ya know... i dont use this LJ thing much... i think im gonna start posting more pictures of food... just for the hell of it.

-Ash-

Cute eh?
Yeahhhhh i finally got a cat. I know i know, i said id never get one. But hey.... it happened.
I still a dog lover at heart, but at our current apartment we cant really have a doggie, so cat = go.

More pics of the 10 week old cutie after the cut:

( MORE PICS!! )



-Ash-

The Farmers Market in the PSU parkblocks just opened up.
I just got back from it today, and ohhhh man, the food is there amazes me.
You dont have to spend a dime to get a pretty good meal outta that place. You could just wonder around, getting spoon fulls of jams and cheese and bits of bread and slices of dried meats and slivers of fruit. The samples alone could feed you for a day.
But if you were to spend money there, you would not be disappointed. Today i decided to go for the chicken bento for $4.75. It was composed only of rice, chicken, and sause. BUT MAN, there was enough to last me like a week. I could only wolf down half that thing before i had to decide what was more important: finishing the meal, or being able to walk home.

Also, if any of you ever go there, be sure to stop by the Oregon Hazelnut stand, you wont be disappointed. I bought myself a pack of their dried hazelnuts because the temptress giving out samples woo'ed me into it. And damn they are good. Im thinking chocolate hazelnut cookies. chocolate hazelnut cake. chocolate hazelnut milkshakes. chocolate hazelnute porkchops... TELL ME THAT WOULDNT BE FUCKING GOOD!!
Also, im fairly certain that when chocolate and hazelnut are combined it forms eatable sex. Im not 100% yet, ill need to test out this theory some more. But i will get to the bottom of it through vigorous... eating.

-Ash-

So i just finished up my most recent 3D Maya class at PCC.
3D Character Modeling and Animation

For those of you that want to see my final, you can download a high quality version of it right here:
http://www.ashstoashs.com/3d/Ash_Leavenworth-Golem_in_the_Bedroom.zip (18 MB MOV file)

For those of you to lazy to download the obliviously more awesome, and higher quality movie, you and watch the low quality and very lame youtube link:


Yes, i did all the sound effects myself. It took 8 takes, because jasmine kept laughing while i was grunting.
He was originally modeled after a drawing jasmine did, seen HERE. Also HUGEEEE thanks to my Jasmine Lea for creating the concept art for it and some of the textures for the model. She did an amazing job.

That said, Im really not very happy with how the Golem turned out at the end. He was rushed because i was lazy and didn't put enough time into him. And his animation was all thrown together at the last minute as well. I wish i had put more time into his movements. Gotten them to look more fluid and natural and whatnot.
The room and the lighting is the only thing im pleased with. Not only because it looks great, but also because i managed to create that whole room in like 3 hours (a hugeeeee record for me).
So i think in my future 3D explorations i going to focus my adventures on more architectural models, and not so much on organic characters.

The whole thing took 18 hours to render. 18 HOURS!!! 18 hours for just those 30 seconds or so at 640x480.
The lighting that i used in the scene is what destroyed the render time... but damnit... it just looks so pretty!

Theres other new stuff goin on in my life, but i dont wanna hijack this post with it. Ill make another post soon with all the juicy gossip later on.

lata nerds,
-Ash-


PS: this just in, i got an A in the class. Boooooyah

My new amazing face monitor:


Im such a nerd.
Gawd. Its such an amazing monitor.
I have to get use to working in 1920x1200.
Soooooo much bigger than im used to.

I love you all.
And im determined to convert you all into computer nerds just like me.

-Ash-

how privileged you are or aren't
Bold = True

1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.
9. Were read children's books by a parent.
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed positively.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child.
23. You and your family lived in a single-family house.
24. Your parent(s) owned their own house or apartment before you left home
25. You had your own room as a child.
26. You had a phone in your room before you turned 18
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16
31. Went on a cruise with your family.
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.


My Family:
Both of my parents have masters degrees, and both were on tracks to finish there PhD's (although neither finished them, but they both did write their dissertations). My mom was getting her PhD in modern dance, and my dad was on his way to get his in sociology. My grandfather on my mothers side was an English professor as Berkley, St. Johns, and Fresno State; my grandmother on my mothers side was such a prominent figure on the Fresno school board that there is now an elementary school named after her; my grandfather on my fathers side went to Berkley where he got two degrees in English... although i dont think he really used them much; my grandmother on my fathers side was a chef, she was taught at the Culinary Institute of America and Cordon Bleu.
Outside of my direct tree, my uncle an editor at the Sacramento Bee, and often writes articles about the environment and politics. He won a Pulitzer Prize a few years back.
And my aunt is a Costume Designer and Artist. She had designed costumes for almost every theater in portland, and she has taught costume design for Reed and Linfield colleges.

