Blogging is Crack

Okay, it is now official: blogging is my new crack. I didn't think I'd write anything all weekend, but lase eve I logged on because I found the "a href" code and wanted to made links to things in my last post. No, in my impulsive mind it could not wait. And today I had to come into work to get some type and tables set for a proceedings book due to the printers on Tuesday, and what do I do? I come on here first. I'm pathetic. But I have to admit, blogging is fun and the possibilities for this blog are exciting. I even bought a tutorial book at Borders on how to use Blogger. It's from one of the best software tutorial series in the market, in my opinion, but I am still ashamed to admit I have done so. I haven't even told Elicia yet. (Elicia is my sis, btw.) So here you go: my shame fully admitted for all to see. It's actually helped me a bit though, so I'm actually quite glad I bought it. Elicia touts Livejournal as the best place for a blog, but how can I not choose this site when it is so well designed and the book makes it so easy? =) Plus they post my astrological sign. I'm am so excited for the year of the dog to come! Then I can truly say that, yes, it is my year, and mean it. =)

I'm just annoyed with the fact that you can't upload pics very easily here. And the site that works with blogger to store your images doesn't work allow macs to upload pics! Talk about ignoring a good chunk of your target audience. I think. I don't know how many mac people use this site, but I was referenced here by a die-hard mac user, so there's gotta be more than three. Macs aren't going away, sweeties, so please be a doll and alllow me to upload pics? It's just a little code, and I will be forever grateful.

My sis and I bought Final Cut Pro with money we received for Christmas. So excited. I read on animemusicvideos.org that FCP is the "swiss army knife of video editing," or something to that extent, and I believe it. Plus, I learned it in school and now I can keep my skills up. What does this have to do with manga creation, you ask? I think that even though it is an entirely different medium, you get to practice and look at a lot of good camera angles, and work on pacing and timing, which will be useful along the line. So that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it. =) I can't promise our AMV's will be any good but we sure will try our best to get our concepts across in a pleasing manner. If any actually get online I will link to them from here, I promise.

Oh, and guess what? Manga has helped me in my career! You think I'm lying but I'm not. I read a great article on Tokyopop's web site about manga layout, and getting the eye to flow correctly and such so you do not confuse you audience. And this week I had to create a layout for a project brief, and I utilized some of the concepts I had read in the article! In the past I usually did it intuitively, but this time it was a conscious focus and I think it made the paper a lot better in the process. So that is how manga is helping my current career. =)

I'm so lucky that what I chose to go to school for also helps my ultimate dream of beign a manga artist. More on that later; that will be a multi-parter post in the future.