Virgil

In my last post, I promised I'd show you the new member of Maranda's zoo... Here he is!
This is Virgil. He is approximately 5 months old, half an inch thick, and about 2 feet long. He is a light grey and slightly pink corn snake. Don't go thinking that I went out and bought a snake, because I didn't. I have come to be Virgil's caretaker through some sad and odd circumstances.
My good friend lives with her parents while she tries to find a job. She also has a... pet problem. She tried to move out once and promptly got a little orange kitten, and only about a week later was forced to move back in with her parents. Her dad is EXTREMELY allergic to cats, so she could not keep the kitten. After he was rehomed and she was at home for a while, she, you know, bought another pet that her parents did not want in the house.
So one day she contacts me and asks, "Will you take care of my snake for me?" Of course I was stoked and totally cool with it. When I asked how long I would be the snake's caretaker, she basically said, "well, until I can move out", or something along those lines. Very vague.
I'm really grateful to take care of Virgil. He's a great little critter, totally cute. But I can't help but feel sorry for him. When I got him, he was in the grubbiest tank in the world. It was dirty and foggy and had worn-out duct tape stains. The old under-tank heater had what felt like sticky soda stains on it and I'm fairly sure it was the culprit of an electrical fire some time in its life. The tank was filled with sand. According to snake enthusiasts, keeping a corn snake in sand is the equivalent of keeping fish in a tank of root beer.
I did some research and changed his tank around.
I work at a major pet store chain, and sadly, I see a lot of irresponsible pet owners. People will come in and see the snakes or lizards and say, "Wow! What a cool animal! I know nothing about it but it's cute so I will buy it." And then they come in two months later and whine about how their pet was "unhealthy" or "sick", when they really were just slowly killing their animal by not doing research and not taking care of their pet properly. I once even got a phone call where someone asked if "we did de-clawing for dogs". Why yes, and while I'm at it, I'll rip out YOUR fingernails, too! Sound ok?
Ok, ok, I'll step off my soapbox.
All in all, Virgil is now in a happy, healthy home. He's a bit jumpy and is easily startled, but he's warming up to me. He also does this very cute thing...

The moss hut* I got for him has a hole in the top, and he uses it as a little peep-hole quite often. It's often too cute for me to handle and many gooshy oogly-goo noises seep out of my mouth.


*Moss hut= half coconut shell + clump of moss. Very difficult, I know.

The Owl and the... Pussycat

Funny animal companions always tickle me. How cute are these two?!
This article completely made my NIGHT! I love how the lion just... gives no crap. None at all. Apathetic lion is apathetic.



Next post: I'll share our new family member... ;)

Critters... Critters Everywhere

Hey all! Obligatory "I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while" message goes here!
Aside from that, I have some cute photos of my animals to share. :)

A couple days ago we had a break in the dreary pseudo-spring weather. The sun was out, birds were chirping, the wind was cool but not cold. Dad and I sat in the backyard with our coffees, feeding stale bread to the chickens.

Timber is the one being fed, Skittle is the small black one, and Zelda is the poofy cloud.

The thing I find interesting about chickens is that they have a very strict pecking order. Usually the strongest, bravest, and oldest will assume "top chicken". In our flock of three, Skittle is the boss lady. Timber, being close to eight years old (!!!) has taken second, and since Zelda is a pansy, she's last.

As you can see, Skittle needed to remind Zelda of her place. Timber blissfully chows on bread while the youngsters duke it out. (They don't really fight, really, Skittle just kind of jumps at Zelda, as if she's shouting "BOO!" and chases her around a bit.)

My pretty girls!! ♥
They're totally sweet. Skittle, even though she's Ms. Bossy-Britches, is a total love. She'll sit on my lap for hours, being calm and still. Perfectly relaxed and peaceful.

Love these chickens.
Spending time watching them forage, drink, dust-bathe... it's like meditation for me. I love watching animals because they're only existing in that moment with perfect efficiency. I can get lost thinking (and simultaneously NOT thinking). My world is beautified by the life within it.

Hey, Cricket

So I was eating dinner one night, ok? Home made salmon burgers and broccoli. Delicious. I set my burger down for 30 seconds, look back, and this is what I find.



Cricket eating my sandwich! How rude!

Ever since we got Jomo, crickets have invaded our life. I find them everywhere: next to the tank, on the floor, on the cushions of our couch, even on the wall near the ceiling. They get everywhere! Mom and dad have even walked in with cupped hands bearing half annoyed and half amused faces. "Maranda, we got another. It was in our bathroom." They seem to like bathrooms.

