No Talking Tuesday # 40

No list this week.

Mistakes:

My coworker complimented my work and I said “Thanks.”
he then said something else which I couldn’t hear
so I removed my headphones and said “What’s up?”
at this point he looked at me surprised and reminded me that it's Tuesday.
I realized my error and needless to say was very distressed.

I need to stop making these stupid mistakes!

No Talking Tuesday # 39

Nothing special to report

No list this week.

No Talking Tuesday # 38


The List:

Ali # 293



Did you play
Coldplay on my
computer last night?


You stayed late last night right?

Did you see anyone at my computer
after I left?

Four hours after I left someone
played a Coldplay song on my comp.

To answer your question
they stole my dignity

7pm
11pm



Try and follow my directions

Granite Mortar and Pestle Craving Satisfied

I spent years lusting for a granite mortar and pestle.
I would pine and sigh, thinking how great it would be to cook with one.
This went on for years before it finally dawned on me:
"Wait a minute! I'm an adult, I have money, why don't I just go out and buy one?"
so I did.
And truly mine eyes have seen the glory.

Cooking dinner every night has become much more fun and productive,
as now I can think how different ingredients will crush together.
(Say basil leaves, garlic, rock salt, peppercorns, rosemary)
I barely chop anymore, (to say nothing of mincing)
It cleans quickly, without hassle, and is permanent.
(Good compliment to my cast iron cookware philosophy)

I got the largest sized one at Sur la Table.
(It was scary walking around,
realizing how much money I could blow there.)

(Tiny Pens + Paper) Always on Hand
= Awesomeness


I found these awesome tiny pens online.
I keep one burrowed into the front cover of my sketchbook,
and another between the pages of my back pocket notebook.

Always having pen/paper has changed my life for the most awesome.
I’ve gotten into the habit of taking note of everything,
from where I parked my car,
to what I need to remember to get at the grocery store,
to color/texture combinations for future paintings etc.

I would highly recommend this to anyone, and I do,
at the annoyance of some of my friends
who have had to suffer through my pen commercials ad nauseum.

I Am Now a Home Owner.
(err… condo owner?)

I bought a two bedroom/bath apartment in Culver City recently,
at significantly below market price.
That’s the good news.
The bad news is my shady real estate agent didn’t think it worth mentioning
that I am required to live in the apartment for the first year of my ownership.
So my plans on staying in my awesome studio apartment near work
and renting out my new apartment has been usurped by her wily shenanigans.

So I’m currently packing up my stuff and getting ready to move.
Luckily I don’t have very much,
and have moved so many times already I got the operation on lock down.
The only problem is that every time I move I have more books then I did previously.
It's gotten obscene,
More than half of my moving boxes are filled with them, and rather heavy.
Oh well, books give so much and ask so little, I guess it’s not a big deal.

*update*

I moved yesterday,
and after taking a shower in my abandoned old apartment,
went home to the non-electricity-having new apartment to sleep.

This morning was surreal
as I woke up in the middle of my spacious new living room
confused about how to feel.
A weird soup of emotions, something akin to borscht or gazpacho.

Won Smash Bros Tournament at Work

My company has a game tournament every month.
Last month it was Smash Bros. for the Wii.
Here is a photo of the spiffy trophy I got,
well ensconced by the nerd gear I surround myself with at work.

Game Announced!

The game I have been working on since I moved to L.A. a year and a half ago
has finally been announced.

I am working on Lord of the Rings: Conquest (for Xbox360, PS3, P.C.).
Basically like the Star Wars Battlefront series Pandemic made previously,
but in the Lord of the Rings universe,
with the multi player battle being focused on melee.
The game will be out in fall of this year.
I have been working as an environment artist,
and more recently I’ve been doing almost all the lighting for the game.

New Speakers + Amp Combo = Contentment

I’ve had these amazing monitor speakers
sitting idle in my apartment(s) for two years,
going to waste because I didn’t have a receiver or amp
that could deliver enough juice to power them.

The speakers would just mock me from the end of the room every day
leaving a small pit in my stomach.

I eventually found an audio equipment store/sales person
who had experience with the same speakers
and recommended a moderately priced amp
that complemented the speaker's sound perfectly.
I brought the speakers to the store to sample the pairing
and was completely blown away by how incredible the sound was.

I have re-discovered all the music I own,
finally hearing it at the fidelity I’m used to with my Grado headphones
but in the open air of my apartment,
no longer leashed to my computer.

I now know the pleasure of listening to Beatles while cooking,
Nick Drake while drawing, Rachel’s while taking photos etc.
It’s amazing.
I don’t watch movies or play video games anymore,
in fact I don’t think I have turned my television on in months,
it's interesting how really high quality audio trumps most other leisure activities.

No Talking Tuesday # 37

No list this week, nothing special to report.