1 Month Down!

Wow, January screamed by and we are already into February.  That is crazy! I finished my book for January a few weeks ago: The Toy Collector, by James Gunn.  It was a very good book.  Very well written and interesting, and not at all what I was expecting.  It is about a man who works as a pharmacist, and begins selling pharmaceuticals to fuel his toy collecting hobby.  The book is not what I would have normally picked to read.  I'm trying to branch out from my normal "zombie books" that I read constantly! My book for February is "I'll Scream Later", by Marlee Matlin.  I better get started! :)

I didn't write my chapter for this month. :(  Looks like I'll have to write 2 chapters this month!  It used to be so easy....what happened to all of my inspiration??  I haven't decided which story to write more of yet.

I have been doing very well on the keto diet for January!  Today I'm having some chicken wings, chili, and wine....so today is my cheat day.  I also had a cheat day 2 weeks ago for a girl's dinner night of lasagna and tiramisu.  I did not do so well on the 30 day workout challenge though.  I did a combination of Melissa Bender or pole fitness only 17 days last month.  I have to try to be better this month!  Pole Fitness is getting easier!  I can finally do the pole sit to bow, and the skin on my legs doesn't hurt anymore.  I am pretty excited about that.  I may have to skip tomorrow's pole fitness class, but it is worth it to hang out with a good friend I hardly ever see anymore. 

I'm looking forward to what February brings.  I have a cosplay photoshoot for my Fallout costume scheduled for some time this month.  Possibly the 16th, but I need to check with the photographer.  I plan on buckling down at some point to actually write the 2 chapters, I hope to learn more pole and do a little more running to get back in shape for running season.

And now, I'm off to register for the Big Wild Life Half Marathon!

Happy Feb 1st, everyone. :)

New Year, Same Old Stuff

Happy 2015 everyone! I can't believe it's 2015.  2014 flew by so fast, I don't think I even made any posts on this blog last year.  Resolutions for this year are the same old stuff.  I'm doing 3 30 day challenges by Melissa Bender, she has amazing workouts! They are similar to the Boot Camp class I went to in 2012, mostly body weight workouts with some dumbbell exercises thrown in.  I'm back on my keto diet, and it's only been a week but I am already feeling so much better! Funny how that works.  I hope to run another half marathon at some point this year, so I've started jogging again.  I have found a new form of exercise that I absolutely love, pole fitness, and I go every chance I get. It is so hard, but also so rewarding once I finally get to the point that I am able to do a new spin or climb the pole with more ease.  I hope to learn an inversion move soon, but it's been a few weeks since I have gone due to the holidays, so we will see. I also added a few new resolutions to my list this year...to read at least 1 book per month and write 1 chapter per month.  That's probably going to be the hardest to find time to do, but so far I'm almost done with January's book.  I chose "The Toy Collector", by James Gunn, and it is very good so far.

Dragon Con is coming up in about 265 days.  I'm in a predicament now where I need to find another host hotel room, which sucks because all the host hotels are sold out.  So I suppose I am going to try to find a room transfer.  I was excited about Dragon Con this year, but now with the added stress of trying to find a new room, I am not as excited.  I feel sad about feeling this way this year.  Since 2003 Dragon Con weekend has been my favorite weekend of the year, but this year it's just starting to feel like a hassle.  However my friend who is flying down with me from Anchorage is over-the-moon excited to go to Dragon Con again.  It's all she talks about and she has a lot of costume plans she wants to make :) I will help her as much as I can!

Rocket Raccoon and
Baby Groot at Senshicon 2014

Juliet Starling at Dragon Con 2014

 I have several new cosplay plans for 2015, but we will see how well I am able to finish these projects.  First on my list is adding a chainsaw prop to my Juliet costume, and a gun for my Rocket Raccoon costume.  Those will be the most challenging.  I am also in progress with making a Bulma Briefs (Dragon Ball Z) costume.  I haven't seen Dragon Ball in such a long time, but I used to love it! I've been thinking of watching it over again.  I also have a lot of new plans for upgrading my Fallout jumpsuit, including a new belt, AK license plate armor for the shoulder and forearm, and hopefully some kind of gun from the Fallout Universe, plasma rifle or something like that.  I also LOVE this "Hello Kitty Fallout Outfit" mod.  I don't remember where I've seen it, but I so want to make it!  It makes no sense, but I love it anyway. 

Bulma Briefs - pink dress

 outfit

Fallout Alaska at Senshicon 2014

 

Hello Kitty Fallout outfit

Nothing else is going on in this little town.  I hope 2015 is the year I am finally able to buy a nice single family home, but we will see.  We have been living in our tiny condo for 10 years, and we would like to keep it as an investment property but we will sell it if need be.  I know my dogs would love to have a yard to run and play in!

