Been quite some time since i've posted any blogs.. but i've also been pretty damned busy!! lol..
As of late I have been keeping myself occupied by constantly going out and hanging out with friends. Been going to clubs every weekend, hitting a lounge on a week night, hanging out a friends place to watch a raptors game or play xbox, and then basketball every monday nite, as well as even making time to do coffee with my father. But the person I have been hanging out more often then not is my sister. It is so very odd.. the more we hang out, the more I see that we are very alike! "I'm Scuuuurrred!!" hahaa..

So since she tends to go out on a constant nightly basis, I tend to either meet up with her or she'll come out to wherever I may be. If only mom knew how we would go out to drink every nite then she may be rather disappointed. Ah well... Been also focusing on reconnecting with a lot of past old friends, which has been very nice. I've just been running into almost everyone lately... some people I haven't even seen since highschool!! Even my neighbor Andrew and I have been hanging out on a weekly basis, and then running joke for the longest time ( years actually ) was to do coffee or go out for drinks, which should be really no problem since we are LITERALLY a hop and skip away from one another! HOWEVER, we would always run into one another every 6 months if we were lucky and had conflicting schedules, so the promises never really came to pass! Now that we are both living single lives, we now have the time to do so.

At any rate we went for a late nite walk around the neighborhood and noticed some changes not just in the weather but how times have truly changed. I remember growing up as a kid how everyone was so excited about Christmas that their houses completely reflected this, with lights and paraphernalia found at almost every house!! NOW... your lucky to find something in a block or 2!!!

Well got a nice little art show i'm organizing this Thursday at Hy Lounge, so come one, come all!! It'll be featuring my friend Deanna Marsigliese's fine work, and it's in the Yonge and Sheppard area! It's going to be a grand time no doubt! So i'm pretty suped and excited about it all! At any rate.. I need to do up some final things before it comes out.. so i'll be sure to blog after the show.. BLOG YOU LATER!

What a fine day it is! A FINE day! It's so damned beautiful outside, just makes me a bit bitter with the fact that I spend most of day confined inside when I would just to see the sun shine upon my face. I found myself spreading out my arms while walking to work today as if I could fly or wishing to soar in the least. But days like this make life worth living! Makes you happy to be alive!

It's comic day today!! WOO-HOO! Civil War 5 suckas!!! I'll have to see how it is and then perhaps i'll pick up 2 copies! That Mark Millar, that man right there writes with a "Golden Pen" as my friend Milt had put it! Just wait and see folks he's going to be changing the face of film in Hollywood very shortly! Then he'll be a name that no one will forget and one that has to be reckoned with. Stayed over my Bird's place nite, watched Bird play Gears of War and wow.. that's all I can really say! It is the Halo Killer that everyone is claiming it to be! You get so immersed into the game and the enviroment that the experience is just unlike any other game ever! I'm giving it a damned 9.7 - 9.8 !! It's just that good! Did some drawing last nite, and i'm thinking that i'll scan in some stuff and then figure out how to link photos perhaps from my deviant page to here that way I can have some stuff to show from my sketch book.

Went to a wedding on Monday nite, YES... Monday nite! The couple had celebrated their 10 year anniversary of being together and therefore because of the major significance of the day, decided that it would be best to be married that very same day! The Ceremony was very nice, very beautiful. Ran into alot of people I haven't seen in a very long while, due to my hectic working schedule over the summer months but also because they were my ex's friends as well. Funny thing though is that I had seen them a couple of times previously, however this time around, I totally felt like an outcast. You know that feeling when everyone kind of looks at you, and wonders what the hell you are doing there kind of look. And on top of that I was getting alot of delayed greetings from almost everyone. Like they weren't sure whether or not to say hi to me. At any rate, it was just odd, and for whatever reason that they were doing it, I guess I just won't know unless I confront someone about it. Whether or not I care to is a whole other thing. I still do consider them my friends but I guess that their loyalties lie more with my ex. I would have loved to hang out with them more, but for example; we had this one friend whom my ex considered one of her best friends, and me and him were also becoming quick and close friends as well, almost like brothers. But when we did stop being together I didn't want to put him in a situation where he felt that he had to choose a side so I opted to bow out and not hang out or talk to him as much. The last thing I ever want to do is put someone in the middle of situation that I know they don't want to be in. And when someone is in the middle of a feud or breakup of a relationship then the quarrelling sides tend to pull on that friend inparticular and force that person to feel more obligated towards the him/her. It's not very pleasant, drives everyone nuts and some friendships get strained because of this. It's been something like 6 months since i've seen her more or less, and we never bothered looking at one another. So odd your with someone for 4 years and that's that, she was my best friend, and I do still miss her, but if not being with me makes her happy then that's what I want for her. It was just weird seeing her and not being able to be close to her. Wasn't really sure how I would feel when I went to this thing. But I did want to leave shortly afterwards. At any rate, my love and blessings to the new couple, it's nice to see that true love is a possibilit, attainable, and that does actaully exist!

