Random Randomness 4/9/2013

Hey there!  Long time no see!  Um…AHEM, yes, I do realize that I promised that I would be blogging weekly despite it being Lent, and…I failed miserably.  Not one post for the month of March.  To be quite honest, the blog was the last thing on my mind.  Schoolwork piled up, I resumed working as a teacher’s assistant, and I had an extra choir practice every week…etc.

That aside, I am BACK!  Today I’m going to keep it simple and share some of my latest randomness.

To start off, Disney’s Wreck-It Ralph.  I freaking adore this movie.  I saw it twice in theaters, and have seen it several times since buying the DVD.  I just can’t get bored of it.  As I said in my latest deviantART (which is sorely lacking updates as well…) journal, it warms my gamer’s heart!

Here’s the trailer if you haven’t seen it yet:

[Wreck-It Ralph Theatrical Trailer]

 

 

Secondly, I’d like to share some music that I’ve been enjoying as of late.  Music was one of the things that I gave up for Lent, and since Easter I’ve been buying song after song after song.  I’ve developed an interest for “songmatching”, that is, trying to find songs that remind me of favorite characters or ships.  Namely ZeLink and SasuSaku (speaking of Naruto…what the HECKENSTEIN is going on around here?!?! …But this is a topic for another day...)  Here is my top twenty for the week (not in any particular order!):

 

 

My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark – Fall Out Boy

Never Be the Same – Red

May I – Trading Yesterday

Alive – Adelitas Way

Bright Lights (Fly) – Alex Goot

You Are – Colton Dixon

Anywhere But Here - SafetySuit

My Home – Thousand Foot Krutch

Just Give Me a Reason – P!nk ft. Nate Ruess

Be Your Everything – Boys Like Girls

Your Heart is a Muscle – Carly Rae Jepsen

Start Again – Red

Time After Time – Quietdrive

Leave Out All the Rest ­­- Linkin Park

Misty Mountains Cold – Peter Hollens ft. Jun Sung Ahn (Peter lives in my city--check him out...he is AMAZING!)

Caravanserai – Loreena McKennitt

Song of the Caged Bird – Lindsey Stirling

When Can I See You Again – Owl City

Your Guardian Angel – The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Collide – Howie Day


Finally, let me say that I CAN’T WAIT FOR THE SUMMER.  I was considering taking classes during the summer, but my interest in that idea quickly dissipated.  I don’t need a break, but I sure do want one.  My art has suffered enough due to me devoting so much time to school.  Don’t get me wrong, I love school!  Really!  I’m one of those academic weirdos who looks forward to new discussion topics and truly believes that there is nothing more fun that writing an essay.  What can I say?  I’m a nerd in every respect.

I have so many ideas for art and stories that I can’t wait to get to working on.  As I've said, my deviantART and Figment have been especially quiet as of late, and I miss interacting with my artist and author buddies.  Plus, I’ll have time to apply for scholarships and save up money so that going back to school in the fall won’t be a pain in the neck like last year.  I’ve also been asked to be a counselor at a local girls’ camp again, so that will be a lot of fun.  And!  I’m going to Cali this summer.  So excited to visit family and go to Disneyland again!

I also have a lot of cool things coming up in regards to my humble little blog here, including photo reviews for some things that I am SUPER EXCITED about.  If you’ve been keeping up with me on Twitter you might know what I’m talking about!  Also, with summer coming around, I’m trying to get back to my Etsy shop, which I have not abandoned!


If you like what you’ve read here, be sure to follow me! Aianarie @Twitter


‘Til the next post!

A SCRIBBLENAUTICAL blog post! (Random Randomness 1/31/2013)

If any of you have read my latest deviantART journal, you would know that I received a Wii U for Christmas.  You can read about my initial thoughts on the system and the game Nintendoland in the aforementioned journal entry.