My Vacations:
When i was young, me and my family would vacation to a cabin we used to have in New Hampture (i wish we still had it). It was build on the top of a very large hill, and at the bottom of the hill was a very large lake were i used to go swimming and try to catch tadpoles and build sandcastles.
Aside from the cabin, when we lived with my grandfather he would take us ridiculously extravagant outtings in Manhattan and Washington DC and New Orleans. All of which we stayed in huge suites with bills that exceeded triple digits. (i think my grandpa just sorta "gunned it" toward the end)

My Residences and Education:
Ive been changing schools and homes for as long as i can remember. I think of the experiences of new locations and the biggest part of my youthful education. The amazing verity of sights i got to be exposed to before the age of 13 is one of the main things that shape me today. I was born in LA, had kindergarten in Paris, had elementary school in Manhattan, and moved around 10 or so more times between all of that. Also getting to travail around Europe when i was 13 without any parents was quite fun.

Yeah yeah, i know. im sounding like im gloating, but well, i dunno. This is my damn journal and ill say what i want :P
Plus its just nice to remember all that stuff.

Also, the heating bill question... thats just dumb. Heating doesn't even cost that much.

-Ash-

http://www.pownce.com/AshsToAshs/

Its like a cross between a forum and a blog.
You can use it like a blog, but you can also create your own networks of friends, and then send messages or files or whatever to them.
The "sending files" thing is pretty neat tho, you can upload stuff to this site and it will host it and share it with any of your friends.
Also, its free.

-Ash-

We got it from Rock Soft Futon with xmas money.
Soooo much better then the crappy couch from Target.

me=happy

-Ash-

-Ash-

New stuff:

-I work at US Fish and Wildlife now, in the Information Technology Management department as tech support. Pretty much i help all these government workers with their email, and show them how to format something in Word. From time to time i also set up a new computer and stuff like that. Its actually one of the more enjoyible jobs ive had because, for one, it pays really well, and for two, the job is pretty easy and it changes from day to day. I like that even tho i have a cubical desk, im rarely there, im usually wondering around the building helping someone on some other floor.
And whats even better is that from time to time they need help setting up computers and stuff at remote locations out in these National Wildlife Refuages. Ive been very jelious of all my co-workers that have gotten go so far. It sounds like they have a blast. They seem to fix the computers, then go fishing, or hunting, or camping or something. I hope i get to go sometime.

-We've slowly managed to fill in our apartment with more stuff. Im not sure if thats a good thing or some evil american comsumerist thing, but it feels more homey now. Next things on the list are a new couch, a bed frame, and more pictures on the walls. Cus, ya know, we need more stuff!

-Turkey Pot Pies are amazing. I recently used up the remainder of our thanksgiving leftovers in a pot pie and HOLY CRAP. The first bite was a revolution. The chef gods decended from their cast-iron throwns to bless this pie. Onions, garlic, potatoes, carrots, and turkey now are completely dead to me now unless they are in casarole pie form.

-Nick rocks. Always a blast seeing this guy over at my place, and congratz to him gettin a new cool job. Ben has a funny coat, and i believe he doesnt eat food, he some how feeds off of playing videogames. Nate, Johnny, Mike, Erin, Synie, Thyra, Angela; you all rock as well, but more of you needs to be had. I say cosmic bowling party, or sushi, or roller disco. Something, but lets all jam.

-Jasmine's cute. She knit me a cool scarf, and a cute hat for herself. And she has been making some REALLY cool drawings. Her and one of her co-workers is working on a comic. Here are some of ther characters shes made so far: Character 1 and Character 2

-My mom and my aunt both got new doggies. My mom posted pics of hers here: http://picasaweb.google.com/dancrsfoot/Cody


Thats all i can think of for now.
Hope your all well, and start using your livejournal more!!! (for whoever still reads this!)

-Ash-

So i realized i never posted and of those pics i promised. so here ya go:



-Ash-

So... new news needs to be posted because... well, i have new news.

First and foremost, im moving. Tomorrow. Where you might ask? 3420 SE 33rd APT #2, Portland OR 97202
Not my fav area, but we had to find a place, and this place was nice enough. Plus i get to have a doggie.
So there ya go. Pics of the new pad will be posted as soon as i have comcast again, which wont be till the 19th.
There will be a bigggg 'Ash has got a new apartment Partayyy' as soon as im settled in. Probably the weekend of the 22nd-23rd. So pencil your self in for some fun.

Second, new job. Where you might ask? Computer Technology Link, or CTL. What that? Well its the place that makes all the computers for Portland Public Schools and the oregon government. So ya know all those crap computers you used at your high school? Yep, we make those... or more specifically... i make those. Thats what i do, i assemble the computers. Woooo Wooo.
But is super laid back, and it deals with computers, so its right up my alley.

Third, my hair is long.

Forth, I miss you all and cant wait to start gettin some good ol get togethers goin again.

andddddd, thats it, cus i gotta pack up my damn computer now.
Sooooo, seee you again internet on the 19th! (face_cry)

-Ash-

IM OLD!

-Ash-

Whyyyyyy must Micheal Bay destroy my childhood memories.

If you intend to see this movie then go ahead and skip reading this, cus im gonna curse it the fuck out of it.

