=mayshing

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Going anime boston

Journal Entry: Wed May 22, 2013, 5:23 PM

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For those who are going and wants to find me, I am at S38.

There is where I am at Anime Boston. For those who are visiting and want to find me. I will be teaming up with Ling this year.

I am next to mikaru. (a con buddy I keep running into lol)

My usual buddies and I didn't get to be next to each other this year but they are all there too.

R14a Paper Tulip Studio

R14b Hey Look! A SIGN!!!

W096 Pigtail Studio

Other friends there:

Z135 Brass Goblin

*sorry don't really have time to edit the map real good, so busy this week.

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My Golden Rules:
No request, no art trade. sorry too busy.
-I take commissions,
( commission is paid request) contact me through notes or e-mail
-I will offer gift art, and take gift art
-I dislike hentai, or yaoi (personal preference)

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I wanna make a mouse pad but...

Journal Entry: Mon May 20, 2013, 7:15 PM

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I really really want to make a mouse pad.... but I am not sure which art piece to use, since it's the first mouse pad I will make I am a lot more cautious, I don't want to make something that won't sell. Let me know if you have any suggestions from my gallery.

I also want to make some customized folders, too.

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FAQ 2: Art school decision - about SVA

Journal Entry: Mon May 13, 2013, 1:04 PM

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Time and time again I have people write to ask me about SVA, School of Visual arts, NYC. For recommendations. I think i will make it into an article for any future needs.

While I would really like to help out my old college, here's some important points to consider from a post-graduate.... the whole package.

Finance:
Unless you have great portfolio, got a full grant, or money to spare, I don't advise an art school (usually they are expensive) because it gets you into debt you might be dealing with for the next 20 years to come. Think about whether it's worth it for you to go through with it for the craft you are pursuing. Whether the benefit will outweigh the cons for you.

School itself:
Other wise, SVA is a fairly well known college in NYC town. It gives me benefits to connecting to various animation professionals and groups, it makes getting into studios easier in nyc.

It's overall a pleasant experience with classmates, professors, torture of the crafts, and animation boot camp. You come out feeling like a survivor with survival buddies. XD

It's not for everyone, you do have to do a lot of self-learning with professors' help, but all the tools and information are there, you just need to be pro-active. You will get alot more.

Professors will give you the fundamentals, which is important, but that's only half of the learning, the other half you need to dig for it.

If you really like it, and push it for yourself, make friends with classmates and learn from them is highly recommended from me, and you can learn quite a lot.

Overall the school provides a safe, but uneasy environment for you to learn the craft intensively for 4 years, you won't get that once you enter into job force.

SVA has pretty impressive HD school theaters for your thesis, but make sure you do EXTRA well on your thesis because all your mistakes are magnified on the big screen night.

Crafts benefits:

I did go from flash animation to full traditional animation because of SVA, it's a class change for me animation wise.

Post-SVA I find it a lot easier to self-learn animation than before.

Some of your own problems you are not able to solve for months can be solved in 5 mins with a professor's help. (So be extra friendly to professors lol)

SVA 2D animation department now have a strong focus on drawing skill, human anatomy, animal drawing class, and some disney animation style, indy animation courses offered. You have 1 year for thesis for 2D animation, 2 years for 3D animation. (Because 3D is... more complex in workflow)

Style preference:

SVA 2D animation department actually does not support anime style. They do however, support Disney, indy styles. Same goes for most art schools in america.

Be prepared to diverse yourself if you only have been doing anime so far. It's better for the long run.

With cartooning and comic department being the only exception that encourages manga style.

3D animation major doesn't care if you do anime or not, as long as it's good.

Professor's personality:

Go for professors who will push you to do better if you know you like to procrastinate.

Go for professors who are more relaxed if you know you are disciplined.

(Ask around for professors reputation is also recommended)

I made a few professor friends who will still extend help to me when I ask.

Even the staff who works at our "cage" (studio manager) now still helps me when I need info, he runs a film fest now. XD

Post-graduation:

School help: SVA provide post-graduation job hunting help. I haven't needed to use it much, it's there if you want it. Some people found me for jobs because of SVA website for job listing and talent listing.
Job wise, it's not as good on the east coast compare to west coast where all the big studios and venture capitals are. But we mostly get by doing freelancing and some studio work if we picked up any. Don't expect big money. 60 dollar/hour rate is unusual in East coast, it's usually 15-30/hour.

