"I made me / Pa-romises promises!"

Art first, as usual. Click for big.

This is not a To-Do List. This is a Can-Do List. I usually get to thinking about this after my birthday. Various things I'd like to get accomplished / make a habit of by this time next year:

* - Draw more! I want to see up to five new pieces on my Flickr page by the end of each week.

* - Learn more about Flash. I don't know if I want to buy the full program ($700 makes me go 😵 ) , but I've got the trial and playing with it would give me terrific additions to my skill set.

* - Make really good friends with the local print shop. They've made me beautiful promotional items in the past. I'm certainly going to need more soon.

* - Attend every Gathering Of Art-Type People Event possible. Volunteer with the local Art Association. The next Comic-Con in Boston is coming up, so I should send an email inquiring about renting a table right after this post is published.

* - Read my copy of the Writer/Illustrator Market book and get dead f-ing serious about getting myself known to the publishers I like.

* - Decide what I want to do with my other websites. Specifically, should I just repost the best blog posts from my retired MySpace page? Should I overhaul LaGremlin-Land or just let it stagnate like so many "I just graduated from college let's make a free website for the lulz" Geocities pages?

* - Get crafty again. Make a bunch of little cute things to sell on the Ebay.

* - Reevaluate some of my collections. What am I willing to sell on the Ebay? (Read: "Why do I even HAVE fifty Beanie Babies?")

* - Make a rule about Ebay: for every one item I bid on and win (read: for every My Little Pony who joins my herd) I must sell three items (they don't have to be Ponies; see immediately above). I won three MLP-related auctions this very weekend and... my God. I can already see myself being very bad. (Dammit, even now there's a quiet little voice inside me crying, "But... but... we ALMOST have ALL the So-Soft Pegasi we're only missing six five four three TWO of them! Sing with me! SING!") .
* - Get my damned driver's license already. And with the price of gas and such, what better time to do it!
* - Take more walks once it gets warmer/dryer. Visit different places locally just for fun. Get inspired, get exercise. Maybe even do some plein air painting along the way?
* - Read. Read, read, read, read, read. Try to get through one book a week like I did that one great summer in High School.
* - Watch more animation. Never a bad thing.
* - Get serious about gardening. Enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. Might put in some berry bushes in the large empty areas. Might even plant a tree.
* - Don't be too hard on myself if extenuating circumstances put snags in some of these plans.

And that last bit is important...

Feederwatch Thursday!

Your Power Bird is a Cardinal

You believe that each day is precious, and you spend your times as best as you can. You see the wonder in small things, and you are often content with what you have. You life an interesting, colorful life - and you bring color to those around you. Confident and expressive, you believe you know how to live a good life. You're living it!

What's Your Power Bird?

Um... okay! Oh, wait, it's one of those blog quiz thingies where your very first answer determines the result.
As far as the birds in my backyard go, the pairings are still underway. The House Sparrows have dispersed and there is a distinctly different tone to the chirps of those who have stayed. I put out a feast on Tuesday evening but the heavy winds on Wednesday kept anyone from really enjoying it.
Right now, one of the Blue Jays is giving that awesome "rusty swingset" song.

Totally irrelevant but awesome:



I can't help but imagine that Snoopy would completely own the whole show if he were a contestant in "Dancing With the Stars".