Relating to the title, I bought Scribblenauts Unlimited two weeks ago, and it has quickly become my latest video game addiction.  One thing I have to mention is that Wii U games are quite spendy!  My wallet was $60 lighter after I bought Scribblenauts.  I understand why they’re so expensive, but good grief, I’m not at all wealthy!  So not looking forward to that inevitable moment when I have to choose between two games that come out within the same time frame…

Back to the point, Scribblenauts Unlimited is basically a game where you use a magical notebook to spawn virtually whatever you want to help people and solve puzzles.  I fell in love after spawning a “Kind Giant Fast Flying Fire-Breathing Purple Dragon”.  Yeah, you can add adjectives, too.  Some of the cool features of the Wii U version of the game (it’s also for Nintendo 3DS and PC) are object editor, in which you can make your own objects, co-op multiplayer mode, backpack storage for your favorite items, AND, there are Mario and Zelda cameos!  I must have tried every word in the Zelda dictionary to see what I could spawn. So far I’ve found Link, Zelda, Sheik, Ganondorf, Ganon, rupee, Goron, Tingle, Triforce, Master Sword, Hylian Shield, ocarina…it was very amusing to me how Link would fight with Ganondorf, Zelda dissappears when you spawn Sheik or vice versa, and such.

Another cool feature is a location in the game called “Punctuation Plaza”, where players can search for items via WiFi, download their favorites, and upload their own creations to share with others.  I recently got Slenderman and have been having some fun with him. Mwahahaha.

           All and all, it’s a super fun and addicting game. After you have gone through the game one time, you have the option to reset levels or reset your whole game for even more fun.  I think I still have one or two more levels to complete.


I have to admit that one of the driving forces to me buying the game was watching videos of people playing it on YouTube.  Despite his sometimes frequent anatomical jokes, Pewdiepie's videos were the most compelling.  He just looked like he was having way too much fun!

That being said, I have been watching a lot of gaming YouTubers lately.  Well, YouTubers in general.  So, I thought I’d share some of my favorites with all of you.  I’ve chosen 4 categories: Music, Vlog, Gaming, and Other.

Most of my time on YouTube is spent listening to music or watching lyric videos.  But there are also a few cover artists who I really enjoy listening to/watching, namely Peter Hollens (who happens to live in my city, just btw), Tanner Patrick, Christina Grimmie and the amazing Lindsey Stirling.  My favorite though?  Definitely Boyce Avenue.  Alejandro’s voice melts my heart.

Take a listen:

[Boyce Avenue’s cover of Backstreet Boys' I Want It That Way]

 

I’ve watched a few vloggers here and there, and generally, I find them boring, awkward, repetitive, annoying, or all of the above.  The only vloggers I watch regularly are Dan Howell (danisnotonfire) and his friend Phil Lester (AmazingPhil).  Both of them are ridiculously funny, and we were born in the same time frame so I feel like we have a lot in common.

 

Here’s a video featuring both of them:

[Phil Is Not On Fire 4 (just look at those faces...d'aww)]

 

I watch a lot of gaming videos.  Mostly because watching people flip out when they see Slenderman for the first time is freaking hilarious.  I’ve watched craploads of Pewdiepie, Smosh Games, Captain Sparklez, The Syndicate Project, and others.  Some I liked, others, not so much. And I have yet to find a female gamer that I enjoy watching.  Any suggestions?  I kind of had a difficult time deciding which YouTube gamer I like best, because I am very partial to both Markiplier and Yamimash.  Two things that really annoy me about gamers, though, is that they are constantly making inappropriate jokes and swearing, and I am in no way promoting any that.  These two, however, I’ve come to love so much that I still enjoy watching their videos.  I’ve learned to just tune out all the swearing. LIKE A BOSS. 

I just wish that people like Mark and Aaron would play Nintendo games, which is something I really like about Smosh's gaming channel.

 

Yamimash’s first Slender reaction is quite possibly the funniest I've seen:

[Scary Games - Slender Game w/Reactions & Facecam]

 

            I nearly forgot the “Other” category.  I just kind of tacked that on there because there is one other channel that I await weekly episodes from, and that is the FineBros’ channel.  The Fine Bros’ videos feature Kids, Teens, Elders, or YouTubers reacting to various subjects such as viral videos, memes, and more.  Very entertaining stuff.