That's all for now. I mostly just wanted to share the funny photo. :)

Birthday Fish

Well, as of February 18th, I've been on this Earth for 20 years! Neat. To celebrate with friends, I took them to the Seattle Aquarium. Fortunately, it was Octopus Week! Unfortunately, it was a Sunday and packed with screaming, smelly patrons (and their children: equally as ill behaved). Despite this, however, I still got some good fish time in.
One fish in particular was excellent. We all associate fish with pretty unresponsive, boring animals. They just swim around and, well, swim around some more. But this guy was tons of fun.

I whipped out my pencil to start sketching him, but when I noticed he was watching me, I stopped.

I wiggled my pencil in front of the tank to see what he would do. I turned my pencil to the right, he leaned to the right. I shifted it to the left, he leaned left. Back and forth, back and forth-- he just kept staring at the pencil, mimicking it!

Stark took over the fish conducting so I could get a good sketch in (with my pen, of course). All the while Stark was moving the pencil uuuuup and dooooown and side to side. The fish was almost hypnotized by it. We even got him to turn upside down once or twice.

I've never had a fish at the aquarium be so... interactive! It was quite a treat. He is without a doubt my new favorite.

The sketches I did aren't anything special, but once I paint them (if I paint them) then I'll post them. In the meantime, have some more fish! (Ok, well, more fish and a sea anemone. And a wolf eel. Mostly fish though, I promise.)

I'm Forgetting

You know how when life gets labyrinthine, so grainy and messy and confusing... that you just want to hide? And then you forget yourself, what it means to BE yourself, and you just act on instinct. This is the story of me lately. My future is uncertain, as it always has been. This does present a lovely way to appreciate the paths that life takes us down. As Shreve Stockton put it in her book The Daily Coyote, "The jewels in this life are the events we do not plan". To an extent, I love this idea. Last April, I would never have guessed that one of my best friends would become even more dear to me. I would never have guessed that I'd be working at a pet store surrounded by animals and animal lovers, which led to my buying of a mountain horned dragon. (more on this later) Life is unexpected, and our willingness to accept changes and roll with the punches, to me, is a great way to judge one's character.
Lately, my character has gone to "optimistic adventurous" to "fearful pathetic". Being strong and confident for those around me is just a front. Inside, I fear the future. When I move to a college, how will I survive? Sure, tuition and my savings will pay for college itself, but what of living? Food, rent, insurance, gas, pets, medicine...



When I get this way, my art takes a strange turn. I've noticed that the less stable my life is, the lazier and more emotional my art is. I no longer have the patience to do pieces like "Banishment" or "The Hath'Kann Moth Rider". Now my art is sporadic, emotional, and frankly, not as good. It is more confusing and more spur-of-the-moment, and results in that odd situation when I have to fudge an explanation for confused viewers, because I don't even know why I do the paintings I do. My art is as confused as I am.



On a more positive note, I've been able to cope with much of this because of Jomo.



He's already proving to be a perfect little addition to my life. He's easygoing enough to not need constant supervision, but active and interesting enough to be a great pet. He's gotten used to taking crickets from me (with tongs or from my fingers), and he's fond of perching on heads. He's decided that his favorite spot to hang out at in my room is a lanyard hanging from my lamp. He clings to it with his uber-sharp nails and has even fallen asleep on it-- hanging completely vertically. When I talk to him, he looks me in the eye and tilts his head, trying to understand. He's exactly what I needed at this stage in my life. A personal little friend to relate to.

That being said, Jomo is a distraction. He can't solve financial issues or decide what sort of living arrangement I should get when I move. But he helps me cope just by being a complex little being who I can hold and admire. I'll get through this with personal dedication. I have to, therefore, I will.

Civil Rights

Thanks MLK, Malcolm X, and all the other courageous people who fought the odds. You're cool.

That aside, my life has been NUTS.
Stark moved in. Let's just say that his old house was unfit for living and he moved in with me and my folks. Not only am I amazingly happy to have him around all the time (more happy that we're not sick of each other!) but I think he's a lot happier not living in that old memory-prison. My tiny room is more cramped than ever, but I don't mind it really. Stark is my other half. I'm willing to compromise some of my "precious" space previously occupied by my "precious" things. (My "Donate to Value Village" bag is overflowing...)
Next year I'm leaving for college. Probably at Western Washington University. Small, cute, liberal, artsy, (hopefully) cheap rent. Tuition shouldn't be an issue, books I can find cheap, it's just the cost of living that is worrying me. Also, more heart-wrenching, Stark. Can't afford school and the job market isn't his friend. I'm worried he cannot come with me and we'd be separated by 2 hours of highway driving... One night, though, at a moment of strain, he reassured me that he will follow me anywhere. I believe he will.


