smart, fast-talking Hank Green. I’d never heard of him before, and now I am completely addicted. I’m just now sort of coming around to his brother John. Perhaps I’d like John more if he also sang. Hank’s rap about w00tstock is so fabulous!

And the amazing Molly Lewis, who has a great song about Stephen Fry that is much like she read my mind!

Oh, Mr. Savage…

I’m a huge Mythbusters and Adam Savage fan, so I was tickled to pieces that I actually got to see him live, AND get an autograph. I gave him the line art for this piece because I didn’t have enough time to color it before the show, and I got the compliment of “You’ve been paying attention!”. I wrote more about it here, but it was a nice nano-moment of validation. I spent a lot of time being told I was stupid, untalented, and on and on, so that was a good thing for my ego!

You can find a few w00stock videos on my YouTube channel.

My submissions to Skull-A-Day! You can also find the cross-stitched piece here.