HIYA THERE !!! I'M FINALLY FEELING A WHOLE LOT BETTER !!!

I'm still at about 98%, though - My coughs still have some mucus in them and my voice gets raspy every so often, but for the most part, my voice is back ...

This has been an odd week indeed. Thanks to the badly-timed SEPTA strike, getting around the city has been a pain. I've been taking the Regional trains instead of my usual route lately. The first day, I was told to go the wrong way by the people working at the station. I had to get off and go the other way, only to wait in a line for an hour or two to board it. On the other had, in the morning, it's nice to see some new scenery zipping by me.....now if I only could find an open seat .

Because of that one class I failed last year, my whole academic schedule has been messed up. I haven't been able to take many of the classes that my fellow classmates have, because most of them require that one class to some extent. On the other hand, this means I'm free to fill up the other spots with as many electives as I want. There's no limit to how many electives I can have (just a minimum), so it's not like I'm using them all up. If my GPA gets high enough, I could even take a minor or two . I re-take that one class in the Spring, and every other class I have will be an elective .
Speaking of that, I had to register for Winter term this year. To my surprise, I got into every single class I wanted, and at the times I wanted. In the end, I had 19 credits worth of classes. To be honest, that sounds like a lot, since the limit for credits per term is 20. My Mondays and Wednesdays are more swamped with classes than they are now. I'll talk to my advisor and see if that's going a bit too far .....

My mom had a rough day today. It seemed like everything was trying to make her morning terrible. Also, I heard her and her husband talking about me and my little sister. She's pretty upset with both of us. On the ride to the station and even before we left the house, she was saying things about how angry she is at us, how everything we own is hers, and how we don't care about anything. She had my sister almost crying before we left the house. The whole time she was telling us about how hard it is to support us, how little we care, how junky we look, etc. After my little sister was dropped off, she went on to tell me how I'm not any kind of role model for my sister, how I act like a bum, how I shouldn't be acting like a child, how I don't appreciate being in college, how my dad didn't call that much and didn't really care, how they argued and my dad left my mom alone at night on a street pregnant with me at one point, and then some. The whole time, I wanted to explain how so many of the things she thinks of me are just misunderstandings, but that never helps. I just sat there, Not saying a thing. She let me off at the station and I said "thanks" and that was it.

As soon as I got out of the car.....I felt happy. I held back my tears while in the car, but as soon as she left, I just felt so much better. I am a bit sad, seeing as how my own mother thinks I'm pretty much worthless and thankless, but I feel so much better being here on campus. It seems like I've been seeing the positive sides of a lot of things, and I'm usually not that optimistic about life. Here, there have been many good things happening to me this week. I probably won't like going home tonight, and I can't travel anywhere without a car thanks to the strike, but for now, I'm just glad that I'm not completely the person my mom thinks me to be. Sure, I could tell her how I act when I'm not around her and how she misunderstands me, but it never really works. For now, I'll just blame it on a stressful morning..........

Hello everyone ! I'm.......not really making any progress with my cold, I think . My mom told me to stop taking the cough medicine the doctor gave me because it wasn't really working. I've been taking the Mucinex and the antibiotic instead, but I don't think that my cough has gotten any better. I am coughing out the snot every once in a while, so it is helping a little. My voice is still raspy, too. I'm taking plenty of tea for that, though. I can't wait to write the journal where I'm at 100%!

Things at home weren't so great last night. My mom got really upset about how the house was (it didn't look bad to me, but I guess it wasn't up to her clean standards). She ended up getting even angrier thanks to her husband (who conveniently always seems to make things worse by making me and my sister sound terrible). I love my mother, but when she gets like this, I don't know what to think.
I talked to my sister about how I'll be in the computer labs for most of the weekend, working on the project I missed when I was out last week. I also mentioned that it was peaceful there, especially since things seemed a little tense here at home (I didn't say the tense part, though). When I talked to my mother later (who looked somewhere between tired and frustrated) about going to the labs to work, I think she had said something like she had heard, to get some peace. I wasn't sure if she had heard what I said earlier, or just thought it meant working without distractions, or if I had just heard her the wrong way (she was kind of mumbling) but I didn't say any more about it. She acted normally the rest of the night, so maybe I'm just hearing things....this is kinda confusing -_-;.....

My grandma gave me $40 this weekend. It was to replace the $40 of my birthday money that my mom needed for everyone's co-pay at the medical clinic (my grandma had given me $60). She had said that I didn't always need to tell my mom about it (the money, I mean). I already figured out how I'll spend it - I think I'll get the first Professor Layton game for about $30 (I'll wait until after I finish my project this weekend to get it), then I could use the rest to pay for my lunches for part of the week. This way, I could pay for my lunches without having to rely so much on my mom to give me the money for it (it probably won't last the week, though - also, I still need to ask her for the money to get a Weekly TransPass). And maybe some deodorant; I just ran out !
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I'm thinking of applying for some scholarships to help pay for my tuition. There are a few that I found the descriptions of at my advisor's office - I was thinking of going for some art contest-related ones, and maybe writing contests as well (my writing's been complimented before by my professors, so maybe I have something there). If could raise enough to pay for the rest of my tuition balance, I wouldn't have to worry about registering next term.

