Recently I've been giving a great deal of thought to what the next step should be for me from an artistic point of view. The bold and honest fact is that I lack the training to enter the field as anything right now. I did got to art school and am still enrolled but haven't attended recently for monetary reasons. I don't blame the current faculty for the situation I find myself in though. Everyone who teaches there is wonderful and truly cares about their students but they've only been there for less than half of the time I attended classes. Those who taught me my foundations work were poor teachers and I was forced to spend at least half of my time and energy pursuing venues I have no interest in.

More or less the way I look at it I have a couple of options right now. I can just give up on artwork once and for all and try to get into something else. I can try and apprentice with somebody and then use what I learn through that to break out n my own. I can go back to my art school get a degree through them then cal it a day. I can start all over transferring hopefully a few of my credits to some other school in the future.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who is taking part in the holiday.

Pop's cancer is back and worse than ever os he's going into surgery to try and get it taken care of again on friday. I hate this. I hate the whole fucking thing! I'm sad and I'm furious at everything because the only family I've got that really cares about me is going to die. He's just a sweet old man who never hurt anybody and he doesn't deserve this. He doesn't deserve being drugged and having his head cut open twice by fucking doctors. He's just a sick old man! Leave him alone! Even if they get rid of it the cancer will just be back before you know it and it will only be worse. I just wish this was a problem I could fight...fuck it. I love pop and I don't want him to die because some jackass with a scalpel cut his cranium open and played rugby with his skull.

Jade let me help her in the kitchen today making the Samhain meal, as it turned out that was Sloppy Joes, corn, and pumpkin cake. It was the first time I'd ever had Sloppy Joes or pumpkin cake and I haven't had corn in years. I liked everything but the corn was just the type that you microwave in a bag. It wasn't bad or anything but if any part of the meal was neutral that would have been it. Everything else was delicious though.

I went to the first Halloween party that I've ever been to last night with Jade and it was easily one of the best Halloweens I've ever had. Oddly enough it was a Spoutwood event, as a matter of fact it was their first annual Halloween Ball. Both of us were in costume and I actually had a decent sort of costume for this year thanks to Jade. I was wearing an authentic Japanese kimono and even got some attention from people at the party as a result of wearing it, even better though it's just very nice to wear. Jade was an Absinthe Fairy and I thought her costume was incredibly unique and worked very well.

All in all the party was pretty interesting and it was crowded enough to really put me over the edge of tolerance for people within ten minutes of arriving. They had a silent auction, a poetry reading, tarot readings, a coupe of performances, and live music. Of course there were also any number of interesting costumes to look over as well as a few lame ones.

The best parts of the night without a doubt though were the two performances by Mortifera. They're this incredibly talented Washington, D.C. based dancing group that Jade and I saw for the first time together last night. Their costumes were great, they put on a great show, and I really enjoyed the music that they chose to perform to. I'm really hoping they'll be at some future event that I'm going to so we can see them again.

The Gypsy Nomads were there in person and playing for quite a bit of the night but it was really hard to understand any of their lyrics. The music itself was good but I'd definitely have to hear them again in a different venue before making any firm decisions about whether or not I like them especially.

Since Halloween is fast approaching I just thought I'd go ahead and wish everyone a happy and hopefully safe Halloween. I'm going to a party for the first time ever this year with Jade and I'm going to have a costume too!

Tonight is the first game night I've ever been too without Jade, she's taking a break from it because she says there has been too much combat and there's been too much responsibility for her to take up with it of late. I get that part. I mean she had to drive over to pick up two members and drop them off most evenings, put out the food, and entertain people. Plus the whole thing takes place after she spends a day working with small kids. Still I'm sad she won't be here tonight. This group is the way we meant so I really want to keep it going no matter what and more than that I want to make it something fun Jade can look forward to as much as I do.

Jade made corned beef today, I watched and helped with the portions that I was able to, anyway I've never had it before today so it was sort of a curious thing to watch being prepared. Once dinner time rolled around though I got a hug surprise. The food was delicious! Easily one of the best things I have ever had the supreme pleasure of eating. Of course the beef was scrumptious but the other components were also lovely so much so that I was forced to eat three plates worth before finally giving it up because there was no way I was ever going to get enough. The potatoes that were soaked in the broth were very nearly as good as the meat itself, there were very nice carrots prepared in the same manner that I thoroughly enjoyed as well.

I moved some more of the stuff from my parent's house down to Jade's yesterday, including best of all things my cat Gambit. It's so grand to have him under one roof with me again after so long. Now I feel much less worried because he isn't off floating in some nexus where I don't know what's going on with him.

Before the moving madness began though I also managed to do some Samhain shopping, as a matter of fact it's ore or less all wrapped up at the moment.

