"Character Development: Rin & Ash"

"Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value." -Albert Einstein

A comic is in the midst of being made. I've been developing the four main characters lately, mainly the tiger Rin (Bryn) and the fox Ash (me.) The other two characters are the lynx Jamm (Jeanelle) and the marten Bean (Corbin.) You don't have to tell me, I know the names are brilliantly creative. *grin*

Here are some pencil roughs. I really just need to figure out how I want to proportion Rin. His body needs a little bit of help. :) He'll live up to his human counterpart sooner or later! The name of the comic will most likely be Whim-Sical.

"The Birth of Speed Racer-ette"

"You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself into one." -Henry David Thoreau

I drove a racecar today.

No really, my car turned into the batmobile and I sped everywhere. I'm surprised I didn't get pulled over. Or arrested. Let me share with you the hullabaloo of the day...

11:50 am: Bank, temple clothing shopping (for Jeanie,) Krispy Kreme pitstop.

12:45 pm: Mary Kay facial (it was a prize that Jeanie won from David's Bridal.)

2:47 pm: Cranky feelings (that facial lasted much too long) and a pitstop at Walmart for shower curtain hooks (of the baby penguin variety.)

3:25 pm: Sold our souls to Gold's gym for some two-year memberships.

3:53 pm: Corbin's apartment (he wanted to show Jeanie how clean it was.)

4:15 pm: Finally home. Grumpy, hungry, and no missionary letters in the mail. (Grr. :P)

This is where it gets nasty...

7:05 pm: Got lost trying to find Janna's reception.

7:38 pm: Found Janna's reception. Had chocolate strawberries.

8:02 pm: Spastically exploded (Liz's reception ended at 8:30!) and sped home (where Jeanie helped me speed-dress into the gown Liz's sister, Bridget, made for me.)

8:15 pm: Still in Provo. Pulling out gray hairs because I lost my cell phone (it had Liz's reception address on it) and because we hit, literally, every single red light (that always happens, doesn't it?)

8:20 pm: Got on the freeway and did 85mph+ all the way to American Fork.

8:30 pm: Exited and sped down backroads towards Liz's parents' house area.

8:35 pm: Found a lit-up, decorated (on the lawn) church and parked, happy to have found the right place.

8:37 pm: Ran back outside, shocked (away from the angry bride who was definitely not Liz.)

8:41 pm: Finally found the right church (Liz and Erik were still there!)

9:02 pm: Collapsed in my car and drove home with Jeanie and Corbin.

9:37 pm: Realized the significance of not having a cell phone.

I don't think I could live day-to-day like this! Sundays are such a blessing.

"For the Beauty of the Earth"

"Love isn't something you can box and sell in a shoppe, but it is something you can bottle up inside and refuse to distribute." -Ashley Harmon

Originally, this vocal clip was on the CD I was making for Bryn. Turns out a disk is a little trickier than I thought it was to mail. Obviously, I could put it in a case and stuff that into a package, but... We'll see.

Onward with the mountains of Mythology homework collecting on my bed! To conquer!

"Belated Birthday Surprise"

"Young people have an almost biological destiny to be hopeful." -Marshall Ganz

On January 7th (of this year,) I came home to an array of beautiful gifts placed carefully on my doorstep. Upon opening the card labeled "Ashley", my eyes drifted to the name signed at the bottom: Elder Farnsworth. I was in complete shock.

My lovely roommate, Jeanelle, glanced up at me and (after hearing who was the doer of the deed) exclaimed loudly: "He is so in love with you!" I include that not because my ego was boosted... *cough* ...but that it brought the largest smile my face had experienced in a while. ^_^

Of course, I knew of Elder Farnsworth's adoration well before he left, as most who know me will understand. *cheesy grin* But this was completely unexpected. (And I usually can see something like this coming!) All-in-all, it was a wonderful Christmas/birthday surprise.

Oh, and the gifts included were as follows: A bouquet of a dozen rouge-tipped roses, two plush animals (a rabbit and a raccoon,) a box of assorted chocolates, and an electronic keychain photo album filled with various pictures of us (as well as the card.) Thank you, Ben, for the delivery. And thanks to Bryn for being so thoughtful and kind, even while living across the North Atlantic with the Cornish.

"Because it's Easier than Scrapbooking"

"If thou art merry, praise the Lord with singing, with music, with dancing, and with a prayer of praise and thanksgiving." -D&C 136:28

My dear Aunt Jay has created so many wonderful opportunities for me to scrapbook. She's given me beautiful books that she decorated herself, and all I'd have to do is glue pictures inside. Any idiot could do it. She's even purchased materials to create my own pages and enhance the ones she's made. And yet... for some reason, I just can't jump on the Scrapbook Train. A thousand apologies to her! (I'll use the books someday, I know I will. Until then, I keep them dusted and clean on my bookshelves. Your efforts won't go to waste, Auntie!)

BYU Winter semester 2009 has commenced. My classes include New Testament, Japanese, Psychology, and Roman & Greek Mythology. I'm still working at BYU Broadcasting as an On-Air Promotions Assistant (and a voice actress every now and then.) It's fun to think that next Winter semester will be the final one before my missionary comes home (just barely.) Cheers for Cornwall, Elder Farnsworth!