Sonja Denise's Notebook

Idle Spirits is up and running!

I'm keeping it simple this time around. Also, this is the first time in about five years I used a WYSIWYG editor to build a website. I used a free program, KompoZer, but after using DreamWeaver in one of my classes, I'm so tempted to actually buy it.

Er, tangent! XD

NaNoWriMo starts at midnight! If I lose this year, I'm just an asshole, because the planets have aligned perfectly - NaNoWriMo begins on a Saturday, I have a three-day weekend, and one of those days has 25 hours. I'll be talking about my NaNo novel on my other journal, since it's fanfic.

It's Friday, October 31st instead.

Shock and awe, I'm behind schedule. That's what I get for not taking commuting to school and homework into consideration. I are smart.

(Oh, and it's my birthday. I am 19. WTF.)

LOL, I finally figured out how to install phpBB. I now have a new project until I get an actual readership...

LOL, I was trying to find a replacement for Corel Photo-Paint, but then I realized Preview does everything I need (crop, resize, resample). So I can get back to posting new Kindred Spirits pages. Still need a new scanner, though. (And printer - turns out the 3-in-1 I have doesn't have drivers that work with OS X. Huh.)

But I suppose I should start talking more about the main story, Idle Spirits. As soon as I get a new scanner, I'll post something on the site besides "coming soon."

In the world of Idle Spirits exists a group of people known as "spirit guides," who, essentially, guide spirits to the afterlife, and also have some special abilities. This is a duty that passes from mother to child. 18 year-old Derica Zo learns in the first chapter from Shiri and Karmina Lerato that her mother, Adelle, was a spirit guide - and thus she herself. That explains everything except why she saw Shiri in her dreams before even knowing she existed...

Idle Spirits is an embarrassingly long story that I've broken up into eight series. Series 1 happens to be 16 chapters long. (But Series 5 is only 6 chapters, for example.) I'm not sure if it will show, but I was particularly inspired by Shoujo Kakumei Utena, Nana, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Torchwood, and television in general while developing the series from scattered notes over the last year.

So, spoilers?

( List of characters and descriptions of characters in Series 1 )

I have to say, writing Idle Spirits so far has been incredible. I never put so much thought into themes, and plot points are dovetailing effortlessly. I adore all of the characters and all their wonderful flaws. I hope I'm able to complete the entire story eventually, because I love the ending.

Long story short...I'm on a brand-new MacBook Pro now. My sister's getting my Dell at the end of the week. Mostly, I'm making this entry because I'll be a little, um, discombobulated for lack of a better word. I know how to use a Mac, but I have to figure out what programs are going to work on it, etc.

But, yay, free of Windows Vista :D

UPDATE:
Wow, this was the most painless move from computer to computer I've ever done. Partially because we have an external harddrive at home, and partially because the Mac is just fast. (2GB of memory!)

Lexique Pro is the only real casualty here, since it only works on Windows. ZuluPad works on this computer, but not the paid version...which I did buy. But, fortunately, it was only $15. My copy of ComicWorks is only for Windows. But then again, it didn't work on Vista anyway. Everything else either has a Mac version or was easily replaced with an open source program. And installation? SO. EASY.

And I ordered an 80GB iPod Classic this morning, since I've been wanting one for a while, and I'll have to reformat the iPod I do have anyway to get it to work with this computer.

Still need to get a new scanner, though.

But, yes, glad to have finally made the big switch! :D

I started a Japanese-language blog, Mainichi Nikki. It's similar to my previous one on LJ, Gokoyangi, except I actually update this one every single day, and it's set up as an asylum/community instead because I didn't feel like opening another account.

So far I've just been writing about my day-to-day life, but I just did an entry about Last Friends and will probably do several more on the series since I really like it, and it's surprisingly easy to follow.

Kindred Spirits is now up! Check back every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for updates all summer.

Idle Spirits, the main story, goes up in September. Hopefully there will be some interesting stuff on the main site before then.

I took the natural hair entries off my journal a couple of months ago because I wanted to move it to Random Mind. It's finally up, although most of the commentary is still missing. It'll get there.

And then I realized I didn't have a natural hair icon for this journal - the horror! So I made of few of Princess Tiana from Disney's upcoming film. (Which I fully plan to see. In theaters. I know, I'm easy.)

Kindred Spirits is the title of the comic I've been working on the past few weeks, and serves as a teaser for Idle Spirits. It's a series of vignettes about the main characters at different points of time in the past.

The first part will be posted Saturday, May 10, on the Idle Spirits website.

My new DeviantArt gallery is up.

I've updated Random Mind with new artwork and work in the writing section, as well as some general maintenance on the comics and about pages. The hair journal and clothing reconstruction entries will be moving to Random Mind in a future update.