And it's been over half a year since I last posted a journal.

Last semester was the hardest I've ever pushed myself, but I won. One B, one C, and three As--one of the As was in the hardest math class I've ever had, one I was sure I'd get a C in. Right now I'm doing as much nothing as possible before the break ends and the new semester starts.

I stumbled across one of those trendy pseudo-Japanese logic puzzles. This one's called Hidato. [link] Bought a book of them at Barnes and Noble on a mad impulse, and not regretting it. I've done the first 56, excluding some I gave to my mom. They're quite fun actually, I recommend them to anyone who enjoys logic puzzles.


And now, another journal survey-type thingiedopper. Stole this from , even though I didn't ask anything on hers. See if this one doesn't flop quite as magnificently as the last one did.

--------

RULES:
You can ask me THREE questions
No matter how crazy, inappropriate, or random they are.
I will answer 100% truthfully. (or as close to the truth as I can without putting myself at risk of discovery and/or location.)

If it is a really, really personal question, I may not answer. Well, I think it'd be obvious, any overly-personal stuff. If it's asked by someone who knows me personally, then I'll answer- but not on devart. Only if you're persistent.

Now here's the dare:
You must put this in your journal
See what other people will ask you.

--------

Those of you who know me well probably know I'm willing to answer very nearly any question you can possibly think of. (I can really only think of one, maybe two things I won't discuss with anyone.) Though, as stated in the C&ed rules, I may prefer to do so via a note or MSN.

Now, let the inquisition begin!

Comment, and I will...

a) Tell you why I friended you
b) Associate you with something - fandom, a song, a colour, a photo, et cetera
c) Tell you something I like about you
d) Tell you a memory I have of you
e) Ask something I've always wanted to know about you
f) In return, you must post this in your journal.

I did some version of this a while back. But I was getting tired of my old journal, and wanted another one.
Might be uploading things soon. I've volunteered to do some origami for the NTWF TCG, so I may or may not upload that onto here.

Summer is pretty good. I'm in my second week as a math tutor at a local community college. Mostly, I'm tutoring algebra and pre-algebra, but there are also some people taking calculus. It's 29 hours, 6 days a week. It pays well, and much of the time I don't have anything to do. Any job that pays me to read webcomics for half the time I'm there is a good job. But all sarcasm aside, being a tutor can actually be a very fulfilling job--especially when a student you've been working with for a while finally gets the material.
I've got a whole list of things I want to read over the summer. I'm just four or five pages away from finishing Olympos, the second of two books in an Iliad-inspired science fiction story by Dan Simmons. I'll be starting on Nine Princes in Amber next, the first of a series of fantasy books that, from what I've been told, are very good. Should have plenty of time to read during tutoring and the bus rides to and from.

That's all the news that isn't. Now, post!

So, I should probably update this thingiedopper more often. Unfortunately, I don't.
Anyway, a monumental occasion: for the first time ever, I've gotten tagged! By . One of those chain surveys, this one music-based.

1.Take any Artist/Band
2. Answer the questions using the songs from that artist/band
3. Tag someone

Since I like to hear myself type, I'm choosing several. Gal Costa, Lyle Lovett, and Wild Divine Band.

Who are you?
Gal Costa: Meu Nome E Gal
Lyle Lovett: Nobody Knows Me
Wild Divine Band: Dalai

Are you male or female?
Gal Costa: Nao Identificado
Lyle Lovett: Cowboy Man
Wild Divine Band: One Spirit

How do you live your life?
Gal Costa: Samba Do Grande Amor
Lyle Lovett: Good Intentions
Wild Divine Band: Soul Flight

How do you see yourself?
Gal Costa: Quem Te Viu Quem Te Ve
Lyle Lovett: Skinny Legs
Wild Divine Band: Red & Blue

How do others see you?
Gal Costa: So Louco
Lyle Lovett: They Don't Like Me
Wild Divine Band: Wild Divine

How are you feeling?
Gal Costa: Meu Bem Meu Mal
Lyle Lovett: I've Got the Blues
Wild Divine Band: The Time Has Come