Going to finish up this one sketch i've been working on at work. Due to all the edits and revisions i've been getting on this one scene that I have worked on the last month! Everyone else is doing other skits and scenes and i've only been able to work on 2 - 2.5 !! I'm sure that when production goes into complete full swing and things start getting approved that that scenario will change dramatically, but for the meantime i'll bide my time, continue to document my experience here at CORE and draw away in my sketchbook! Almost lunch time, gotta meet Bird shortly and grab some lunch! COMICS TODAY BABY!!! YIPEEE!!!

Another Monday morning,

Been a while since I've "blogged" lol.. but it was a rather busy and interesting week last week. Think i'll start off with the Thursday, because I was sick for the most part early last week. Thursday had a company party for our production only. It was something of a dance party that the directors thought up, so that way we could video record ourselves jumping around for future animation reference when we had do work on some dance sequences for the show. But in order to unlock our inhibitions they fed us with pizza and 8 different types of beer as well as wine, tequila and I can't remember what else! lol! My desk was situated right by the gathering area so I ended up pumping alot of the tunes from my computer/speakers. Had a bit to drink and then I had to leave so that I could meet up with a friend at her place so that way we could meet up with more people and head down to Down One Lounge for more drinks that nite. Met up with ep and Dee and her bf to catch up with them on their just recently made trips to Italy, Portugal, and Spain. Had some coffee with the 3 of them then afterwards proceeded to meet up with Chi and then my sis. Down One back in it's "hay-day" was a very quaint and chill atmosphere where the people were savy and mature. Now the clientele looks like they are coming from some highschool dance and way too young to be even legal to hold a drink! At any rate, we made the best out of the situation, drank some more, conversed and was able to get some really good friends of mine together and finally meet! As you can imagine they all got along famously but I think I just introduced Deanna to her new best female friend! =P

Stayed out pretty late, me and Chi headed back to my place after he made some copies of the tatoo he had designed at a Kinko's and then we superimposed the images onto photos I took of his back in which he pondered over for almost an hour as to which color scheme he wanted to go for. Went to work a bit late on Friday morning due to going to bed at 4am and had a pretty good day! Went to BBQ Xpress, which happens to be my favourite resturaunt in Toronto! Big-ups to DAVE! Got me some ribs and then the Itis soon after! lol. Stayed at work pretty late so that I could meet up with Pete, and then headed out for some sushi for dinner! yummm! Met up with Milt and Dee and then went out for another nite at the Madison's! Boy was it rammed!!! We were downstairs so that we could down pitchers but it was also the main area where everyone was entering from. CRAZY! Ended up being a pretty good time! Didn't really meet anyone but I enjoyed the conversation and company! Lots of laughs, which is always healthy for the soul!
Met up with my sis at Auntie's for more beer and hotpot! Told Dee that I would break her in with all the "dope-ass" places to eat in Toronto, that wasn't overly pricey and has absolutely delicious food! Didn't get home until 5am!?!? Chi apparently almost fell asleep at the wheel after taking me home. haha.

Woke up at like 4-5 on Saturday, went to a family bday party.. lots of food but I ended up stinking of food and I kept napping at the party! ITIS GOT ME!! Then went over to Punty's for his mom's surprise bday thang and that was fun! More food.. MORE drinks! For once I got to see Tony staggering to stand up properly and walk! This man just does not get drunk it's insane!!! As always whenever we get the stories going and Punty leads the way, EVERYONE has a good hearty laugh, and a really good time! Thank God these people are in my life! If it weren't for him and his mom I don't know where I would be right now to tell you the truth! I'm just happy that they accept me for who I am and I know that they will always be there for me as well! It's nice to have friends and family that are that reliable, that actually care and love you! Alot of things i'm greatful for! And I keep counting my blessings everyday!