 

Check it out:

 

[Teens React to My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic]

 

…aaaand, that’s all, folks!  I hope you enjoyed this loooong bit of randomness.  I’ll try my hardest to post more often!
 

‘Til then!

Random Randomness 10/2/12

Hola! :)

This post is really going to live up to the title “Random Randomness”, I think.  I have been busy with work, so I haven’t had much time for internet (although my Twitter would say otherwise…xD), and there have been so many things I’ve wanted to blog about.  So…let’s get started, shall we?

For one, I have been having so many OTP feels lately.  It is ridiculous, really.  I didn’t think I was an OTP kind of fan.  My numero uno couple has always been, is, and will always be Link x Zelda.  Playing Skyward Sword has definitely fueled this one.  They are so stinking cute in this game.  Don’t get me wrong, all the ZeLink is not the only reason why I love the game.  Not quite!  Skyward Sword is a feast.

            Secondly, Sasuke x Sakura, my favorite couple from Naruto.  I think they look so great together, and their unique storyline leaves open many romantic opportunities that Kishimoto-sensei really needs to take advantage of…I hate Sasuke, though.  I’m not even sorry.  I don’t believe that what he’s gone through is enough to justify his actions.  However, I think Sakura deserves the man of her dreams, which is why I ship them.  I really hope this couple is canon.  Either way, though, I’ll be interested to see how Kishimoto-sensei handles this couple.  On that note, I have been reading a lot of SasuSaku doujin.  Okay, I admit it, a lot of it is garbage, but I was very impressed with some of the artwork and storylines that fans have come up with.  Maybe in the future I’ll blog about my favorite doujin suggestions.  …On a side note, there is a CRAPLOAD of hate involved with this ship…And, I may or may not be working on my own SasuSaku doujinshi...

            About a week ago, I was re-reading Inuyasha, and I was reminded of how much strife this series put my heart through.  There is so much sexual tension between Inuyasha and Kagome.  It’s insane!  I’m glad that I watched/read this series when I was much younger, because now I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been able to handle the stress. lol

            Clintasha (or BlackHawk).  They just need to shut up and kiss already.  I’m looking forward to Captain America:  The Winter Soldier.  Have you been following?  *wink wink*

            All of my recent OTP feels have not been positive, either.  Some people’s ships drive me crazy.  I mean, if a ship makes enough sense, even if I hate the couple (*cough* for example, Naruto x Sakura *cough*), I dispose myself to accept it.  Because it is possible for them to be canon, so I can’t just ignore its existence.  The exception being Link and Zelda; I can’t stand them being paired with anyone else other than each other.  It just irks me.  Just.  Don’t mess with them.  Please?  Thanks.

            So when I see, for example, Sasuke x Hinata, Black Widow x Loki, or Sesshomaru x Kagome, it drives me up a wall.  I’m usually a very tolerable (or extremely passive) of people’s opinions and I DO NOT get involved with shipping wars, but SRSLY PPL.  Y U NO MAKE SENSE?

            OK, I’m done discussing this.  Next.

So, of course I got the Avengers DVD.  I’ve already watched it twice.  I also had a chance to watch the deleted scenes and Marvel’s first-ever gag reel.  *confetti*  I’m glad they decided to change the Agent Hill scenes that they originally had in the beginning and end of the movie.  I thought those scenes were weird and somehow didn’t fit in the grand scheme of things.  I liked the scene between Hawkeye and Loki, particularly the part where Loki is standing under the crack in the ceiling and the light is on his face.  It gave me chills!  I can see why the scene was cut, but it was still interesting.  Also interesting was the extended Steve Rogers scene in which he is getting used to the modern world.  I found this cute and amusing, although it was serious in tone.  It was quite long (which is probably why it was cut) but I enjoyed watching it.  …Oh Stan Lee.  Ha ha ha.

            The gag reel was hilarious.  Instead of trying to describe it, here, you can watch some of it here:

But really, you should buy the DVD if you haven't.