My advise: (from my profs, and myself)
-Go to a college in a city where you want to work at. (or close to) If you don't plan to stay around, I think it's best you pick a college nearer to you and self-learn the rest online.

-Don't go into a major simply because it's the hot major, or a major of your dreams, go into some major that associate with what you are ALREADY DOING WELL right now.
Because I have seen it over and over again, people end up where they are most comfortable with their skills. You are likely to work as a character designer if you have been designing characters for the past 18 years before you enter college. You are also more likely to be a comic artist/illustrator if you have been studying it for the past 10 years before you enter college. College is only 4 years. 4 Years is alot less than 10-18 years of work you put in for yourself. Any skill you add on during college is usually an ADDITIONAL skill to your current set.

Unless this additional skill is something that can GO WITH your current skill set, I advise not to invest in it.

If the skill is something you are SURE you will use, then go for it. (Like 3D animation skill go with game design, 2D animation skill go with game illustration etc)

Should you consider animation major:
If you have been drawing hundreds of pages of sketches and doing art like it's normal, you probably can handle 2D animation. If you haven't drawn that much, it will be a grind for you, be prepared. Because animation is thousands of drawings in a year, hundreds in a few months, dozens in two weeks, and for the first year it's all on paper, imagine carrying that bulk of tree trunk with you going around the city. XD

Animation art is masochistic.

Don't burn bridges in school:

Don't stick to your own ways, you enter school to learn other's ways to better yourself.

Be friendly to professors and classmates always, these friendships and your reputations GOES WAY LONGER beyond school into workplace.

You will not find a job in the local area if you get a bad rep and get black listed from everyone.

Animation industry is a people based industry, relationship, networking is half of the game, be good and support your hard working classmates if you want support in the future.

Don't fret about finding jobs during school, but look around:

During school there's usually a heated concern, and make it a BIG DEAL about job hunt in the studios before graduation.

In my experience, don't fret about it. A job is a job, it's never the same as hobby.

Whether it be in animation industry or making your own freelance life at home. The point is it makes money so you can use it.

Be a consistent worker, you will learn to pace yourself faster than those who don't.

Learn the craft well, build relationships, do what you enjoy and make it a good experience.

Post graduation first year is a bit tougher, but once you survive that, you will find your pace.

Everyone does so far, even though not everyone end up in industry biz, the network is still there.

Try not to be free intern for too long:

Depends on the studio rep.... some professors advise not to be "free intern" AT ALL. ( I support that myself)

But around east coast you might have to "free intern" a bit for the studios to get to know you if you want a studio job.

My take is don't free intern for too long.... unless you can afford it. Free internship doesn't grant a job, you being good at your skill, and being friendly grants it.

If you decided to do free internships, try to make the best out of it, 1 year investment is typical in NYC.

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Listening to: sword and dreams
Drinking: water

Pchat room opens for practice

Journal Entry: Wed May 1, 2013, 2:09 PM

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Pchat today, welcome to join: [link]

Type ur name in bar and hit enter to enter room.

Brief tutorial here: [link]

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Oh, so it was not an audit...

Journal Entry: Wed Apr 24, 2013, 6:22 PM

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=_= After my father and I inspected the notes (since he got one too.) We realize it's not an audit.

It's just IRS making it difficult to get our tax refund. Yeah. It's silly. They make it sound like an audit but its not.

I don't even have to do it, there's no deadline, no fine print, it's not even serious.

Though I feel like I wasted a day working to prepare for it, I did learn some useful information.

* freelancer union - not your typical union for NY, NJ area, [link]

it's a pool of freelancers 200k strong band together to buy health care insurance. lol~

You can get great discount if you join this group for free (for now, NY only). If you don't have your own health insurance.

The union is working on getting approved for other areas soon.

* Free file: I was using e-file for two years to file my taxes, now i realize I can use freefile instead. yay. O.o

------------- Last entry:

I believe I got audited by my state IRS this year, anyone else got something weird like that?

Right now I have to scramble to get all my documents together for this audit. >.<

OMG i hope nothing bad comes from this, my state is checking on almost everyone this year, some ppl think its fraud but the governor confirmed it.

