IMPORTANT NEWSDon't know how many people know this, but for a while now I've been entertaining thoughts of moving to Chicago. Originally, this tentative plan coincided with my desire to pursue the Theater as a career (evidenced by the hard-won B.F.A. in Theater Performance that took me four and a half years to earn), but lately there's been more to it. Well, I took an exploratory trip up there this past week (actually just got home around five and a half hours ago, to be honest, and I'm actually still kind of tired...
...and
now a decision has been reached--within a year, and probably sooner
assuming everything works out like it should, I'll be moving to the
Windy City to try my luck. There's actually a couple reasons for this:
Arkansas, my current location, has like most of the United States been
going through a rather warm summer, and the unusually warm temperatures
have been affecting my health. Thankfully my current employment has
been indoors, because there are days I step outside and immediately feel
like I've got an elephant on my chest due to the heat and humidity. I
used to think it was something I'd just have to deal with, but that was
before living where I did in Colorado, where the temperature rarely
peaked over ninety degrees. There, I never once had an episode, and
while it could have been the elevation, I'm more inclined to think that
temperature was the controlling factor. Yes, Chicago has it's hot days,
but there are far less than down here in Arkansas. So the cooler
climate is a plus. Secondly,
it's become painfully obvious to me that I am not going to be able to
use my Theater degree here in the Natural State. Yes, theater and
acting opportunities exist here, but nothing that will allow me to make a
living at it. And unfortunately, the clock is ticking for me. Right
now, I'm in the prime age to enter the acting field, as my range is
currently at it's greatest. I still look young enough (once I shave the
mustache and beard off, of course) to play a high school student, and
yet with very little make-up I can easily play a character in his
forties or maybe even a young fifty if that's what they're looking
for. So if I'm gonna do anything with this degree that took me four and
a half years to get, I've got to head to an area where the
opportunities exist...and that's not Arkansas. HOWEVER, those
opportunities DO exist in Chicago. Last
but not least, for some time now I've been entertaining the idea of
going back to school. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to handle most
of it myself this time, or take out more loans. And since I don't want
to be tied down to Arkansas, this meant that I would have to move
somewhere before I went back. Also, if I do go back I
want it to be something I will enjoy, and since I've developed this
fondness of drawing, I've been looking into "Media Arts/Animation"
pretty heavily--and of course there's the fact that I've had ideas for
more than a couple cartoons spinning around in my head for some time
now. 
Well, on the recent trip to Chicago, I managed to swing by for an open house for one of the schools there which has an art program I've been looking at. And to be honest, I REALLY liked what I heard. Granted, it will be a few months before I have the money to go, even with loans, but if things play out I may be able to apply as soon as this spring! Here's hoping!
SOOO...I guess the big news is that before this time next year I will most likely have a new residence in the Windy City. Assuming all goes well, that is.
STORY/ART UPDATESI know some of you are wondering about updates to my Kim Possible stuff over at Fanfiction.net, and I know I've been pretty sporadic with updates lately. However, the recent trip to Chicago seemed to give my muse a major wake-up call. Suddenly, a lot of the ideas I had back when I first started this came rushing back, accompanied by all new ones. (Finally!!
) Now,
I'm once more over-flowing with ideas, and several of the new ones
expand exponentially on my old ones...making them in my opinion about a
hundred times better than they were. Either way, I should be back to my
old ways of regular posting soon!
As far as the new art here, same story!
Hard
to believe I know, but I've now got several in the works once more, as
well as ideas on how to finish the ones that have been WIPs
forever. And for a few of them, I'm even finally able to see the flaws
that kept them from being posted AND how to fix said
flaws!! Given that this has been a huge bug to me, it's a great feeling
to finally shake the pieces a bit more into place.Don't know what about this Chicago trip was so special, but it's like a full artistic recharge has taken place. The muse is up and dancing again, and the keyboard, pencil, and tablet are all ready and waiting. I know it's a lot to come at once (and may mean several hours staring at this screen
, but it feels incredible to have this sense of knowing what I want to do once more.Time to get to work!
Oh, one last thing, and it's something I never thought I'd have to say...
My faves over at DevArt are just that...MY FREAKIN' FAVES!!. Yes, I like some...alternative things, but it's what I like. If you have a problem with it, you don't have to look through my faves gallery. I have no problem with you looking through my art and giving critiques there--after all, that's part of why I posted those pictures there. But when I log in to find a long, lengthy note about how I'm going to hell for what I give a
to, I'm naturally going to be a just a tad bit 
-ing angry about it. I mean, c'mon, people--
And don't tell me that I should stop creating Kim Possible
stuff because I'm defacing the memory of the show by drawing and
writing about the characters and then faving what I do there. I do try
to keep it off my main artist page over there at least by having my last four faves be
something that wouldn't offend, but the last time I checked the site
didn't require a person to censor what they like. And until I do, I
won't stop.Seriously, dude, get a life. I've yet to need to block a single person on DevArt, but I will if I have to.
To the rest of you out there, hope you're doing better than alright!
A.G.