Why it sucks:
1. Love Stories but no Plot Stories. WHY must every Micheal Bay movie's plot be more about the love story than the TITLE of the movie? Case in point: Pearl Harbor, sure it had lots of explosions and stuff, but was there any back story at all as to why it happened? NO. Was there anything that explained ANYTHING about 'Pearl Harbor'... the fucking title of the movie?! NO. There was just lots of explosions and lots of hand-holding and kissing during the explosions. The same can be said for Transformers. Replace the japanese with robots and there you go.

2. Transformers IS Pearl Harbor. Yeah it had the same generic recycled love story and action going on, every Micheal Bay movie has that. But the reason Transformers IS Pearl Harbor is that it REUSED FOOTAGE FROM PEARL HARBOR! Yeah, thats right, footage from Pearl Harbor is in the transformers. Heres a link for ya.

3. Transformers cant be toys anymore. What was great about the old shows is that the Transformers were big and blocky and simple, and the way they transformed on the show is exactly the way the toy would. All you had to do was follow along with the show to know how to play with your toy... it was neat. But now the new Transformers are sooooo god damn ridiculous that theres no possible way the toys could reflect the same motions as in the movie.

4. Product Tie Ins. Its bad enough that the Transformers are all real cars now, but on top of having GM cars force fed to us we also have to put up with endless mentions of ebay, sony, nokia, and mountain dew. A MOUNTAIN DEW VENDING MACHINE EVEN GOT TO TURN INTO A ROBOT AND SHOOT SODA CANS AT PEOPLE! Is that extreme enough for you?



5. Micheal Bay hated the old Transformers. Wired magazine did an interview with him for this movie, and they were asking him how he felt about people telling him that hes ruining their childhood memories. He responded saying something along the lines of "Have you ever tried to watch the old transformer shows? Youll want to kill yourself..."
WHY WOULD THEY GIVE THIS MOVIE TO SOMEONE THAT ISNT EVEN A FAN OF IT!

my head is gonna explode.
never again micheal bay... never again...

-Ash-

PCC Cascade: Student Services Building


Video doesn't do it justice, more pics after the cut

( JUMP INTO THE CUT YOU JERKS )

The story of a young german boy named 'Ashley'... apparently...

On page 20 the story uses my full name, 'Ashley Leavenworth', which is somewhat unnerving...

None the less it sounds like i had a good life in germany.

-Ash-

Please take note that the pink cardboard man has his bling... please note that.
hes also kickin out the jams!
...with bling

-Ash-

-Ash-

So, i dont really know who reads this thing anymore. Most of my friends have dropped out of this whole livejournal thing and moved onto Myspace or not having internet all together.... or are in another country where a german girl is probably breakin all their electronics (yes im looking at you Ben). I like Livejournal more than the crappy blog on Myspace, mainly because livejournal works more like a 'journal', and thats the main thing im going for. Not so much so that all my friends can see what the haps on me are, but mainly so that in a few years i can read back over it and reminisce.

So here we go:

[work rant]
Ive been working the past month or two as a 'Vista Tech Professional' at a phone back called 'Stream'. Its located out in beaverton, so that means that everyday i get the pleasure of riding trimet for 2 hours, working for 9 hours, the riding trimet for another 2 hours home. Its ok money, which is the only reason i put up with it. The work was pretty satisfying too; people would call me up, having probs with there computer, and id totally fix it and theyd thank me. Unfortunally Stream seems to have lost the contract for this Vista tech support job, so for the past week or so we've all been reassigned to take called for the 'Vista Upgrade Redemption Center'. What is that? Welllllllllllll... its a program for people who brought a computer in the last year or so and now get to get a free copy of Vista. What i do is take calls from people who arnt smart enough to figure out the Upgrade Redemption website. Youd think there wouldnt be alot of people who are savy enough to want Vista, but stupid enough to not know how to use a website.... welllllll youd think wrong. Cus there are TONS of calls. Angry calls. People demanding Vista now now now. And these calls no longer come bundled with 'thank yous' at the end of them.... Buttttt i still get paid the same, so i put up with it all the same for now.

I day consists of finding my cubical, waving good moring to my very smelly cubemate 'Phil' who sports a mullet, timecarding in, signing into my phone, yelling at customers, using 'idle codes' whenever i take a break or goto the bathroom so my managers can know where i am every second, watching movies on my PSP durring lunch, yelling at more customers, then finally timecarding out.

If i have one siggestion for you, its dont get a cubical job unless it comes bundled with the worlds most comfortable chair and something that can massage your eyes, cus after 8 hours hunched over looking at a monitor your gonna feel like crap.
[/work rant]

Outside of work, jasmine is still lookin for a job, my mom is leaving for another country at the end of the month, im still apartment hunting, videogames are played way to much and not enough, dogs like water, and di palma's bakery is the best in the world.

Life is sorta stalled right now. I miss school. I miss feeling as tho im bettering myself. Hell i think i actually even miss Eugene alittle. I miss the saturday farmers market, and daily bikerides to school.
Life is stalled.

-Ash-

I hope you all are sharing today with your special monocle-wearing someone...

-Ash-

UPDATE:
Yums

From the Di Palma bakery near boddys house.
Best. Cannoli's. Ever.