On a more fun note, I have bought myself a mountain horned dragon. Because of the guys at my petstore calling him "Joe Montana", we have called him Jomo. It's punchy, cute, and perfect for him! I am coming to find that animals have a more spiritual effect on me than ever before. An example... last night I spilled hot beeswax all over my sketchbook and rug, ruining the better part of both. I was upset. But holding Jomo and seeing his beautiful little mug, his skinny legs, the undeniable life that ran through him, the un-human qualities of a different sort of living being... I couldn't be upset. Especially after he jumped from my hand and onto my shoulder. Feeling, holding another creature has a meditative effect. I can't focus on anything but them, they're my responsibility and I have to keep them safe. "That which you tame you owe your life." Animals are always going to be a major part of my life. Always.

That is all at the moment, work is soon.

Some Happy Things

This song makes me cry every time I hear it.
My mother used to sing the first verse to me as a lullaby. On one hand I think it is funny, because the character thinks about women and drinking, and it amuses me that my mother would find this suitable for a lullaby. But on the other hand, I find this song irresistably beautiful. Every time I hear it, sing it, or even read the lyrics: I tear up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EoNd_maBbY

---

Here is another warm-fuzzy.
Cast aside all previous bias, all rational thought, and embrace the child-like and simply charming writing of Edward Lear.
(Poem and image credit: http://www.nonsenselit.org/Lear )



I
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo,
'Good gracious! how you hop!
Over the fields and the water too,
As if you never would stop!
My life is a bore in this nasty pond,
And I long to go out in the world beyond!
I wish I could hop like you!'
Said the duck to the Kangaroo.

II
'Please give me a ride on your back!'
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.
'I would sit quite still, and say nothing but "Quack,"
The whole of the long day through!
And we'd go to the Dee, and the Jelly Bo Lee,
Over the land and over the sea;--
Please take me a ride! O do!'
Said the Duck to the Kangaroo.



III
Said the Kangaroo to the Duck,
'This requires some little reflection;
Perhaps on the whole it might bring me luck,
And there seems but one objection,
Which is, if you'll let me speak so bold,
Your feet are unpleasantly wet and cold,
And would probably give me the roo-
Matiz!' said the Kangaroo.



IV
Said the Duck ,'As I sate on the rocks,
I have thought over that completely,
And I bought four pairs of worsted socks
Which fit my web-feet neatly.
And to keep out the cold I've bought a cloak,
And every day a cigar I'll smoke,
All to follow my own dear true
Love of a Kangaroo!'

V
Said the Kangaroo,'I'm ready!
All in the moonlight pale;
But to balance me well, dear Duck, sit steady!
And quite at the end of my tail!'
So away they went with a hop and a bound,
And they hopped the whole world three times round;
And who so happy, -- O who,
As the duck and the Kangaroo?

---

It really is the little things that help me get through the day. (And by "day" I mean "my 4-hour gap between classes at school".)

Episode III: An Update

Stanley. He's my muse.
Seriously, though, how could a stuffed animal turkey vulture with a fake moustache NOT be inspiring? Just look at this mug! That fashionable neck ruff, his cute little beady eyes... ahh. What a fine figure of a stuffed animal.




It is also crucial to rememer that You Can Always Trust a Snake. Especially yellow eyelash vipers, which may me the cutest venomous animal ever. I have decided this and thus it shall be. (I mean, really... eyelashes. Need I say more?)



These two are painted on a wonderful (albeit odd) surface called aquaboard. It's a super-absorbant, stiff, sort of toothy board that is all sorts of wonderful. The paints soak in quickly, but I find that you can almost always go back over it with a stiff brush and water to blend. I'm a fan.
AQUABOARD! Check it out if you like watercolors or goache.

And now, for a new episode of Maranda's life.

My New Job
I am now a dog grooming assistant! No more fried food, grease spills, incompetant managers, or unhappy shifts. I basically get paid to hang out with dogs all day and I earn a 40% commission from all my sales. I am blissing out about this, for sure. I must have racked up some excellent karma to get this gig. All six months of my suffering at the deli led to this! The world can be a fair place to be, after all. Between the puppies, people, and clean atmosphere... this new job is wonderous. Plain and simple. Life is looking up. I have also learned that English bulldog puppies are sleepiness incarnate. They get nap attacks like nobody's business. That kind of cuteness is unfair. It really is.

