I've been away- shall be away for a while longer

[mentalguru]

Hey.

Just in case you're curious- I've been out of sight for a few days because things in real life are happening.

I've been working a work placement the last four months in England- and just finished my last day, so now I have to move back home for a while and tonight I am cleaning my sty of a rented room! Then I'll be home, hoping to maintain getting up at an early time, hopefully working on my health and what not. Doing a physical job has helped me get stronger I think, and in better shape (who needs an expensive gym huh?) but I hope to maintain that- so perhaps I WILL have to go to a gym. No body building or anything crazy, but even so, I like this feeling- I can endure more than I had done so previously I feel, and I want to keep that rather than back sliding.

After this move back home, I'm also trying to organise something else to do. I'm hoping to get a job or to get away for a while abroad (hopefully both), and this is going to take some time to organise. I'm down for two masters in September for a year nearer home this time- and I also have to choose which one (while both are interesting- I'll likely choose the one with the better job prospects, but I'm still debating this), this is another incentive to go abroad- this is kind of the gap year I never had in some ways.

In terms of places, I'm thinking either New Zealand, Canada, or even America itself- I've been lucky in that a friend of the family gave both my sister AND myself bonds as kids- and just NOW the 'rents are telling me about it (they cycled it or something when I was a teenager apparently- apparently I said it was okay, I still have to get the details- but I'm kind of pleased either way- it's money I haven't spent! Great in today's climate in general.). It won't pay for all of it (It's in triple figures and I want to go for at least two months wherever I choose to go), but it will go a long way still to what I want to do.

But I need to get a job which pays too. Not so great in the current economics huh?

So I'm going to look into SHOP jobs (because since the hours as a tour guide are pretty bad since there are so many people working there already, I've decided to give it a miss in the hopes of getting a job with more hours etc. Time will show whether this was a wise move). People keep on recommeding supermarkets so this will likely happen. Or a small shop.

If I could choose, I'd want to wrok in a book shop but yeah, beggars can't be choosers- besides, I wonder if I'd get any work done in such a place! LOL.

But yeah, some changes going down, particulary recently.

In terms of my fanfic- I hoped to update it before Sunday, but looks like that must be put on hold- In terms of the music videos I mused over, I still have to download the DVD ripper stuff- but I'm going to do that some time in the next couple of weeks.

Basically just a post to say things have become even busier than I had first thought- in some goods ways, and in some ways which HOPEFULLY won't turn bad.

But I'll see you all in a bit.

Hopefully next time you see me here, I'll have some of my awful writing or an even worse Monsters Inc music video to show.

Thanks to you all! You've been great- just need some time in the 'real world' unfortunatly!

Edit:

Oh and happy birthday Mistica!

And I believe Sg has a birthday coming up- so happy birthday to you (as I am unlikely to be around).

And Happy B day to any one else who is going to have one soon.

[sgtyayap]

Thank you, mentalguru!

I was wondering why you weren't here, lately. And remember: I gave you the link to the software.

[mistica0christina]

Thanks mentalguru and don't worry, it's no biggie, do what you gotta do!

[mentalguru]

Oh Huzzah! (To quote Fungus)

I'm BACK!

Still have to work out things in real life, so I won't be here every day, but still, glad to be back, I'll be dropping in a bit more regulary.

I've decided on Canada, and what I want to do but have to book it (and it will probably be in early June onwards for two months), an old friend of a friend is getting married in the 3rd of June too, so well timed (granted, this person used to be my Mike so I have mixed feelings, but I'm guessing I'm willing to take this strange olive branch for now, I'll just be cautious is all). So Summer will be busy.

On a bad note- JOB HUNTING SUCKS BECAUSE THERE IS NOTHING. Only cleaning jobs where it would not be worth the cash to drive all that way and over the country for one bloody hour a day. I already miss my old work friends. They rocked! It's too late to change my mind really I think. And my old boss is retiring this year- went to a do on Saturday and remet my old work buddies!

Amusement abounds- we are now the top property this year in the UK, so that was a great send off, and it was a TEAM effort too, and I worked that summer there so I contributed too- (from visitor surveys- WIN!), which was pretty cool and nice to know.

We're the LITTLE property even in N.Ireland, pretty popular and all but still- we've kind of been second in the region most of the time NOT from visitor surveys but from membership (its hard to get here though, we pretty much have everyone), so to become first in the UK for visitor satisfaction was great. We've always done pretty well in THAT department if not membership- still was a good thing.

I've written a fair bit of stuff really for my fanfic- but mostly scenes for later chapters in my fanfic rather than the next one (I tend to write things when inspiration strikes when I can so I don't forget). Gah!

But great news- I CAN GET CLIPS FOR MVS NOW!

I can eventually produce some awful MV for you all.

Yup, indeed I can.

I am currently working on a general Mopnsters Inc tribute project - and had a little practice just moments ago. I found some good tutorial things on YOUTUBE of all places regarding it.

I've decided I'm going to try and do something to MUSEs 'Supermassive Black hole' because the beat to that song is great and fun to work with.

