PeepShow

I got this as an Easter card for my brother. I thought he'd like it seeing as how we both enjoy sacrificing Easter peeps.

This February has been so grueling..I can't help but wonder why March is taking so long.

Success!

Sometimes bugging your congressman does work! I had an issue with Fairfax County late last year regarding my personal property taxes (which are b.s. taxes anyway, but I digress). I didn't pay 2007 (oops, my mistake) and instead of letting me know, they applied my on-time 2008 taxes the open tax year of 2007, essentially making me "late" for two years. That means two years of interest, penalties, and administrative fees for what was really only one late year. Nuh-uh.

I pled my case with them over and over again, through email and through snail mail letters. I sent a check for my 2007 taxes, plus penalties and interest, apologizing and taking responsibility for being late for 2007 but explaining how unfair it was to apply my 2008 without letting me know. I reasoned with them, which was naive on my part. Fairfax County use reason? Pshaw. All I got for my efforts was a bill for the difference between what I thought I owed them and what they thought I owed them. And this bill, finally, threatened me with a collection agency and a hold on my DMV records. Took them long enough.

So, I pulled a bitch move and complained to my congressman. I spelled it out for him, just like I did for the county. And I guess it worked, because I got a check today from the county for "overpayment of personal property taxes." It is not as much as it should be, by my reasoning, but I'm not even complaining!

I still want to leave this God-awful county, though.

Thanks Congressman Wolf!

Nannerpuss

I know this character is supposed to make me want to eat a serious breakfast at Denny's, but it's really just making me want to tie strings to banana peels and sing "I like pancakes!"

Friday Random

"Come sit with me. Let's talk. I implore you."

Zee Baby Cat..she is silly no??

Working on Presidents day..

Not much to report today or this weekend in general. I spent all day Saturday cleaning and shopping in preparation for “company” but by the time I was done cleaning and shopping AND cooking (around 7:30 p.m.) I found all I wanted to do was lay around. I wound up sending a “come on over text” shortly accompanied by a “nevermind” hail 20 minutes later. Ah, behold - the joys of 30. I was however, genuinely proud of myself for not getting caught up in the Valentine’s Day malaise that had seemingly overtaken a few of my friends.

On the “Leslie is a tool front” I avoided some craftily written V-Day text messages, but in avoiding those I missed some quality phone calls from my relatives just attempting to check in and send their love. I know it’s too late to make resolutions, but under my 2009 notes to self - I’m listing ANSWER YOUR DAMN PHONE as a priority.

Smells Like Teen Spirit was playing at Red Dog on Friday and Marcia said “I like this song, who sings this?” I say - “It’s Nirvana. It’s widely regarded as like the best alternative song every on every top 100 list - ya know..??.” I then drifted off to the moment where my cousin Tracy (14 years older than me) gave me Nevermind and said..”eh..I like Tesla better...just not my thing.” Ah Nirvana..always good stuff. Seriously Tray..Tesla? Cue my weird time-warp music.

I designed my own professionally printed business cards today. YAY. I’m getting more and more requests for pictures so I think this illo thing could become a reality. I’m trying to keep with my own advice: focus on the part I really want to do (the actual drawing) and keep the marketing stuff as a sidebar at the moment. As the illo part gets more stable I’ll refocus on the website stuff. The first on the “to-do” list is make sure Lavaponyland is work friendly - i.e. no more writing like a 12-year old. The second thing (which has been in the works for sometime) is figuring out a working pricing system. I’m not trying to break the bank, it feels silly to work for 16 hours on something and get paid with a ham. That is not an exaggeration, I’ve been paid in ham which is only one step up from meatballs in the hands (i.e. The Wedding Singer.)

I’m totally frustrated that it’s not EASIER to teach myself Dreamweaver. I’m peacing together FLASH one step and many late nights at a time. I can’t believe that POWERPOINT is actually more user friendly than Flash, but I remind myself that maybe my brain has become jello after years of working with jello. I need to graduate to flan and then a full-on steak.

Terry and LJ are at their Gramma’s this week and my house couldn’t be anymore quieter. Ain’t no sunshine when the toddlers are gone. I need some chaos stat.

Oh, iPhone.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Creepy

It might be hard to see here; but I snapped this picture on my way back from lunch. The green Lincoln Towne Car in front of me had a super-creepy clown head in it's back window, haunting me.

First day back at dog beach

Leslie & Larry

I'm attempting to draw/write a graphic novel of my childhood exploits with when me and Larry were younger. I have lots of wacky stories with him and my mom. These are my drafts - because I drew first and wrote later. It's not fleshed out as well as I'd like - but for the purposes of showing friends what I've been up to it'll work.

I intended to show how me and Larry demolished the the front door..but it ends up just showing us fighting...Hopefully my drawing and writing will improve if I do it this way more often.

OH SLAP!

This blog entry gave me a much needed reality check over the summer. I remembered it's words recently when trying to restate it for Gardler (in probably a less intelligent sounding way.) I cut to the meat of it above.

Check out the link below for the full blog. There's a billion of these graphics help sites, but I love the honesty with this one.

Creative Seeds