Sunday went to the mall to pick up some socks.. went with my sis to pickering to get some all you can eat wings for $10... met up with Hung at my place, then met up with Chi and Leo for coffee then to Jack Astors for some beers! Good times! Some very cute waitresses there, I think that's why the places does so well! Just constantly ranting about the lack of females in our lives! lol.... it's somewhat sad, being 4 guyz at a bar, all single, and just talking about how difficult it is to meet people just to talk and hang out with. Nowadays everyone is just so hung up on preconcieved ideas and thoughts of one another, that no one even really bothers to really try and get to know someone! Why is this!? What happened to the "doing your homework" process.. you know .. really putting in the time to research someone and see what kind of relationship will evolve!? It doesn't have to be an intimate one or sexual one, shit, i'm up for just meeting for friends! I don't know why people think that meeting that other person, ie; opposite sex ( if thats the case for you ) is the end all or be all type situation everytime!

So anywyz, got home late again! Got to work LATE today! And well mainly because I do have a wedding to attend tonite! So I was doing my best to look as pretty as possible! I know.. it's a MONDAY... but it's also their 10th anniversary today! So the date has some very significant bearing as to why! Well that's that.. it's now lunch time.. may get some more BBQ but we'll see.. feeling tired.. should have had made lunch for today.. but I went out.. ALOT this weekend! There you go.. This seems to be more of a diary, I think next entry i'll change up for the format.. do a more of my thoughts type thing rather than a reiteration of how my life's events are occuring as each minute passes!!

And Dado loves John Legend!! hee hee!!!

Monday, Monday... daaaaahhh.. laahhh.. Oh however that song goes!

Haven't posted in a couple of days, got a tad busy, rather sidetracked last week, and well not much happened so there wasn't really a necessity to write anything down. Anyways, I ended up raking the leaves at home, then for some reason started sneezing, and now I am a bit sick! booooo.... (thumbs down) but ah well, I'll live, no real inconvenience right now. On friday went to Jack Astor's hung out.. food, beer, and then more of the same on Saturday nite, but at the Fox and Fiddle. Was able to make it for last call, but mind you the DJ was playing some really nice reggae tracks. Going to have hit up a reggae jam at some point soon! Gotta hit a beach, and get some island beats to flow through my veins! lol..

My drawing has gone down some.. not as rampant as last week. Oh haha.. forgot picked up a new jacket at H&M ( i love that store ) and a hat because I ended losing my Bigitup one on the bus on Friday! grrr... love that hat. I find it really difficult to find hats that not only look good on me but that will actually fit me as well. Got that Nike bag i've been wanting for the longest while, it's like a courier bag. So now I can try and limit carrying so much to and fro. Then 2 kicks yesterday, another pair of whites and black nubuck phatpharms for winter... semi casual so that way I can go out with them. Thank god i'm great for spotting out sales, otherwise i'd be completely broke! lol. But anyways back to drawing, yes.. want to get really constructive, which I will do later today, speaking of which, I was caught drawing on the subway this morning, by a rather attractive female. We chatted it up, it was nice, quite pleasant really. I know i'm a hopeless romantic, but i'm such a nerd when it comes to meeting new people. I just like making that connection, having a good conversation, and meeting other people without having to be apprehensive. Nothing has to happen really, but I do believe that everyone we meet or come across is happening for a reason. The universe is unfolding infront of us, it's just a matter of us paying attention, and deciding what to do with the situation at hand.

Picked up some new music, got this new cd, Corinne Bailey Rae... AMAZING!! I love the fact that I just have a knack on stumbling upon things that are going to be utterly popular or significant before they or it becomes so. It's always been the case with music, and more recently the comics that I come across. I just get this feeling, that my gut gives me and I go with it. Things have most certainly been on an upswing for me, but what i'm beginning to notice is that it is "I" who is making this happen. My state and frame of mind has been really positive, and whenever this is the case things just go my way! Life is great and i'm completely grateful for all that I have been given and have. Just wanna win that lotto so that I can retire and travel all over the world. Go back to school and learn everything that there is to learn about this planet and experience it all at the same time! Oh and on a side note, the new John Legend cd "Once Again" is pretty good. However, I still like the first one more. Especially his live stuff!

Looking to go to NYC for their thanksgiving, i'll have to bring it up with my dad, see if he'd be interested, in going down and visiting the relatives!

Alright, i'm out for now, hopefully i'll be able to play some basketball tonite, watch my show "Heroes" and get some rest and be better for tomorrow!

Must figure out a way to post up my sketches, that is my new goal for this week!

Peace and Blessings All...