And we are getting closer and closer to The Hobbit with every passing moment.  The second the presale tickets come up I’m buying one for the midnight showing.  Here is the 2^nd theatrical trailer, with my compliments.

Before I let you go, I would like to direct your attention to my latest deviantART journal: [link], in which I talk about my writing hiatus and my October art projects.

That’s it for today!  ‘Til next week!

Random Randomness 6/28/12

First off I would like to thank everyone who sent me e-mails, messages, etc. wishing me Happy Birthday.  I had a wonderful day, the celebration going on into the weekend.  Thank you for thinking of me!

Among the gifts I receive was this gorgeous piece of technology…

…my brand-new Nintendo 3DS in “Midnight Purple”! *swoon* I love this system to bits. Everything runs so smoothly and the 3D is incredible. With it I received The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D.  It certainly made me quite happy to play OoT again, this time with stunning new gameplay and beautiful graphics.

I can’t wait to expand my library of DS titles. Next on my list? I’m thinking Mario Kart 7, or maybe Harvest Moon: A Tale of Two Towns.  Those games are always so darn addicting.

Let’s move on with some updates.  I finished two important pieces of writing last week, Chapter Seven of Felicity, and Part One of my brand-new short story, Eighteen.  I’m quite proud of both of them! Please read them and let me know what you think.  They are available for you to read at both Writers' Cafe and Figment. Enjoy!

I may have my PayPal account fixed soon. Yes.

Still working on art projects, slowly but surely. Many birthday gifts and a load of fanart. We musn’t lose hope that new art will come forth from me. Always hope.

Ah! One more thing! Adam Young (Owl City) released his new single Good Time ft. Carly Rae Jepsen this past week. I have dubbed this song my official song for Summer 2012. Listen!

I'm super excited for Adam's new album, The Midsummer Station, which releases on August 21st.

‘Til my next post. Ciao!

Random Randomness 6/6/12

I haven’t really had all that much to talk about lately, hence the lack of posts!  So here are just a few random updates.

I like to note, though, that 1) I am now quite active on Twitter, I post several times a day.  I may not be a tweet freak but at least you all can get a glimpse into my secret life.  And 2) I think I’m addicted to Tumblr.  I find the concept quite fascinating.  Although there are many…rather…odd…people there, I just love posting my poems and pictures that I find.  I always get a good laugh out of visiting Tumblr.  Though other times, I just stare at the screen thinking “What the heck did I just watch/read”?

As for my PayPal account and my online store, nothing has been resolved as of today.  I hope to get it fixed soon because I also offer art commissions during the summer.  Anyway, I’m still working on it.  Thank you for your patience.

Also, I think the Avengers have taken over my life.  About 99.9% of my everyday conversation is relating to the movie in some form or fashion.  It is quite amusing though; my whole family quotes the movie all the time. “Thank you. For your cooperation.” Ha ha ha…

Anyway, I think that’s pretty much it for today. OH, before I go:

It’s coming. Wait for it.....

Random Randomness 5/15/12

Just a couple of things today.  This past week, I've started three new short stories, all very different in substance and style.  I will be submitting each of these stories for publication to various magazines, websites, and compilations.  I will keep you all updated with my Facebook Page, so check back often.  Oh, I just realized that I haven’t announced my Facebook page here on my blog.  Ahem.  Well, yes, I have a fan page now.  Please do me a HUGE favor and “Like” it!

Back to the short stories, number #1 is about a charismatic young woman with some interesting stories to tell; #2 is doused with faerie dust; and #3 concerns a beautiful but dangerous romance between a girl from a troubled family and a seasoned fighter with a score to settle.