How do you love?
Gal Costa: Como Um Samba De Adeus
Lyle Lovett: All My Love is Gone
Wild Divine Band: The Longing

Who do you love?
Gal Costa: Futuros Amantes
Lyle Lovett: I Love Everybody
Wild Divine Band: Anam Cara

Where do wish you were?
Gal Costa: London, London
Lyle Lovett: North Dakota
Wild Divine Band: New World

How do you view others?
Gal Costa: Luz do Sol
Lyle Lovett: Penguins (...What?)
Wild Divine Band: Sunshine

What is your advice?
Gal Costa: Pegando Fogo
Lyle Lovett: Don't Touch My Hat
Wild Divine Band: Let the Children Play

Now I need to tag, huh? Umm..., , and

All completely optional, of course. Still, this was interesting. I've never done one of these things before. And now everyone knows just how eclectic my tastes in music really are.

So, happy new year and all that!

So, for quite some time now, I've had an idea for an animated avatar for my DA account. Something that I'd really like--and of course, it's origami-themed. Thing is, I have no experience whatsoever making avatars--and though I could probably figure out how to do the frames, I don't have any software that would allow me to put them together. So, I call on all you fabulous avatar makers out there for help! Of course, I would be only too glad to make this an art trade of some kind--a piece of origami for an avatar.

I suppose I should describe what I have in mind. Long story short, it's an avatar that folds itself into an origami crane and flies away, leaving a DA-gray background behind it. It starts out blank white (white sheet of paper). I made some quick sketches (I know what you're all thinking--OMG FRAZE DREW SOMETHING!), and I think it'll turn out to be about 40 frames, less if some of the details are cut out. If the maximum filesize for avatars permits it, I'd also like the grey background to fold itself into a crane and fly away as well--leaving the white background, allowing for the process to continue.

Does anyone think it can be done? If someone could make this for me (like I said, I could probably make some of the frames), I would be forever greatful. You can comment here, or send me a note. Either one works. Or both, if you're feeling particularly ambitious.

And, getting on to the second part of the journal update. Yup, I just finished my first week of sophomore year at university. It was amazingly hectic, as the first week has a tendency to be. I had to change majors (dropping my aerospace major, adding physics and math) in the first couple of days, which led to an incredibly complex series of schedule changes that I cannot begin to describe without employing the use of about two and a half extra dimensions. But things seem to be calming down now...thankfully.

That's it for now!

First off, NO, I don't have any origami for sale. This is simply an idea I've been pondering for a while. Mostly, I'm trying to figure something out: if I ever were to try selling some of the things I've made, what would be the best way to price my models? Yes, I am hoping that the one or possibly two people who actually read journal entries give me a few ideas.

I can think of two different ways to price my models: first, I could price them by time taken to make them. That seems like it would only work if the model in question is a commission. In which case, what would be a good rate? $8 an hour? $10 an hour, maybe? As points of reference, at $10 an hour, my origami torus ([link]) would be about $130, my soma cube ([link]) would be about $80, and my pteranodon ([link]) would be about $15. (I'd be flattered if anyone would want to buy any of those, but I'd have to decline. Well, except for the pteranodon. I can live without that one.)

The second option, obviously, would be to charge a fixed amount for a given model. In the long run, this might be better if I were to do one model many times--obviously, as I get better folding a model, I'll be able to do it faster.

One other thing I would have to do would get the permission of the creators of the models. Many origamists copyright their work, so if I were to sell it, I might have to pay royalties.

Of course, there's also the question: who would want to buy any of my orgiami, anyways?

So, I suppose what I'm asking is this: What would be the best way to price my origami? And if you think charging per hour would be good (either for some or all cases), what should my rate be?

I'll say this again: I don't plan on doing origami sales or commissions any time soon. This is just something I've been thinking about for a while, and I wanted to put it here to get people's opinions. *Gives a cookie to anyone who anyone who actually bothered to read all of this*

Peace,

Fraze