My Skin
Ever heard of burrows solution? Smells like: vinegar. Feels like: pond water! Makes my skin feel like: a goddess's.
Soaking cotton material in the solution and wearing it (cold, wet, jumping into a mountain lake at 3am) at first was not fun. Miserable, even. I have to do this odd treatment because of my dermatologist. Upon visiting him, I was told that I was to a) avoid Stark's house because of the cats and b) chill out! Because the stress was making my skin worse. So every day since then, I woke up early and jumped into a black garbage bag sandwich: burrows-solution-soaked cotton pajamas and me being the meaty bits. Cold! Cold! But half an hour later I was leaping out and moisturizing like a madwoman. The morning and evening ritual gives me time to reflect (and watch the best anime ever: Mushi-Shi). I find that waking up at 5:30am, slipping into icy clothes, and sitting still for half an hour gives me time to wake up and clear my mind. When I rush out of the door in the morning due to waking up 20 minutes before I have to be out the door, I find it hard to finalize thoughts or regard events with any significance. I float through my day in a haze and end up quite grumpy because of it. As odd as it sounds, freezing my butt off every morning really gets the juices flowing! (And wow, did that sound odd.)

That is all for now, friends.
Oh, and also, you should buy Dice Sprites for your friends for Christmas. Or whatever winter gift-giving holiday you celebrate.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/claymancers

Meditations

Everyone's got their own way of eliminating, ignoring, and confronting stress. Some people go for a long drive with the windows down and music blaring, some people watch their favorite movie over and over, and others (like me) meditate.
I haven't done much meditations in my life. To deal with stress and hardships I normally just dealt with it in a usual way. But lately, I've wanted something more. So this is what I did.
I laid out some pretty silk handkerchiefs and a scarf I bought in France. I set up a diorama of sorts which included a few of my favorite objects to look at. A skeleton key, a couple animal skulls, beads, stones, feathers, bones, candles, a goblet full of water. I set a bundle of sage on fire and let it smolder as I leaned back, closed my eyes, and focused on my breathing.
It's not often I can not think about anything. It's the hardest thing to not think. Having a blank mind almost never happens for me. But I came close tonight. Breathing in and out deeply, noticing how my body moved as I relaxed, smelling the sage...
Needless to say, I overcame my bad day at work very well. Afterwards, stage two of my meditation began: painting and tea. Here's what I painted.

A simple portrait of my favorite animal in my favorite color scheme. Perfect for unwinding and loosing my pent-up negative feelings.
In my quest to become a freelance artist, I've discovered that at this point in my life that's not a very realistic career path. But I can still retreat into my art Zen mode to escape the world. That shall always remain.

Blow Out the Candles

When canines get scared, they appear angry and defensive. They're just trying to protect themselves and fend off potential danger.

I fear certain changes in my life, currently. This painting was basically me telling myself "It's alright to be scared, but things will be fine. Patience."

I always turn to maned wolves when I need to do inward reflections. They're the easiest and the most stress-free thing I can draw or paint, and when I draw/paint, I am focused.
So thanks, maned wolves.

Art-Time at the Zoo

Yes indeed!
My good, good friend and I went to the Woodland Park Zoo yesterday. I've been going to that zoo ever since I was about 4. The zoo is like a second home to me, it's one of the only public places where I can whole-heartedly myself and not worry about anything. It's almost like a stress reliever: meditation, even. When I bring my sketchbook, I can lose all of my thoughts just for a moment and become absorbed in the animals's beauty and complexity while I sketch or paint their likeness.
Another delightful part of the zoo is that every time I go, there seems to be something new on exhibit! This time around there was a exotic ground-bird exhibit (fowl, peafowl, pheasants, etc.) I had never seen this exhibit before, so I sat down and painted the most beautiful pheasant I have ever seen:

He (the golden pheasant) had free roam of the enclosure's path. And boy did he roam! I felt a little silly when I picked up my chair and had to scoot all around to get a good view of him so I could paint (at least a little) accurately. I'm still not satisfied with the gold color in my painting, but it does look better in real life, of course. My friend was drawing the other pheasant, who I thought ran just like a velociraptor from Jurassic Park.


We also went to see the Chilean flamingos!

Sleeping flamingos = easiest thing to draw ever.

Then, the birds and reptiles:




I'm pretty sure eyelash vipers are my favorite kind of snake. They have those adorable spiky eye crests and are the prettiest color yellow!

We also got to see a tiny little vine snake eat a live goldfish. He swallowed it whole and had a huge lump in his body-- SO cute. (Yes, cute!) I should have snapped a photo of it.

When we were at the wallaby exhibit, a little boy came running in, pressed his face to the glass, and shouted, "OH MOMMY, there are deer in here! Dead deer!"
To which his mother replied, "No, honey, they're not deer. Try again."
"...Buffalo?"
My friend and I busted out laughing. Children are hilarious, often without meaning to be. And that's saying a lot, since I'm really not fond of children in general.

But yeah, the zoo was amazing. I'm glad I was finally able to get paintings done of the animals, normally all I ever get are quick, sloppy pencil sketches.
I do declare another "zoo art" outing is in order for me.