Now I have to comply. urgh

WHY on earth would they audit someone who's only in business for the second year and hardly makes any profit?

(I hope I don't get fined.)

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Pchat over

Journal Entry: Wed Apr 17, 2013, 5:42 PM

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Other works done: [link]

Until next time!

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Need to get into AnimeNext AA

Journal Entry: Mon Apr 15, 2013, 4:26 PM

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edit: Tablemate for animenext is found!

Anyone going to Animenext AA? Sadly I got wait listed from AA and Dealers! >.<

AnimeNext is my home con, so if the artist is traveling in, I can offer lodging.

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What you can do if a big company stole your art

Journal Entry: Wed Apr 10, 2013, 9:52 AM

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An indy artist's work being used by Disney without permission: [link]

My tumblr reply: [link]

PS: this one is on the verge being settled, Disney already started working on it, she's being helped.

Seeing posts like this, I just thought I should share some knowledge I have, I personally already have met 3 different artists who doesn't know what to do when:

Record company ripped them off

Publisher ripped them off

Big corporation used their artwork without permission (that's usually by accident because of an outsource company broke the rule etc)

USA people: Go to lawyer volunteer groups for artists first if you need a helping hand-

Nation wide(international includes Australia, Canada): [link]

NYC based lawyer volunteers: [link]

CA based lawyer volunteers: [link]

When artists meet this kind of situation, don't panic, if the steal is obvious, it's usually going to settle really quickly unless there's a contract problem.

I can see this as an out-source problem with a large company, a company like Disney being so big can't watch every worker in China, India, USA… They are the biggest outsource client to various countries. So this is probably done by one of the workers under Disney without them knowing since its work of an indy artist. A company like Disney pride itself with original content, they will likely take this down ASAP if a lawyer writes a letter for you to them and help you settle this issue. You can decide to settle this out of court or in court.

As for rude, unruly company, like a small time record label, and publisher, you might need to really take the court threat seriously compare to the big one. Because they will not listen to the artist. Companies that have more reputation at stake will resolve it quicker.

I know some lawyers, (especially in USA where lawyers are everywhere) will not collect charges unless you win the case then they split from the settlement. If you can find entertainment lawyers and volunteers to talk to, I'm sure they can point you to the right direction.

FYI: JUST be careful about going online FIRST with the news, I know a lot of artists DO this! Because if you screw up and hurt a company's reputation with vague/unclear accounts (because you are likely to be more emotional about it, you didn't put the case together solid), they CAN sue you for it! SO Go contact a copyright lawyer FIRST before you post on social network sites unless you REALLY don't know what to do.

Especially if the artwork isn't an OBVIOUS steal but more of a conceptual steal, (like stolen composition, character face design, looks similar but not completely the same) that CAN REALLY get you in trouble if you pick a fight online FIRST before getting your case straight. Basically, try the safe approach before you try the risky one. Posting online is easy, but it's actually a risky move for you and the company.

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Antique shop stock

Journal Entry: Mon Apr 8, 2013, 6:01 PM

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All my stocks go to my scraps, if some people missed it, I have updated about a set of antique cafe shop stock that might be useful to people.

My other stocks are in my stock folder if anyone's interested. All my stock rules are the same.

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Tips: how to enjoy painting long hours

Journal Entry: Thu Apr 4, 2013, 10:01 PM

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I am not a natural painter. I am a natural sequential artist who is used to doing large amount of images to tell a story.
I want to paint the highly detailed paintings I adore looking at, but I tend to want to give up half way before the paintings get anywhere I would say "Wow" to.

I hit a wall for a while, my wall is: I just can't keep myself interested enough to make myself stay on the same piece for a long time!

I couldn't bring myself to spend on a painting that is my own for over 20-30 hours... while others can spend up to 80-100 hours on solid hours. I have no problem doing it for commercial work, or for clients, because the nature of those work hours are short, but when it comes to my own work, I need a break through on my hours of devotion.
Just when I was about to settle on: "Is this a personality trait I can't change? Is this something I have to be born with?"
While I believe that if I have the urge to do it, it's within me. If I adore it, there is a quality in me to drive me to produce the same.