Just got back from lunch, with my co-worker Dado. Had us some vietnamese cuisine and man were those wings ever so delicious!! Yummy in my tummy!! Yesirrreee. At any rate, just chilling at work today, waiting for a new scene to work on. So I most likely will keep myself busy by drawing at my desk for most of the day. Been drawing a lot lately, which by the way is a very good thing. I'm really trying to round out my portfolio, and even though I keep talking about it, I WILL get a website done, for 2007!! If I ever plan on applying anywhere in the states, or even overseas, then this will be a necessity! I'm going to also try and figure out how to post pictures and or even jpegs of my recent sketches on here. That way I or even you, whomever may be reading this or viewing it, may see the progression over time. I do believe that being able to look back at your previous stuff is a great way to get a bearing on just how much you have improved, which is again something that an artist may never really notice, due to that "perfection complex" that we all have.

So either than that, that's been my life... oh yeah and buying oodles of comics! Thus the reason why i'm so enthralled by this show on NBC called "Heroes"!! Basic premise, human civilization is beginning to evolve, and certain people from all walks of life are finding that they are gifted or cursed with extraodinary powers and abilities, and most are trying to come to terms with why this is happening to them. Meanwhile some bad guys have set the wheels in motion to blow up all of Manhattan. So these 'people' are coming together to try and stop this tragedy from occuring. But the dialogue is just great! Thanks Jeff Loeb for being an executive producer on the show!! So far it rocks! YES... I am a self proclaimed nerd... more like comic-videogame-type kind of nerd but not so much so that I become an anti-socialite and hermit to the rest of the world!

At any rate.. I was about to rant about something, but now I have more edits to work on for the time being, and i'm also trying so hard to fight this threat of the ITIS full on, but I think i'm losing.. time for a 10 min nap! Till later buck-oh!

New Season... New Beginnings...

Well we're into full swing of my favourite season, "Fall" that is... but it's been a chilly month. A few days away from it being November, and i've finally figured that I could use this space online to document my experiences and happenings as they occur. So if I don't update daily at least once a week is what i'm promising myself right now.

So yeah I basically want to keep record of my new job here at C.O.R.E. ! It's been a month since i've been onboard, and it's been going extremely smooth! Previously I was employed for Sohovfx, animating on a feature for about 3 months, my contract was up and I was able to land a gig here 2 weeks after! Never thought that i'd be able to regain the same kind of comradere and atmosphere that I had enjoyed at Soho, but I find the immediate group of people that I sit with are pretty much the same dynamic and make my hours at work completely enjoyable, and fun! I'm also taking alot of photos and doing something of a video blog every week on my co-workers who are on the production. My director mentioned that I should move over to a new section every week so that way when we compile all the videos and photos at the end of the project and look fondly upon ourselves and see the utter decimation of an artists' soul! lol

But I am very happy right now, with my life and the direction that it has been going. For the last 3 years it's been an extremely difficult struggle trying to get my life back in order and having some goals as well as a feeling of purpose in this world. It's what I find is always the case with artists... we struggle for such perfection in our art that it is pretty much the same way we carry out our lives, almost to the point where we don't see the positive but focus so much on the flaws and negativity that your mind becomes totally skewed. Thus, the reason most artists are moody, tempermental. But after clearing through all of that I was able to re-focus and attain a job in the industry that I've been wanting to get into for the last 10 years! it's been a long and painful road but one that I would not ever change as I have learned that through pain comes wisdom, experience, and lessons learned. Infact I prefer the hard road these days, the road less travelled as on may put it, so that when you overcome all of that adversity, the personal rewards you attain are that much greater.

In my personal life, I had lost many friends when I was going through my depression as a failed artist, and had cut out many people in my life as I knew that I needed to focus on my ownself for once. And even though it was tough having to do that, it was necessary. Went through some pretty bad spells with some really close friends, but for the most part I was able to make ammends with mostly everyone. And for all of that, that had happened, I do believe that myself as well as my friendships are that much better for it.. the bond that much stronger. Life has thrown me many curves, but I persevered, and I was lucky enough to have friends, that were there for me to help me get through it all. Friends that still believed in me, and my family that never gave up on me either. So I know I am very blessed. I am happy now.. I am content.

Life is about determination, and the willingness to live life no matter how bad things get. Getting up and trying again, everytime you fall. To love, without any expectations, to live like there will be no tomorrow....

.. now I need to get back to work and do these edits, so that I can get back home.. rake the damned leaves and watch my fave tv show.. HEROES! lol... till tomorrow perhaps?