#3 is not something I would usually write, but, last week I had a lengthy conversation with a writer friend, and it went something like this:

Friend: Have you ever considered writing a story about a girl who falls in love with a guy twice her age or older?
 Me: Romance isn’t really my thing.
 Friend: BS.  You write good romance.  And you can throw your fantasy-action-drama-whatever it is you write stuff in there too.
 Me: I’ve never considered it, but eh, I could probably do it.
 Friend: EWWWW, Ash!! lol
 Me: I don’t see what’s wrong with it! XD If you’re in love, you’re in love, and you can’t fight your feelings.
 Friend: I suppose now you have to write this story now.
 Me: I suppose so.
 Me: (after the conversation) Crap.

So yeah.  That’s how that story came to be.  I’m actually quite pleased with how it’s coming along.  And I’ve modeled the guy in it after actor Jeremy Renner, who happens to be forty years old but still totally drool-worthy.

Speaking of Jeremy, he stars as Clint Barton/Hawkeye (*random fangirl moment*) in the EPIC superhero movie The Avengers, which came out this past Friday.  I got to see it on opening day with a few girlfriends, and let me tell you, The Avengers was one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time.  It’s fun, exciting, hilarious (good, clean humor!), and full to the brim with great acting talent and deep character.  A few days ago I watched the movie again in IMAX 3D.  I don’t care for 3D or IMAX (I think it’s too loud, lol), but hey, it’s Avengers.

If you haven’t seen this movie, shame on you.  But here’s the trailer, just to wet your appetite a little.

 And, if you like—here is the second trailer, which has different music and shows different scenes from the movie: Avengers trailer #2

And that’s it for today.  I hope to put up some artwork on my Tumblr tonight, but we’ll see how that goes.

Random Randomness 4/9/12

First off, the opening date of my online store has been pushed a week later to Saturday, April 21st.  The reason for this is that I haven’t had much time to work on my jewelry (or much else, might I add…).  And because of Lent, I had been trying to stick to the fasting, spiritual reading, etc.  And the lack of time and energy had definitely caught up to me artistically.  I have been writing (Chapters 1-5 of Felicity [prequel to The Otherkind] and several new poems are now available for you to read @Writers' Cafe), but other than that not much else.

I have been sketching and drawing a bit as well, but it goes without saying that my WIPs are still indeed WIPs.  I have not given up though, oh no, quite the opposite.  I really do try to get as much done as I possibly can in the time that I have.  And writing is my priority, so art tends to be set aside all too often.

But anyway, that’s an update.  Now for the randomness.

So, I did happen to see The Hunger Games movie this weekend (and again a few days later).  I very much enjoyed it, so I went and saw it again.  I was pleased to find that it did follow the book very closely, and was impressed at how the directors fit as much as they did into the two-hour movie and seamlessly, as well.  Bravo.  Now only four-hundred something days until Catching Fire releases.  Sigh.  On that note, I think that Catching Fire was my favorite book of the trilogy.  I’m not exactly sure why, but I just remember enjoying it immensely.

Also on the Hunger Games topic, I listened to Taylor Swift’s song Eyes Open off of the soundtrack and it’s my current favorite song.  I find it to be very poetic, with deep meaning.  The music is calm, but the lyrics deliver a solemn, powerful message.   It’s a song with a purpose.

Listen to it for yourself.

I just love when I find songs like this.

Since Facebook was one of the things I gave up for Lent, I’ve had to find other ways to waste my internet time.  I think I’m addicted to Pinterest.  I’ve been a member for about three weeks and I already have five hundred something pins.  I think it’s a great idea, though, to get and share inspiration.  So it’s not a total waste of time.  And, I have a cool board called “Visualizing My Books”, in which I share pictures of actors, places, scenes, costumes, and more, inspired by things in my books.

If you would like to visit me at Pinterest, here’s the link: Aianarie @Pinterest

Last thing for today, Hyrule Historia.  The Japanese-published Official The Legend of Zelda artbook.  Two hundred and seventy-six pages of beautiful Zelda artwork.  I NEED this book.  I’m saving up in order to buy it.  Anyone care to donate? Hehehe.

Next week I'll be posting about my store.  Until then!

P.S. Have any ideas or requests for me to talk about in my next post? Send me an e-mail!

EDIT: HAPPY EASTER, EVERYONE!