After taking some rest, I realized what is the problem I was actually having: (this is not a technical issue, more of a mental issue converting from sequential art to illustration.)

To keep myself interested in a piece, I found this is what I have to do:

1. Change the painting whenever I get bored of it.

2. Go through a load of references instead of a limited few while painting. If a reference bore me, go to something else.

3. If I don't like something, change it.

4. Don't paint for stats... basically, don't think about how this will be received by others, just paint for my own highest standard.

5. Travel around my painting: if I get bored of painting one thing, go to another subject on the painting that's different.

So far so good at keeping myself interested in my current painting. lol

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Mood: Daily Needs
Drinking: green tea and coffee

plug: Charity commission fundraising open

Journal Entry: Mon Apr 1, 2013, 4:45 PM

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said the following:

Me and my siblings are trying to raise additional money to pay the hospital bills of our mom's recent surgeries..She had acute appendicitis & severe myoma and had undergone operation last Friday. My little sister, :icondevAkaReikou: opened her artwork commissions in DA for the first time so we can earn some money to help pay the bills...Pls help us spread the word...
Pls see this link for details

[link]

Update: Her mom had a successful surgery, now she's recovering and they have successfully paid for the hospital bills thanks to everyone's help.

[link]

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Mood: Daily Needs
Drinking: green tea and coffee

Paint chat time ends

Journal Entry: Wed Mar 27, 2013, 5:44 PM

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Pchat time ends, next time on Wed we will host it again.

Thanks to everyone who joined. It was fun.

Today's results: more on tumblr [link]

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Mood: Amazed
Drinking: green tea and coffee

Types of Artist blues, what helped, what didn't

Journal Entry: Fri Mar 15, 2013, 12:46 PM

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There are several artist blues I know of, since I have experienced practically all of them during the past few months since 2011. I will write about how I got them, how I overcome them. What helped, what didn't.

Some of these blues are professional freelance blues, happens to those who are making their own series/productions and when there's money and risk involved.
Some of these blues are shared by all artists.

Pre-production blues
Before the production even starts, the fear of it failing caused me to think about failing instead of success. It makes me hesitate about actually working on the project before I even produce anything.

What helped- Refocus on what I am making the project for, what's the true message I try to convey with the project, make that shine, and try to choose a cheap launch platform that makes it cost-effective.

What didn't help- trying to level up on art skill. It helped with my overall art as work for hire, it didn't help with my production actually being produced. More confidence in skill doesn't produce more desire to make my own work.

Mid-production blues
During a project being made, usually at half way point, feel like giving up because the project just seem to go on forever and not end, and feel like I will get no where with the project anyway. (And that's usually not true)

What helped- Just focus on "I'm going to finish what i started no matter what, even if its not my best/perfect work." That vow alone makes it happen. "I want to see it end." "I already put so much into this."

What didn't help- Fans/Friend's praise/encouragement. Sadly, that didn't work, as much as I hoped it would, when they gave me room to think about it helped. And thinking about the project won't make a difference if it gets completed or not, or all the things that's not working on the project. "It will make money" also doesn't work.

Mid-production panic
Deadline's coming, I haven't got enough done. More of a panic than blues.

What helped- Focus on the tasks at hand, focus on small chunks, ask for help. Make to-do lists, try to do similar tasks first, handling similar tasks get faster as one get used to it.

What didn't help- Thinking about the big monster I have to finish. Increases panic.

Burnt out blues
Doing too many things at once, too much at once, get the blues and get irritated.

What helped- Start saying nos, start cancelling projects, postpone set deadlines. And rest for 10-15 minutes for every hour worked.

What didn't help- Feel bad for pulling out and stay on projects I shouldn't have stayed on, it only burns me out more and drag people down with it.

Market reaction blues
After work being published, ended up on the wrong side of the audience, due to various mishandling by publishers/companies, got torn apart instead of praise. Rendering all work feeling pointless.

What helped- Forgiving those who attacked me harshly. Even though it's only toward my work at first, some of these attacks turn out to be personal. Forgiveness of the "audience" and letting go is the only thing that work.

What didn't help- Friends telling me "to get over it" or "don't pay attention to them." or being told "I didn't get the worst" (YEAH don't say that to an artist under attack.)

