A friend at church recently asked me what I would charge for a small graphite 8 x 10 portrait of her 3 kids and another 11 x 14 of 6 kids. I'm pretty sure I've got an idea for what to charge, but I was wondering what my peeps on Deviantart would charge for something like this? So what would you do?

Copenhagen Treaty
It's my understanding that we as Americans have been given the slip. We're so focused on keeping our health care from being unfair or becoming more unfair, as the case may be (without having seen any of the bill's drafts), that we are dangerously under-informed about other elements in our politics.

Disclaimer:
Now I hate politics...I used to think it was fun intellectually...back when people pretended to be intellectual, but now I can't understand the sheer bias and blatant lies that we are forced to believe. I'm an Independent voter and I believe in having strong opinions backed up by facts, but presenting the facts foremost in an unbiased way. Naturally, I am displeased with the media, big business, corrupt business, Congress, and Republican, Green Peace, and Democrat politicians.

Having said that, all the links I can give you on this matter will be missing information...some missing possibly vital information, and so I urge you to look into as many sides' opinions as possible so that you may make an informed decision and not align yourself to the lambs charging the slaughter--blindly casting their beliefs on whatever face leads them, whether they be Republican, Democrat, Green Peace, Libertarian, Vegan, Objectivist or even a single person. Be your own leader and test everything you're told.

Copenhagen Treaty:
Fact 1: The next conference will be held in December, although all signs point to a longer stint of negotiations before there is a consensus before all major world powers (3), (6).

Fact 2: The treaty is going to charge our nation an unknown amount of money for reparation of damages to the atmosphere as well as third world countries: "including insurance, rehabilitation and compensatory components" (2)

Fact 3: You will not be getting a ballot with this as an item for voting. (see all sources)

I know this sounds bad, but I just wanted you to be informed with uncoated facts. American citizens need to be informed...there is too much dangerous misinformation out there not to be.

Citations:
1: Moonbattery, A Far far far right-wing organization [link]
2: Green Peace: The Treaty, pdf [link]
3: Canada's version, Oct 24, 2009 [link]
4: Christopher Mockton, Where I first heard about this. Oct. 14, 2009 [link]Me5dOgbu40
5: Liberty Maven, A Libertarian Journal--pretty clear-minded Oct. 22, 2009 [link]
6: China and India's Stance, M4GW, Oct. 22, 2009 [link]
7: Forum for Democrat Voters, Oct. 16, 2009-Now [link]
8: Fighting Words USA, Oct. 15, 2009: Gives correct citations for Christopher Mockton's Speech (4.) within the treaty (2.). Just scroll down a bit. [link]
9: Lime.com, Oct. 7, 2009, A Green Peace Defense of the Treaty [link]

I was unable to find many sources that defended the Treaty--and I looked, except that last one and it's kind of bland. Citation for 2 is just the actual Treaty, so it doesn't count.
If you have other links, post 'em! If you disagree with any of these citations, please explain why! Your personal opinions matter a lot, but please keep in mind that you should also be able to back up any and all beliefs with facts. Always.

Do you ever get the feeling that you're too unfocused?

When I was little, I used to think having tons of interests was a good thing. I read books on every subject I could. I thought when I grew up those sort of talents would naturally be narrowed down or decrease in some way, but instead they grow as my curiosity grows. I don't have time for acting but I feel really torn that I can't audition for certain local musicals and that I've forgotten all those monologues or that my voice is not quite as strong or that my fighting skills are going to pot or that I never seem to find time to paint or study Spanish/Latin/Japanese anymore. At the same time, I'm trying to learn Bass, sewing, and find a life-drawing class. I never write novels, lyrics, or poetry anymore but I feel depressed when the gap between my work and other authors is so large. The problem is that I make time--out of time that should be devoted to one specific project at the moment--but not enough to do more than maintain the status quo--so everything stays in a stand-off. People are always telling me that if you want to be a good artist, you should cultivate alot of outside skills and be as diverse as possible since all those things strengthen your art. But it seems to me that all these distractions simply weaken it.

What do you think?

Do alot of outside hobbies help or hinder your work?

--Hannah

Okay I've just had a mocha which I suspect had 2 or more shots in it (Ever since my doctor made me quit after college, my body can't handle too much coffee--or the whole world starts swimming at the least and at the most I lose consciousness--good times, good times). Why did I do this to myself on the day I was supposed to be point on a photo shoot? I was really tired, Okay? I just needed a small amount. And I had a coupon...
I just mentioned this because the keyboard keeps moving away from me...weird.

Commissions:
1. Alice in Wonderland Sketch for
2. Tshirt design for Anonymous
3. Zadok Card Design for Anonymous
4. Kyle Card Design for Anonymous
5. Brochure Design for High Tech Crating

Projects:
Still working on 2 websites, environmental designs, a mishmash of character and prop design sheets, a portfolio, a comic book, a short animation, a book, a brochure, new business cards and resume update and a few contests. Don't worry, most of this stuff is just there to make me me miserablely behind task.

In the spirit of blogginess:
As for animation news, I found out about Spill.com and Rotten Tomatoes on youtube fairly recently. I love the comedic elements "Watching 9 was like watching the lottery, 6!5!2!9!." It's true: that movie had a bland plot ...just like Ponyo, except with way too many underdeveloped characters with muted voices. And just as I was about to give up on story integrity in recent animations, I received a series of positive reviews about that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs movie, which I honestly didn't think I was going to see, but I've changed my mind. It sounds better than the previews let on. Disney had better hurry up with that Frog Princess movie...I'm really looking forward to some good animation-story integration.

And Supernews...they are awesome animated spoofs.
Gates vs Jobs: [link]
Bidenisms: [link]
Zombie Lincoln: [link]
Facebook and Friends: [link]


A commercial I saw recently that brought me smiles!: [link]

As for school, I am sooo excited! Even though I'm losing most my paychecks to doctors and experimental medication to keep me from fainting on subways, I've still got enough saved up for Art Institute classes that start this October! Finally, I'm going back to school! I have butterflies in the pit of my stomach. I'm getting closer to becoming the person I want to be! They're telling me I can't be in the animation program unless I buy a PC though. I'm wondering if I should take that out of my food stash, clothes or medication...maybe my Christmas gift savings? Ha. That would be something. Or I can stop being a whiner and just bid on some more logo design jobs...I'm only getting 5 hours of sleep as it is, but there's always the weekends. Thank God for weekends. But I'm so happy. Though it could just be this new medication I've been on for the past month that has a whole bunch of B vitamins that trigger natural antidepressent hormones in my brain. Was it B12 or B6? It was one of those...anyways: life is good and it's only going to get better.
By the way, thanks everyone for all the watches for Mirage, and favoriting as well as voting on Rose and Thorn, and the kind comments on Renee Montoya. I'm really glad you like the Disney art. And DC. It makes my day to see positive reactions to stuff in the gallery.
You guys rock. So thank you.

I've been trying to update this forever, but whenever I get in the middle of an update, I get distracted and end up doing something else. But just so that we're free of these ridiculous surveys (at least for a little while), I should let you know that I'm in the middle of finals week for my summer web design class and am currently building a website with over a hundred pages. So I might update later. Besides, I still have my blog for journal entries and stuff...[link] and twitter: [link]