5 day Road Trip

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted.  I've been feeling really down lately...haven't wanted to do much of anything.  Made me sad because during that time, time just FLEW by!  I can't believe it's already July!  I took a few days off of work (really needed a break from everything Anchorage) and tomorrow we embark on a 5 day road trip/camping trip.  I can't wait to be out there in the Wilderness.  We're headed up towards the old abandoned town of Kennecott.  Used to be a mining town back in the day.  I've wanted to go since 2006, so I am extremely excited to leave.
We're leaving right after I get off of work tomorrow(the whole family; my husband, two dogs and a ferret and I :) ), around 3:30/4:00.  I'll be sure to take lots of pictures.  Hoping to do a lot of writing if it's raining...I had wanted to take a few wilderness cosplay pictures, but still haven't finished my gunbelt (see above, been feeling down and not doing anything.) I regret that now because I bet this weekend will be the perfect time.
I hope everyone has a fantastic week/weekend!!  Hopefully I'll get back into posting blogs.  I really was hoping to keep on a once a week schedule, but that didn't happen.

Happy week and weekend (and 4th of July, if you're celebrating!)

:)

Rockabilly Style

I have really been in to the rockabilly, psychobilly style lately!  I sure don't know how to style hair nicely but I was thinking of trying to practice victory rolls and pompadour styles. I'm also planning to start this little project soon, a cute little rockabilly style dress:

 http://www.burdastyle.com/patterns/katjusha

The pattern is free, so I figured why not?  Plus it could serve a duel purpose if I can make it correctly...it looks really similar to the Pre-War Spring Outfit from Fallout.  Woo-hoo, I found a way to make it cosplay related. haha.

Planning on going to Joannes to look for fabric next week.  Should be fun!

Also on an (un?) related note? I unfortunately have been really liking the style for Milla's Jovovich character (Alice) in the new resident evil movie.  I know those movies are practically an abomination compared to the games, but I think they are fun in their own way.  And I really like her new outfit.  Another new outfit I discovered I really like is the new look for Lara Croft.  I might have to add these two to my ever-growing list...

Dragon*Con Wrap-Up

I know, it has already been a good month since Dragon*Con ended. I am still experiencing post-con depression! Or maybe that's other things, but at any rate, I had a fabulous time at Dragon*Con 2011! I admit, a few things didn't go exactly smooth, and I will work hard to change those around so everything will run as smooth as possible next year! Or at least, next time I go. Although I would love to be able to go next year, and am still hoping against everything, things just aren't looking that great for me to be able to go. It's kind of a huge let down, as Dragon*Con weekend is the one I look forward to the most all year.

As for the awesome, fun time I had; it was fantastic to be able to see my friends. Just...amazing. If you're reading this, I miss you a lot all year, then to getting to see you all in that weekend is one of the big things that really makes me look forward to Dragon*Con all year! I saw so many amazing costumes this year, I just didn't have time to get pictures of them all! (For...other...reasons, but that's one of the things I hope to change next time I go...) I also did not really get to use my video camera. In fact, not at all. I would like to make fun Dragon*Con video next time I go as well, I just don't have enough hands for still pictures and my video camera! :) At least I will take short videos here and there and combine them all together. Another thing I need to change...I *need* to find a good spot to watch the parade. As much as I'd love to be in it, I don't know if that will ever happen. I think I would have just as much fun watching the parade as I would being in it though. Here's a link to all of my Dragon*Con 2011 pictures.

So I suppose for the upcoming years, here is my list of costumes I am working on, and would like to be making in the future. The asterisk next to the name means I already have some work done on it, so it's currently in process. If I don't get to go to Dragon*Con next year, at least I can wear a few to our local (and growing bigger every year!) anime convention, Senshicon!:
* Babydoll - Sucker Punch (finishing all the details for Halloween)
* Yoko (Timeskip) - Gurren Lagann
* Vaultsuit Vault 11 - Fallout: New Vegas
* Jill Valentine (Battlesuit) - Resident Evil 5
Claire Redfield - Resident Evil 2
Rainbow Dash - MLP - Friendship is Magic (No judging ;-) haha)
Anya Stroud - Gears of War 3
Natalie(Envy Adams) - Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Sonya Blade - Mortal Kombat

*possibly*

Panty (Angel) - Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt

That last one has possibly the most ridiculous title of anything I have ever seen.

Another thing that I have found online recently was this extremely cute video by Cosplay Fever:

I would just love to be able to make something like that someday with some buddies. :) It is so cute!!