Random Randomness 2/18/12

Hey ya'll. Again, my apologies for my long absence of posting. I've become so lazy, it's unbelievable. XD From now on, I'm going to try to post every week. Emphasis on try. You know what they say...you try, you fail; you try, you fail, but the only true failure is when you stop trying!
Alright, let's get this show on the road. As of late, I have been feeding my inner nerd to the point of near gluttony. Hyrule Royal Family crest zip-up jacket? Check. Hours of video games when I get home from work? Check. Watching The Big Bang Theory on Hulu? Check.

OFCOURSEIDOI'MAPRINCESSANDTHISISMYTIARA!!!

Bahahahaaa. One of my favorite scenes from TBBT. Folks, this show may have some serious stupid, but it also has some serious funny as well. I'm not addicted to it by any means, but it has occupied a lot of my time this past week. I'm definitely gunna buy a Bazinga! t-shirt or a button at some point.

And Skyward Sword. I feel like I should write a review or something about it, but right now I just can't think of anything fitting to say. I will say this, however: this game is BEAUTIFUL. If true beauty can be captured in a video game, it is captured in The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. I do believe that this game rivals Ocarina of Time. It's pure fun. Every aspect of it is perfect. I hadn't had so much fun playing a video game since I played OoT as a 7 year old, in fact. Skyward Sword brought back many wonderful memories for me. Feeling like a kid again is one of the reasons why video games like this are so loved. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Zelda forever!


Glee. Yup. I don't like Glee, I think there are a lot of moral issues in it, but yesterday I happened to watch Amber Riley (Mercedes)'s cover of Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You, and I was impressed.

Beautiful. Whitney would be proud!

...So let's see, what else do I have for today...AH. I'm very happy to announce that I have been rather productive. Work has been going very well, and I've been drawing and writing regularly. I'll have new art in my deviantART gallery and poems at Writer's Cafe next week. Not only that, but I've been reading too. I just recently finished Maggie Stiefvater's Forever (absolutely shameful, considering I started it last year). Amazing book. Now I'm reading Stiefvater's The Scorpio Races. It's great so far. You can keep up with my reading at my Goodreads (see "Links" at the bottom of the page).

Finally, I joined Pinterest, if anyone's interested in following my boards. I just pin randomness. Quotes, art, stuff. Find me here: Aianarie @Pinterest

And that's all for this week. Hope you enjoyed. :-) Laters!

Random Randomness 11/19/11

Yeah I’m notorious for it, so why not some randomness?  First on the list today is that I would like to introduce my personal YouTube account, LyricLuminosa.  As my screen name suggests, I will be uploading mostly lyric videos that I have made.  Here is my first-ever lyric video, O Sanctissima by the boys’ choir that I’ve been rambling about so often lately, Libera.

Such a relaxing, absolutely beautiful song.  It was the first one I heard of Libera, so it has a very special place in my heart!

Alrighty then, enough about that.  Honestly, I could go on forever about them London boys.  (Oh, wait! They have a new video for a song I absolutely LOVE, Eternal Light: [link] Btw, I’m currently at work on an Exsultate lyric vid!) Anyhow, next, THE HUNGER GAMES TRAILER!  It made its debut on Good Morning America this past Monday.  I watched it with lingering weight in the pit of my stomach, telling me that it wasn’t going to be as awesome as I have been hoping.

I liked it.  Um, yeah.  I really, really want to see this movie.

Finally, I pre-ordered the Skyward Sword Remote/CD bundle.  I got an e-mail earlier this week saying it had been shipped.  INDESCRIBABLE HAPPINESS.   I AM SO UTTERLY EXCITED FOR THIS GAME IT’S NOT EVEN FUNNY.  Oops, sorry, caps lock.  Yes.  Link and Zelda love each other in this game!  OMG LOVE LOVE LOVE—darn that caps lock!—JUST WATCH THIS VIDEO.

DEAR NINTENDO, PLEASE STOP TEASING US.

LOVE,
ASHLEY


(P.S. Like the font + color change? Let me know what you think!)