There's something that I haven't mentioned much about, I think - I have a story written about my OCs (even ones I have yet to draw). I have a ton of "chapters" in my head, but I've physically only typed about 6 of them. It's written for a manga I want to someday draw, so it's a little bit more of a "script" than a story. There was a friend here I Noted the chapters to, and she would comment on them. I haven't seen or heard much from her lately, though, and I haven't exactly written a chapter in a while, either (up until the time I wrote the most recent chapters, I had barely drawn my characters yet!). I was wondering if anyone wanted to read them ? I could either upload it here, or Note the "chapters" one by one ....

I've been looking up a lot about the Epic Mickey game, and it seems......epic . The style's not as "dark" as it seemed to be originally, but I think I like that. It's kinda creepy looking at times, while still being Disney. If this game works out, who knows how many forgotten Disney characters will make a return ^^!

I've been in a bit of an Animal Crossing: Wild World mood lately, so when I get back to drawing expect some things from that. I even started watching the movie !!

I know I haven't done Something New Every Friday in weeks, but I've been sick for a month now, not to mention I'm taking 17 credits this term -_-. I think I'll try to get back into things this weekend (but not today) - wish me luck!!
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I told ~CorneredBaka that I would do another feature, since he featured me recently. It doesn't matter to me if you were in the last one, since not enough people comment on these for me to worry about that . If you were here before, I'll just try and pick different pics of yours, or the same, if you want (just tell me) :

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That's all for now ^__^!!

Also, I really hope this journal doesn't make me sound mean and/or selfish -_-;......

Hey there, everyone!

I've been out for a while, and I should explain why. I've had a terrible cold for the past 3-4 weeks, and since Sunday, it's gotten worse. I went to the doctor on Tuesday and it turns out I have bronchitis. I got some medicine for it, and it seems to be working. This morning when I woke up, though, I realized I had lost my voice, so now I'm just a raspy, coughing, mess. My mom's been taking good care of me, though, and I'm already well on my way to getting better.

I haven't had that much physical motivation to draw - I just felt so tired. Not to mention that I had to stay warm (which I hate) to get better. I just feel like sleeping most of the time, and walking outside was hard because I kept coughing all over the place and I just.....stood there sometimes, like I was stalling. At one point, I stopped getting headaches from coughing and I started getting stomach contractions. I've been feeling much better since I took the medicine, but I still feel tired. I'm hoping that the fatigue and my raspy voice will pass by Monday...

I haven't actually drawn anything in a week or two , but I'm hoping to start up again soon. As much as I've logged on since getting sick, I've felt less motivated to reply to comments, even though I love doing so. I want to start dong that again, and a lot more of it !
With any luck, I'll be back to normal soon. For now...................I'll just try and get the rest I need ........
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I told ~CorneredBaka that I would do another feature, since he featured me recently. It doesn't matter to me if you were in the last one, since not enough people comment on these for me to worry about that . If you were here before, I'll just try and pick different pics of yours, or the same, if you want (just tell me) :

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That's all for now ^__^!!

Hiya there!

I'm doing pretty fine . My cold is fading, but I need to start taking the medicine again (it ran out).

Lately, I've been thinking about something: how good of a friend am I, really? I guess I thought about it after reading someone else's journal about their friend. I think I'm a great friend, and I at least try to be, but I probably could be better. I don't really "hang out" with anyone I know much outside of school, I'm not the most talkative person ever, I don't talk to my high school friends as much because I never know what to say or have anything worth saying, and as much as I wish I could, I'm no good at cheering people up.

I don't know if I wanna start talking a lot more, but I do wanna work on everything else, especially that last part. Not to mention the requests, trades, and one commission I'm so slow to finish. As much as I love to take my time and write out a well thought-out comment, I also think that I take too long to do that. I just wanna be the type of friend someone can look back on and say "They were always there for me..." or something like that ^_^. Not that I don't think of myself as a good friend now - I could do better, that's all ...
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I've been tired as always, only more so. I haven't had any physical motivation to start drawing, even though I have all the mental motivation I'll ever need. Also, my days always feel shorter than most people's. I always hear at my college about how so many people (in my major, even) have jobs, and are always going abroad or to weddings...even though they don't look like they are, it seems like my fellow students are rich -_-;. I'm not much of a wedding or party person, but I would like to travel someday. I can't imagine where they get the time to do all that and still do amazingly in class...
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My mom has been pretty tired lately. She seems to be doing a lot of work around the house (we've been renovating)and not resting or eating much (not that she eats very often, anyway). She even asked my little sister and ME about what we wanted for Christmas already. I think she deserves something special for Christmas !!! But I have no idea (or money.....yet......) what, and she'll never give me any ideas (she always says she doesn't know)...
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I just took a good look at my gallery, and it's.....a mess. It seems like a bunch of random, half-completed sketches for the most part. Do you think I should delete my older works? I don't know if they're doing any good for my gallery ...

