Mole In Skis

Keeping it alive

2010-02-11T11:22:00.003-02:00

It is often the case that these types of daily activities like blogging are difficult for my to maintain. I have increased my studying of Portuguese but it is still incredible difficult for me to learn. Somewhat of a disappointment, I have never had extreme difficulties learning anything but this seems to be my bane.

I completed my web design class, but I need to continue being creative and forcing my mind to open up and expand past the ordinary. I have to learn how to find inspiration from my life. I have stopped to ponder if my life were to be represented in a image of sorts what would it be. I am still trying to answer this question.

Well my WoW account has advanced a lot in recent months. Among my level 80's are a Shaman, Warrior, Paladin, and Priest. I have a few others climbing fast: 72 Warlock, 62 Death Knight and 50 Druid with the remaining between 26-30. I have also added to my profession Inscriptionist, Blacksmith, Jewlcrafter, Enchanter, Talior, and Miner.

Now its time for me to find inspiration. Until next time...

Web Design Photoshop 2

2009-05-26T15:30:00.006-03:00

Here are some more buttons examples that I created. I reproduced the bottom one based on the elements I could detect in the first. There seems to be about 5-6 layers in the first. This was not overly difficult. I created this one in both PS and Fireworks.Here is a fractal image of a butterfly that I clipped from the Net. I then used a process of scaling and translating to produce the fractal effect. The green butterfly was just a simple hue/saturation adjustment. The background is a some combination of some premade fractal images that I converted to brushes to be used.
This is a Teddy bear that I dedicated to my wife. I created it after becoming bored in class and decided to bring her something.

Web Design Photoshop

2009-05-04T18:44:00.020-03:00

I been working in a Web Design class at Senac in Rio. I thought it would be nice to show some of my art just for giggles. I have a few that I am going to post this time, but I promise to be more dilegent about posting individuals This is the first real image that I made for the class using some pics from the Net. Basic masking and blending techniques used here. The goal was to produce a image to represent a VIP section of a pet store.

Here is my first attempt to reproduce a cool button. The original is on the left and the attempt is on the right. It has about 6 original layers ... my attempt was something like 15, LOL. I later was able to copy the results after learning about the Burn and Dodge tools, which until this point I had never used them before. I had only looked at them and said "what the hell?" I could post the second try, but it is almost identical to the first and would be a waste of space.

Here is a extravagant pattern I created from scratch. For this assignment I had to create something that could be used to demenstrate various laws of Gesalt.

Unity
Similarity
Alignemnt (maybe)
Closed
Continuity
Proximity

Forgive me if I don't have those list correctly, I have to translate those from Portuguese the best I could. I will go ahead a close for now, but I still have more to update later, as my time allows.

So Little Time

2009-03-16T09:12:00.004-03:00

As preview to my character I can be a little more disorganised and less committed to simply and silly things like blogging. Life at the moment has not afforded me much time to spend writting, although I would like to vry much. My life of WoW is almost premenently on hold while the more demanding things of life are commanding my attenction.

I have given myself to studying once again; web design and more importantly Portuguese are at the top. My life requires it of me to study the language here more thoroughly and not to put off sincere learn anymore. This has come at both a relief to my wife and also a source of more headache. I have been more persistence with my questioning and attempts to understand which naturally leads to me introducing a line of questioning that is sometimes frustrating for her.

My current average Saturday includes an immersion into the language of Portuguese as I attend a college level course in web design. Which despite my obvious setbacks is very interesting. I am slowing making more friends there, only separated by the language barrier which I am consistently tearing down.

In the last few months I have had some extra time to spend working on Prae, the game script that I have been composing. I try to touch on it once every few weeks to keep it alive. There is so much that I would love to do with it, but it hard to concentrate on it when assimilating and earning money are more important.

I know one thing is true, I miss my brothers a lot. I haven't called home in about two months and no one has called me. I expect my mother and grandmother to call but they don't. They don't know how that hurts... how "lazy" that sounds to me. Of course not, I come from the same line of people. I can stay alone for days with only my things to do and very little human contact. I can almost be a hermit except the slow dying in my heart. It strange contrast, I have a family here. New to me and me to them. I love them ever how quarkie and strange they maybe. But most of all I love my wife.