"not good enough" blues
Just lack of confidence, happens to most artist who are in pursuit of mastery skills. Especially being compared to others, or self-comparison.

What helped- Copying master art work and practicing basic art skills, then putting the practice into use to my own work right away. Getting critiques for study art or art for others, where I am less emotionally attached, when the crit is pure discussion of skill, no personal opinion of the subject, I do better receiving. A sense of accomplishment helps to ease away the blues.

What didn't help- Getting critiques while developing personal pieces, I find in most cases only helped by 10% or less. I know it has to do with my working process and my personality. My idea either become someone else's idea when it's too early in development, (that doesn't feel good) or if I did it too late in the development there's not much to be changed or do-over becomes a hassle I just don't do it. I only ask for crit now for directional adjustment, like if I am lost at some point with my work.

"I am a failure" blues
After spending alot of time on completing a work, published it, and then not being well received or supported. An investment didn't get the return I hoped for.

What helped- Let everyone who supported me know about my thoughts, the comfort from the audience/friends really help in this case, and use it as a lesson learned. And study market trends, target audience, etc, so I don't end up behind.

What didn't help- Dwell on the feeling alone, of course.

White page blues
Staring at blank and not know what to do.

What helped- Music, and watching, seeing someone else's artistic vision. (aka movies, games, nature) Ask for a random idea, or go have a moment of quiet time and think up a story, or something I want to study.

What didn't help- Chatting away, surf about other things unrelated, end up staring contest with the white canvas. lol

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Mood: Amazed
Drinking: green tea and coffee

Kickstarter: Arrival, funded!

Journal Entry: Thu Feb 14, 2013, 6:49 PM

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Good news, this project got... miraculously funded in the last 24 hours! (I don't know how it happened nor does the creator of the project!) We can only guess!
BUT it's funded! Yay! That's rather encouraging. ^^

......
I view it as the story of someone's heart and honesty, there's not many animated films like this out there, giving it a plug!

Arrival: A short film (kickstarter site): [link]
by Alex Myung

What it's about:

One boy discovers that merely escaping into life's adventures isn't enough; eventually all stories end and choices must be made.

Arrival is about a boy, growing up with his mother in the countryside, who journeys into the big city to follow his dreams. All the while the two communicate by sending pictures back and forth to each other, sharing their now completely different lives. Along the way he meets another boy with whom he is determined to share his life with. However, when tragedy strikes, the boy becomes stuck in a cycle of indifference rather than standing up and facing his problems.

Though it is said (and certainly not disputed) that the "journey" is the real story, at some point we have to arrive at our destination. The decisions we make once we get there define us just as strongly as the decisions that brought us there in the first place.

Other plugs:
More Kolei cosplay by

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Mood: Amazed
Drinking: green tea and coffee

Kolei's first cosplayer!

Journal Entry: Fri Dec 14, 2012, 3:18 PM

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Kolei's cosplay! OMG XD Finally!!! OH DANG He looks like Kolei. O_O

Important news!

MANGA:
Manga update: E-Depth, 2Masters, Shenshu, and CD diary will all go on hiatus for a while. But I am going work in the dark to stock up for the coming year.
If you want to follow my newest pages in the "dark", email me at mayshing@gmail.com

I will list you on my update-in-the-dark club email list, you will get the newest pages whenever I have time to complete them.

I have now started a part time job that demands lots of traveling, other than con hopping... and an agreement to be on "The black hat" film set.
So I am going to stop regular updates on my manga for a while, other things will still get done, like my anime (if fundraising succeed) and my game...clients work etc.

GAME:
Me and my friends just finished our first renpy visual novel game, in three days over the new year break!
Soon I will upload it and share it with everyone to play for free.

Hope everyone will enjoy it.

Printing update:
Today Edepth chapter 14, 17, 18 sent to proof printing. It will be printed around Jan 11th, Ka-blam take a month to prep them. I can probably manage to get the first batch sent by Feb.
I will try to get more sent to print before Jan 8th. I am leaving country again to Taiwan in Jan 10th to Feb 7th.

---------- Other goody:

Free PC application for drawing perspective download here: [link]

Thanks to

for passing it to me.

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14 Comments

Mood: Joy
Drinking: green tea and coffee

Thank you for all happy Bday wishes!