Speaking of which, I recently deleted my most watched upload, which was a drawing of someone else's character I did ages ago. Now my most watched is one of those poems I wrote a long time ago in high school - it doesn't say much about my drawing ability, but it's a start ...
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Do I seem very inactive here? I know I comment often and fave constantly, but I don't think I'm as active as I should be. I don't even know how many watchers I have - my stats say about 300, but I have no clue how many of them are people who have been banned/left DA. I'm not worried about numbers and figures, so much as getting my work out there. Maybe I should make the effort to reply to the 100+ deviations a day and all of the journals? Maybe I should post more in the Thumbnail forums? I never feel like I have much time to do so, though ...

Before I forget, do I use smileys too much? I always worry about how someone will think of what I say, so I use them to emphasize my point. Also, my journals seem boring otherwise....
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I wanted to do the quiz again, so I filled it out for Chiri . I just hope she doesn't come across as an obsessive, tough person ....

1. What is your character’s full name?
Chiri Konamori

2. When were they born?
Feb. 14th (Valentine's Day)

3. What are their parent’s names?
Unknown - she hasn't seen them in so long, she forgot their names...

4. Do they have any brothers or sisters?
She did have a little bother once...

Also, she sees Yoshikawa as a brother and maybe even as her own child at times...

5. What kind of eyes do they have?
Green, caring eyes....with the occasional hint of malice in them. If you see that malice, you're as good as injured ...

6. What kind of hair do they have?
Black, neat, wind-resistant. Nothing special...

7. What is their complexion like?
Pretty nice, with just the slightest hint of a tan sometimes

8. What body type are they?
Lean, slightly muscular, and small

9. What is listening to their voice like?
That depends on her mood. Normally, she sounds like a young mother or a teenager. If she's mad at you, she'll sound like.....a murderer !

10. Do they have a favourite quote?
"Love like a mother, fight like a beast..." (her own quote !)

11. What sort of music do they enjoy?
Rock music!!! ....and the occasional love song...

12. Have they ever cheated on a partner?
She hasn't had an official "partner" yet...

13. Have they ever lost someone close to them?
Unfortunately, yes...

14. What is their favourite sound?
Any sounds. Quiet, loud, it doesn't matter - she loves hearing things!

15. What is their opinion on euthanasia?
It's immoral and senseless...

16. Are they judgmental of others?
She can be sometimes, but she tries to give people a chance first.

17. Have they ever been drunk?
Once or twice, but not that often - apparently, it doesn't take much for her to pass out ...

18. What are they like when they stay up all night?
Halfway to sleep already. Unless it's important, she can't stay awake for very long. In fact, she always sleeps in late ...

19. Have they ever been arrested?
Of course not.........they never caught her !!

20. What colour evokes strong memories for them?
Black, Grey, Red, Green...

21. What do they do on rainy days?
Stay inside, and make Yoshikawa has an umbrella ...

22. What religion are they?
She doesn't have one

23. What word do they overuse the most?
"Yoshi!"

24. What do they wear to bed?
Usually, one of those white blouse shirts (I think that's how it's described) is enough for her. On a special day, she may wear something else ...

25. Do they have any tattoos or piercings?
They have one major tattoo on their back. Her clothes usually hide it, though...

26. What type of clothing are they most comfortable in?
Anything casual works for her. She prefers to wear her maid uniform most of the time, though - she made it, after all (and Yoshikawa's clothes, too)!

27. What is their most disliked saying?
"We have to sacrifice the few for the many" - thinking like that infuriates her!!

28. Do they have any enemies?
She made many enemies in the past, but anyone who messes with her "family" is her real enemy...

29. What does their writing look like?
Feminine, nothing special - she seems to write the words "black", "rose", and "love" with extra care, though ...

30. What disgusts them?
Traitors, bullies, stalkers, jerks...

[added questions from other questionnaires]

31. Has your OC developed any romantic relationships?
Almost...........kinda........................maybe >>....not really >>...

32. What are three weaknesses in them?
- Small frame, so she's easy to throw
- Can be stubborn when angry
- Not the most subtle person ever at times ...

33. Strengths?
She's strong, fast, and an excellent seamstress !

34. Does your character have any phobias?
Letting down those she cares about, and being alone. I'm not sure if they count as phobias, exactly ..

35. What could you do to get them into a blind rage?
Hurting Yoshikawa, picking on the weak - a lot of things gets Chiri angry!

36. Has he/she encountered any traumatizing events?
There was one thing when she was little......involving her brother.....

37. What was probably the best time in his/her life so far?
When she was young, and when she saved Yoshikawa's life for the first time...

38. Does your character ever get depressed?
Yes, but she tries not to let it show

39. Leader or Follower?
Definitely a leader - she's lead people before !

40. What is the main aspect of his/her personality?
Tomboyish, stubborn, strong, and loving - that is who Chiri Konamori is ^__^!!

I'll probably do more of these as I begin to draw more of my characters ...
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I told ~CorneredBaka that I would do another feature, since he featured me recently. It doesn't matter to me if you were in the last one, since not enough people comment on these for me to worry about that . If you were here before, I'll just try and pick different pics of yours, or the same, if you want (just tell me) :

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That's all for now ^__^!!