I tried soup for the first time today while Jade and I were spending the day out. All things considered it was a reasonable success for a first endeavor and the place we went, Soups On, was really pleasant. For the record it was Chipolte Sweet Potato with croutons, yeah I know that's a bit much for a first try but they only have a few kinds available day to day and nothing really called to me. I figured why not be adventurous?

I started moving stuff into Jade's house yesterday, the moving itself went really well and it's nice to have the process started.

Jade says I was laughing in my sleep last night apparently, I'm unable to offer even the slightest explanation as to why that might have taken place.

I read Neil Geiman's Graveyard book not too long ago and enjoyed it quite a bit which isn't terribly surprising all things considered. I do demand that he write a sequel at some point in the future now though.

Jade and I went to a film festival in York, PA yesterday it wasn't planned exactly but it was still incredibly interesting. We'd intended to go to the observatory in Spoutwood but it rained so the event was cancelled for the second time. I suggested a movie and while looking through brochures noticed a local theater that seemed interesting. Jade checked to see what was playing only to find that low and behold they were hosting a film festival. Ten short films from across the globe! They ran a gambit in tone as well as subject matter but each was good in it's own manner. We got to vote on which was our favorite at the end of the viewing and eventually they'll apparently choose an overall winner.

We stayed in the Jackson House again too in a really neat room. I really like that place. We also ate at O'Lordan's in Westminister again. Of course like every other time we've gone I got a burger but Jade finally got to taste the fish & chips she has been waiting on for some time.

Jade bought me a box of Mint Tea from Whole Foods today hooray! I've wanted to try peppermint tea for a while because it just sounds good and I'm pretty excited about it. It was so nice of her to do that too, it was just an out of the blue surprise. I know it's just tea but I've never had any before so it's a whole new experience for me.

For the record the cookies Jade and I made today were incredibly good, I ate about five of them before I came to my senses.

Today Jade and I baked a pumpkin, it's seeds, and cookies with Reese's Pieces in them. It was really fun too! I like coking but I'm usually not very sure what to make so it's very nice to just be able to help someone else reach their culinary destination. Plus it's just fun doing this sort of thing. Jade said I did a good job helping her too which was really nice. ALl in all it's been an awesome day thus far.

I went to Ren Fair for most of the day yesterday and ended up having a really good time there for the most part, there were one or two minor annoyances but that's true of most things. I helped Jade put on her elf costume in the morning before we left, it consists of a set of pretty realistic looking elf ears, a billowling shirt, some pants in a similar style, leather shoes, and a bodice. Jade let me tie her bodice up for her which was an interesting and highly entertaining experience. SInce I have n costume I just wore my Hogwarts t-shirt. Right off the bat the first thing we noticed was that there were elephants in attendance, it's just cool to get to see two elephants wandering about having a grand adventure. Since it was such a pretty day the hordes of humanity were out in force of course so that was kind of annoying after a couple of hours. Ren Fair seems to consist of three activities eating, shopping, and going to shows. Now there were some interesting shows and there is always jousting which I enjoy but we didn't end up going to anything this time around which is fine. Honestly with that many people wandering around it would have been a bit much.

Most of our time was in fact devoted to visiting all of the interesting stores that make up the fair this year, we walked through the entire place once just to see everything and what caught our eyes before buying anything. Jade's trying to work on a new costume but she was thwarted in that because there were just so many people this year getting a changing room, and someone to hep her tie up her bodice once she was in one, was pretty much impossible. I saw so many amazing things I really wanted but that were well and truly out of my price range. There was however one item I did end up getting for myself. One of the stores was selling various types of one of a kind leather bound journals, even though they were a bit expensive I decided to get one for myself because they were just too lovely to pass up.

Much like Jade I was costume thwarted but there were some very interesting clothes there that I would have liked to give a try. Realistically though I just didn't have enough money to even begin thinking about that for now. The lion's share of those items were of course costume related. There was a really wizard looking wooden trunk with and owl in flight on it's front as well as a headboard with a dragon on it that I liked.

At the moment my favorite store is definitely the journal store due to the fact that the lady working there, who also happens to do all the binding herself, was extremely nice to me so I'll probably stop there every time I go if only to say hello. She offered to rebind new paper in my journal at some point in the future if I ever manage to fill it up. The best store name goes to the Tall Toad which probably also gets the best logo.

I did get stung by a bee about halfway through the day, it's always a bit annoying when that happens but at least it didn't sting Jade.

Right now I'm pleased with Ren Fair over all and will probably go again, although probably on a day when it is less likely to be so busy.

I'm going to Ren Fair with Jade today, I haven't been there since I was really little so it should be a bunch of fun. Hopefully if nothing else I won't come back utterly penniless and with sacks full of loot. That'd be good.

Cheese is not sensual.
-Jon

This has been declared the quote of the day for today by Jade.