There are things that surround my heart things that torment me when I see them. I see a unquestioning acceptance of things like global warming, homosexuality, and issues involving world conflicts. I see a need to provide more truth to some of these issues then the "facts" that are so often given out.

Year is almost over

2008-12-16T09:55:00.003-02:00

Well my apologies for not writing soon, but with the high demand of my life, I just had to put my nonexistence readers on hold for a while. I am still searching for my niche in life, but it is still evading me :)

My house is very close to being finished for Christmas. What a blessing. So I have been very busy with that. So my list of activities outside my dailies like work are growing. Currently I am working on several thing.

Composing a script for a futurist video game. The story will drive the player to dive deep within a realm were you face themes that are simular to todays evolving thoughts.
Leveling my WoW toons to 80. Currently have a 72 Resto Shaman and 71 Prot Warrior. The other 8 toons are between levels 23-60 and are not worth mentioning at the moment. All that are on the Crushridge server.
Continueing learn more Portuguese. Living in a foreign country and not being able to speak the language is less then pleasent.
Webdesign and web presences

A Little More Time to Reflect

2008-10-20T21:23:00.002-02:00

So I have been placed in a bubble of sorts here in Brazil. I was given a call back for a teaching position in a Swiss school. I would be teaching math for high school. This possible could be the real break that I have been looking for. It have been difficult to find a job here without being able to speak the language effectively.

Currently trying to finish leveling some toons on WOW. It is just for enjoyment at the moment. I am currently leveling one of each class on the server. I trying to plan how I would like to construct the guild, you know names and such things...

I am also busy working on learning some website development. This encompasses many different skills that I need to make a fully functional and interactive page. There is a plethora of tools that help to make a complete site: Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Fireworks, Flash, ect.

Delays

2008-10-20T11:33:00.003-02:00

Well besides my blog being in question for spam nonsense/abuse, I have been fairly busy with moving in and out of apartments, packing, and renovations. I am sorry I have not had more time to write about my dull life but I am sure there are more interesting things.

I am still trying to think about some type of subject matter for my blog... something regular and more interesting... maybe application of leadership skills to World of Warcraft? Who knows.

Well until I have more time, signing off.

More Day to Day

2008-10-07T10:55:00.001-03:00

Well today is a beautiful day here in Rio. I am consumed for the most part today with studying for my Portuguese test tomorrow. I have many other things to be getting ready for. In less then one month I will be moving down the street to our new house. Of course that will included packing, organizing, and lots of heavy lifting. Well there is lots to look forward too.

Looking to breeze through the test with little or not problems. Going to meet up with a friend later to test over the material a little more. I am understanding more that the natural composition of a cultures language contributes to the traditions, habits, and social interaction. An example that comes to mind is of Brazilian's lack of pleasantries "please" and "thank you" during regular conversation. It seems to be inferred in context. This seems to be a foreign concept to me, as I coming from the deep south of Louisiana where politeness to the point of being expected.

Well back to studying...

A Fresh Start

2008-10-05T22:26:00.001-03:00

I assume that everyone has days where they don't know what to do with themselves, and I guess this is one of those day for me. I have taken the jump into work of blogging today with this my first post.

I have to admit up to about nine months ago my life was a hollow shell of an existence. At that time, I had worked for over a year out of a failing coffee shop with apathetic management just to keep myself a float. I was living day to day without meaning, dead. I know inside that I was torn by the events that had recently taking my passion and joy, and given me only bitterness. I still find it deep inside when I am alone from time to time. The events and people involved is a subject of a book, not one that I am willing to write tonight.

But now my life is fresh, full of life. I can find some of the joy I once knew. I remember the joy that could pass through such hardships. And I think the Lord is bringing me back slowly. There is nothing like it. It is a slow process, one I know is coming after a long fall.

I will be married 7 months on the ninth of October. I am ever thankful for my wife, Talia. I recently moved to Brasil, living here now 5 months. I am growing again, and it feels good. I am alive.