Journal Entry: Sun Dec 9, 2012, 9:25 PM

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Thank you all for happy Bday wishes that I can't reply one by one. (oh flooded) XD

ありがとう　＜－－－ another random thrown in JP practice.

I celebrated it today with a nice black forest cake my mom got for me, baked salmon fish my dad got for me, a nice family meal. It was a simple, yet happy, celebration. ^_^

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8 Comments

Mood: Joy
Drinking: green tea and coffee

E-Depth is now featured on Mangamagazine

Journal Entry: Mon Dec 3, 2012, 6:14 PM

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Edepth is now a Feature manga on mangamagazine.net , which means Edepth also gets sponsorship from the site each month depends on traffic,
See our ad-free site here: [link]

We didn't expect it, Edepth had very little following on that site, we didn't really update to earn attention, it's sort of just "we are here" kind of presence. But it seems like someone recommended us so now we have to play our game more seriously on the site. Thanks to whoever brought us to the admins attention.

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28 Comments

Drinking: green tea and coffee

Plug: Two awesome kickstarter projects

Journal Entry: Thu Nov 29, 2012, 4:17 PM

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This one I personally backed:

ABOLITIONISTA: [link]
It is a comic book about a girl trapped in the web of human trafficking and how the power of a loyal friend helps her escape.
It's made for educating the public, and its victims about how human trafficking works.
My bro and I are involved with International justice mission projects so we have known about it for a while now. This is another project that helps toward educating the public, and ending modern slavery.

======

DAY OF DAWN: [link]

Another I have no reason to back (because I know I won't play it)
but looks VERY AWESOME, it's an indie RPG game developed by DA artists.

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4 Comments

Drinking: green tea and coffee

Live everyday like its vacation

Journal Entry: Wed Nov 28, 2012, 1:01 PM

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"Live everyday like its a vacation day"

"What if I have a lot to do?"

"What if there's a deadline?"

"Then you should live like its a vacation day even more!"

"What if something bad happened?"

"Not every vacation is without troubles, but it's still a vacation nonetheless."

Currently chewing on these few words.
Incredibly hard for me to live it, because I have workaholic tendencies and panics easily. I stress myself out over worries I don't want to have.

But if I can live with a peace of mind like I am on vacation all the time, instead of "just get this done, then I can enjoy myself" or "just earn X amount then I can enjoy myself".... and still get the same amount of stuff that needs doing done in a happy way... it's probably the way to a good long life.

for those who need the reverse.... who have issues completing projects, tasks on time:
"Give yourself a goal everyday, and every week, and make a check list for it."

I do a spread sheet of my steady tasks, my projects, things I want to learn etc (because I have so many) and check it off the list when I complete some progress per day. I learned how much I can handle each day when it's documented. This might not work for everyone, but find someway where you can document how much, how often you do some tasks, and make it productive for yourself.

I tend to start with the project, or the part of the project I am most interested it, or the fastest to complete for the day, and work my way to the more boring/but easy ones at the end. I sometimes arrange the boring tasks in the middle of the intensive/interesting tasks, so I can take a breather and do something more mindless/relaxing.

-------------------------- Site news:
[link]

Back to normal. Finally.

Alex also made some adjustments to the comics address. So we have sub domain that links to the comics/mangas now. If you have booked mark them, please update it.

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22 Comments

Drinking: green tea and coffee

Site move- drama of life

Journal Entry: Wed Nov 7, 2012, 9:24 PM

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Currently moving my site mayshing.com to a new server. Because my old server just can't handle the traffic anymore.

is assisting me for the move. Hopefully everything will be back up and running ASAP.

More news from

source: [link]
Update on the move: One of life's lessons...Once you get into a groove, something ALWAYS happens.

For example, I'm moving

's website and....the server shuts down..
CRAP. Now I'm wondering what the heck happened to what I was running on there. First backup got corrupted which I need another 4 hours to download.

Well...Finally. We move forward into 2 - 3 days. I find out that we need storage....

Moral of the story: Have a Plan B and don't be surprised.

This going to be a while...I'll be updating this journal on the status of the sites and comics.

Update: (11/21/12)

- Main : Almost ready.
- E-Depth : Not Yet.
- 2Masters : Not Yet.
- Others: Altabe Studio is up! (Pictures will be a moment..)

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