I have two pieces to highlight before I yammer on happily.

The first is gift art of Tanake. Doesn't she look all buff with her bared midriff like some Jedi barbarian hottie? I also dig her dual sabers? Thank you for the gesture + the artwork, it's appreciated.

by the generous + kind

Here's a fantastic bust of Bebe. The colours are so warm + her smile is truly lovely. I also like the movement of her hair, it's beautifully done.

by the gracious + talented

So Thanksgiving. Do any of you celebrate this holiday + how?

Growing up half-Filipina, it was never a big priority in our household. Sometimes the Filipina side would make an abundance of pancit + lumpia for everyone to share. We'd eat + hang out but it wasn't like a traditional celebration, more like a Sunday meal or something. Other years, we'd go over to the other side of the family and it was like another world. There would be glazed ham, roasted turkey, candied yams, stuffing, and the list went on and on. My great-aunt would make homemade pumpkin pies + pecan pies with the nuts from her backyard trees.

It was such an odd juxtaposition of cultures that as an adult, it's mostly just a day for me. Last year I did get this crazy idea that I wanted to make proper Thanksgiving dinner for GC. I think it was the whole first-year-in-the-new-home fever that gripped me. I glazed a small ham, mashed some potatoes, roasted some squash, baked some bread, and we ate by a fire that GC built in our fireplace. It felt like home + it made me realise that I was (and still am) very fortunate.

I'm not cooking today though. GC offered to take me to one of our local haunts for some dinner and yeah, I said yes. I dunno what I'll have yet but whatever I order, I'll definitely take some photographs

What else? Well, we recently spent a week in Arcata, CA with GC's family. There's not a lot to do there, per se... but it's damn beautiful there with its craggy coastline, redwood trees, and panoramic views. I've posted some of the photographs from that vacation in my gallery. Elk + good food... beautiful views + good food. We mostly had fun spending time together, talking and other various indoor sports. GC realised as we drove down that with that trip, I've officially driven the length of the west coast from Canada to Mexico. Cool, huh? B also enjoyed her first trip to California and looks forward to the sojourn further down the coast in March.

When we returned, there was the Puffy concert. I didn't want to risk the deletion of any images that I might or might not have taken. I went the safe route and opted to keep my camera safely stowed. Kevin took the photo below and I just figured out how to make an image into a link... (yay me!) so, if you would like to see more, click on Ami + Yumi. And I must give credit to where credit's due, thanks Jeff for directing me to these images!




The show was energetic on the band's part... not so much on the audience's. I blame poor advertising + apathy. During their second song, we hopped up and I tried to get people behind us to stand + dance. They followed along like good sheeple but then soon afterwards, sat back down. It was kinda sad. Ami + Yumi did an amusingly length introduction of their band which involved the English + Japanese versions of everyone's name. Ki-no-ko... means mushroom!

After their encore, the band came out to do their usual synchronized bow. Their drummer, Jet (Jet!) threw out his drumstick... and yes, I snagged it. I'll take a photo of my prized possession along with the autograph card that I got for buying one of their CDs from the merch table. The first 50 people to buy CDs were given one.

It's been a good year. One that I have been thankful for, despite its ups and downs. Rather than write a series of things that I'm thankful for... I shall close with two of the funniest moments in Thanksgiving history, hands down.

Edit: They've removed the Turkey Drop videos. The message now reads

This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Pfft. Oh well, if you got a chance to see it, it was amusing.

"Oh, the humanity."

As God Is My Witness, I Thought Turkeys Could Fly.

Take care and be thankful for whatever it is you have, no matter how small.

My way of acknowledging the talent of artists who have created exemplary works of my characters.

Versions of Bebe Adame, Vampire Slayer:



Bebe's best friend, Sicily Turmino:



Bebe + Warden Sage (boyfriend + Watcher):



Versions of Tanake Trang, Rogue Jedi Seeker:





Tanake + Sedaris Trang (chibis of her + her beloved brother):



Sedaris Trang (aforementioned beloved brother):



Tanake + Norik Ulus (lover + companion Rogue Jedi):



Norik Ulus (Rogue Jedi and Tanake's love):



Tanake + Pernette Trang (an emotional farewell to her cousin after a tearful confession...):



Tanake + Ustalen Lund (close friend + Jedi companion):



Tanake + sunamori's Aakh L'la:



Kalitha Torku, (one of Tanake's companions):