I've only messed around with a few clips (namely, so far I have 1 second clips saved on movies window maker- one of Randall doing his kung fu moves, and another of him saying 'winds of change' in the imported media). But it doesn't seem TOO difficult (for now).

I'll do a bit more work on it tomorrow- I kind of plan to post the first 30 or so seconds of the product when I can on my new youtube account. I'd eventually hope to do more of the song though, as well as other videos when I can. A M.I. video or two more after this one and then maybe I'd try Avatar: T LA too (my other fandom).

I don't thing I'll be able to knock one up in a day Sg like you did (you did say that right?), because I'm using A LOT of SMALL clips, to make it fast paced to this song, which will take time. Still I think this is going to be fun. Hopefully things will work out for me!

I hope to make clips feel connected. You'll hopefully know when I post the first 30 seconds up. This will take a while- but I can finally start making real progress!

[pitbulllady]

What? No visit to the US? Heck, you can get some real-life inspiration for your fanfic over here, if you visit the SC Low Country or Louisiana!

Good to have you back around here, though. I know what you mean about job hunting; it's like that everywhere. People who have jobs are scared to death of losing them, and the economy is just sinking lower, while our government tries to blow smoke up our butts and convince us that everything is back on track.

pitbulllady

[sgtyayap]

Tell me about it, pitbulllady. My school is going to hold a mock debate between the Democratic and Republican parties, and among the promotional material I saw was Democratic propaganda about jobs starting to come back thanks solely to the Obama administration, though it is QUITE obvious that it was REALLY due to the people starting to take care of themselves over relying on the government (i.e. HR669 and the Health Care bill).

Anyway, nice to see you're back, mentalguru.

[mentalguru]

(The US option I was looking at is Nevada PBL... but I do want to go to the US... actually I'm thinking of trying to get something happening AFTER my masters instead for the US of A...)

It's actually a wish of mine to tour Canada and the US in general- I haven't seen much of either at ALL. I have vague recollections of a holiday when I was younger in Canada (but not a lot), but I remember liking it alot.

In the US- I've only been to Disney Florida when I was 10 (I ... think I almost made my mum throw up when I took the controls of the dumbo ride), and three days in LA on the way to New Zealand with my family (it wans't bad but... the fact that you couldn't see anyone daring townalk around much anywhere? FREAKY. Very different to any British/Irish city I've been in- there everyone walks EVERYWHERE. Well within reason of course.).

But I'd like to see NYC and New Orleans some day (dang, they are so far apart!). Oh and some of Canada's cities too.

Yup... most people my age/younger take tours of EUROPE. But whatever. I'd kind nof like to see it. I guess it's because I've become a bit more interested in Europe-American history foreign relations as of now*, I haven't read a lot mind you yet).

Any recommendations as of that kind of historical information?

*I AM A GEEK!

[mentalguru]

Weee!

I've so far done 17 seconds out of the 32 I'm working with. (Basically before the lyrics start in the song. MUSE- Suppermassive black hole.)

Problem is of course, the reason I got them finished quickly is because I knew (almost) exactly what clips I wanted in the first 17 seconds. Not sure of the remaining 15/16 of this preview yet.

I'm not 100% satisfied with the Sulley section (the first one) but I think it's okay.

Basically, I'm trying my best to give each of the characters a little 'section' for the first 17 seconds, and AFTER this I will be just mixing and connecting the main 5 characters together in various more random ways, but in the first 17 seconds I've completed, they all have a little section of their own:

Example:

Sulley:Time to song: 0.00-0.04. Has four scenes here, the last one being him having Randall by the throat. Then has Randall in a sped up clip yelling at him on the ledge.

Then Randall's section continues, which also has four scenes- last one- saying winds of change to Mike. Which then goes to Mike pointing after Randall.

Then Mike: well he has four scenes too, ends with him throwing snowball at Sulley with Boo beside him.

Goes to Boo.

Boo- only has THREE scenes, which ends in one scene with bumping into Waternoose.

Waternoose- only one additional scene so far other than the abopve- basically releasing the scream from the canister.

That's what I've done so far. I haven't used many effects- I've sped up on of Randall's and I zoomed in on Mike for one of his too, but other than that, I've just been using one second clips for each scene so far.

I may have to make even SHORTER ones for the next 25/16 seconds.

Still, I'm making progress.

I can also just say- Sulley and Randall are ansolute JOYS to use in MVs. Randall's movements and Sulley's facial expressions are just really incredible and fun for some reason.

Oddly though, my favourite parts are the transitions between Randall's and Mike's sections as well as the last Waternoose scene. Fits with the music a bit well, I'm not sure really why I lie them better.

So yup- so far I've got 1 scenes and 17 seconds completed.

Effects used so far:
Sped up clip for Randall (was two seconds what I wanted so doubled speed, not sure it fits though...)
Zooming in on Mike when he's going all giddy over the advert

No other effects yet. I'm thinking less may be more in any case.

Still have to figure out scenes for rest of the preview, but I'll work something out.

[sgtyayap]

Nice to see you're making progress.