My brain is turning to mush.

How do people retire? I've been out of school for all of 2 weeks and I'm going stark raving mad. I was so bored today I actually started cleaning the house to give myself something to do. That, my friends, is desperation at its worst.

Nothing, really.

I don't really have anything arty to post today. I wish I did. I should. But I don't.

I am going to go start on a portrait for my mom for someone else. Man. That's the thing about family members. They want everything for free. Dramatic sigh.

I've been gorging myself on Johnny Flynn, Noah and the Whale and Laura Marling for the past week or so and. I'm. loving. it.

I want them to make me their friend and maybe some of their musical genius will transfer to me. Maybe.

Music will be in my veins.

I just got a guitar for my birthday. Scream!

A letter to the ant that just walked across my pillow:

Dear Sir:

Recently, it has come to my attention you and your associates have been displaced and are looking for a new home. While I'm sympathetic to your situation, especially considering current US financial climates, I do not appreciate the random homesteading practices you have employed in my room. Please vacate the premises immediately before I am forced to take drastic measures. Your presence is a violation of human/nature boundaries and is degrading to my mostly clean and crumb-free room.

If you do not take immediate action, I will not hesitate to call in some reinforcements to assist in your eviction.

I would appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Sincerely,

Ashely

On the Twelfth Day of Ashmas...

There are exactly twelve days until my 23rd birthday and I'm feeling old. If you're older than 23 don't take it personally. I don't think 23 is old. Just me. Although the fact that a quarter of my life is over contributes a little. Am I allowed to have two quarter-life crises? Because I've already had one and it might be considered regressive behavior if I curl up in a corner with High School Musical and like stop using punctuation and only srt talking lak thiz idk lol omg roflxkhhhylgsaklcn.

I need to get out of this house. Too much summer vacation.

Speaking of getting out: I'm playing wing man at an engagement shoot today. Woo! I'm excited.

Oh Em Gee:

Glee.

This Post's Going to be Packed:

Hello, All. I'm not sure if I should apologize for all the video posts or not. It's just that I've had a lot of time on my hands lately which inevitably leads to gorging myself on all things Internet. I. Must. Share.

This is "Best Laid Plans" by We the Living. Not usually the kind of music I listen to but I can't explain why I like some songs over others. It just happens. Like hiccups*. My amazing and creative friend, Elise, shared it with me today. I've watched the video no less than 24 times.

* I feel the need to share a cure for the hiccups because, well, I have one. Plug your ears and drink water at the same time. Use a straw or a friend. It's an old family cure and it works every time. If it doesn't, you're clearly broken. Or, ur doin it wrong.

Also: do you remember me telling you about a top secret project a few posts back? Well, it's not secret anymore. I got a commission of sorts from a friend of a friend to illustrate a book that he then used to propose to his girlfriend this weekend. I didn't want to post about it before on the chance that someone would see and I would be the one who spoiled one of the most momentous days in a couple's life.

I have to admit, the project was a roller coaster ride of self-loathing but here are some of the pages I really like:







Basically, Aaron gave me the story, what he wanted on each page (thought bubbles, images, etc), and reference photos. Then, I illustrated (ink and watercolor). I was an excellent way to get experience in illustration without actually...illustrating.

Congratulations to Aaron and Kari on your engagement and life together!

Okay. This post is stuffed. Like me. On these incredibly expensive (yet delicious) cookies I just ate.

Wanderful Babbles

I may have pushed the limits of what even caffeine is capable of curing. I pulled an almost all nighter (5 am) and then got sick the next day. It's really nothing new. I always seem to get sick the day after school gets out. Despite the fact an elephant is sitting on my chest, I'm feeling pretty good. It has something to do with no school, knitting and comfort TV.

Speaking of TV. Let me preface this by telling you, I don't actually find SNL all that funny. I know I seem to post a lot of their videos lately but it's a fluke. That said, I aggravated an already very sore throat by laughing so hard at this video yesterday. It was worth it. Enjoy:

Home Os-stretch

This is about how I feel today:

Because, seriously?

One more day. Just one more day.

Phases.

At the moment I have been binging on Britishy things. British movies, TV shows, folksy rocksy music. I've taken to sitting in the car, listening to classical music played by the London Philharmonic on Public Radio, imagining myself riding sidesaddle with Mr. Darcy across the moors. Granted my daydream would be much more vivid if I actually knew what a moor was. I'll Google it later.

I have so much schoolwork to do so instead I'm making a cake and watching obscene amounts of "Doogie Howser, M.D." It's my classic seize and lock syndrome. I seize from the shock of all the work and I lock up until, under threat of a bad grade, I have to finish my projects. Also, I just really like Doogie Howser. And this video (wait until the end):

Note: you may only appreciate this if 1) you love Neil Patrick Harris or 2) have actually seen Doogie Howser. It's hard to tell.

Foiled.

I walked into Borders the other day. Sometimes when I need an art inspiration super charge, I'll go to the artish magazine section and glean ideas from my contemporaries. On this particular day, even as I was walking to the entrance, I noticed something was different. You see, Princess Leia, Darth Vader and some sort of Imperial soldier were all standing there. Nonchalantly. As if Borders was of course where they hang out on Sundays. How dare you think otherwise.

I dare.

I would like to take this moment to address a rather potent fear of mine: faceless, costumed people. For me, Halloween is just about hell on earth. But at least it's a specified day. I can prepare myself. But random acts of costumage in public places? No deal. Luckily my mommy was there, the better to sheild me against their horrible blank stares.

We managed to sneak past them as they were distracted by a 6 year old who wanted a picture only to find 2 more Imperial soldiers and a Death Star Trooper, roaming the aisles. Whatever creative juices I had come to foster were immediately replaced by pure, unbridled terror. Needless to say, we didn't stay there long.

Once I put some distance between them and me, I felt kind of sad that I had neither a camera nor dignity. Because, let's just be honest: best Facebook picture ever.

Then, to rub salt in my wounds, I looked up their organization when I got home and found out they do charity work and marathons and hold babies and things. Dangit.

RIP?

It is possible this is the last look anyone will have of Accidental Picard. As I was hollowing him out, I found mounds of air holes in the clay. It was my own fault for being sloppy with my reconstitution skills. He's in the kiln as we speak. I'm picturing shards of him embedded in the walls. That is unrealistic I hope.

Don't leave us, Accidental Picard.