joe randel's art dump

Here’s the situation.

You’re going to introduce your cousin (who’s been living in a hole in the ground) to video games. You show him/her some games that you have and he’s/she’s hooked. So hooked in fact that they go back to their hole and start their own collection… but they don’t know where to start. That’s where you come in. Lets now assume that because they’ve lived in a hole they now have all kinds of money to buy any console/PC and game and also get some electricity in their hole so they can play games, what 5 games you tell them they absolutely have to play and add to their collection.

-My list-

1 – Mega Man 2 – Excellent game design and music.
2 – Mario Kart DS – Possibly the best, most perfect version of Mario Kart thus far.
3 – Roller coaster Tycoon PC (plus the two expansions) – So much replay value and tons of fun.
4 – Super Mario World – Not actually my favorite Mario game but in terms of game design, it’s excellent.
5 – Wii Sports – One of the top fun/casual games out there.

GO!!

Some one on my block stole my recycle box! What an asshole! Who would steal a recycle box? o_O I can only hope they’re going to recycle more now that they have an extra blue box, but I doubt it.

Bastards.

Say… how should this whole “internet etiquette” thing work.. Should I be replying to all the comments, favorites, and watches? I’m sitting here with hundreds of them in my control panel at Fur Affinity but I don’t want to insult people by not replying to them. I can reply to the ones I get at Deviant Art but over at Fur Affinity it’s just wave after wave of faves and watches.

Suggestions?

Oh, and if anyone has a question for me I’d be happy to do my best to answer it. I’ve done three post in a row right now and I’m starting to get a little dry. Although I do have some ideas for posts, but if anyone has a question. Just ask away ^_^

Joe

Death

So I’ve already laid out the fear of my end this year. I’m sure most think it’s pretty silly but to me death is a very serious topic. See, I’m very much afraid to die (I keep myself up at night sometimes things about it all). Now not in the way of, I’m scared that I’m going to be hit by a bus sort of thing. More of the idea that at some point I will no longer be here. I will no longer exist. Which to me is really scary. Now there are all sorts of ideas of what will happen to us after death but in reality we ultimately don’t know and because I’m not a religious person at all I don’t really go for the faith explanations about the after life.

See, it all boils down to control. I like control. One day I’m going to die. I can’t control that. Most would say that that because I can’t control it then I should worry about it. But… I can’t do that. I lay at night and worry about what will happen to me when I die. Who will I be after I’m dead? What will I be? Will I have an idea of self? I like my current self, why would I want to change or lose that? If I, somehow, become some one else, will I retain any idea of who I am now? I don’t want to leave the people I know. All these and other questions really, seriously scare me.

It does lead me to other ideas/questions that others don’t answer or talk about. Like, faiths generally talk about where you’ll go when you die, but there’s not many that talk about what/where you were before you where born. Which it is like being dead really. You didn’t exist. The world happened and you didn’t. But we don’t have fears or anything about that. It’s just accepted that you where born and then everything is gravy.

But there is one thing that gives me hope. See when my beagle Pheobe died a few years ago something happen to me that I can’t explain nor will I ever forget. The second day after we had to put her down I was very distraught and a basket case. I fell asleep during the day (which is something I never do) and this is what I saw. I opened my eyes and was sitting in a forret/wooded area near a creek. Next thing I knew was Pheobe came running though the trees and knocked me down and started licking my face. She then jumped off me and ran in to the woods. I got up and chased after her. I soon came to a clearing on a hill/lookout type area with a small cottage. It was a very privative country cottage with a low drift wood fence and a low table and stools in the front. The door was open and inside was just one room with all wood furniture. There was a few windows, a small wooden counter with a basin sink, a round wood table with some chairs, a wood stove and a large country bed with a homemade quilt. Pheobe was in the middle of the room laying on a hand woven mat looking at me. It was then that I felt myself being lift up and out of the house. I continued to raise up where I could see the cottage, the valley the trees, mountains and everything. It all faded to white and I woke up. I’ve never felt so much at peace and so much at home as I did in those moments. It was perfect and I’ll never forget it. If anything, I believe that my dog is there waiting for me in that cottage and that’s where I’m supposed to go when my time is up.

So that’s me and my relation to death in a nut shell. So while I have no idea what’s up with death and beyond I do have some hope. No matter how much I worry about it I always think of Pheobe. I can’t shake the idea that she’s in a place that she’s created for herself. It’s the only thing that I can hold on to, other wise it all seems pointless to me.

So would like to know what I did on my birthday?

Anyone?

Well I’m going to tel you anyway.

First I should let people know that when you have young kids birthdays are different then when you don’t have kids.  You spent your day with your family rather then out partying and such.  So I wake up and the first thing we had to do was take our daughter to her dance class.  After that we took her to a Valentines Day party that one of her friends was throwing.  After that we went to a Chinese Buffet and ate ourselves stupid.  On a side note, I happen to notice that the amount of actual Chinese food compared to everyday type food was a little lop sided in favour of everyday type food.  Which made me think that the only reason this was called a Chinese Buffet was the fact that it was owned and run by Chinese.  Anyway, regardless the food was great and I would totally go there again.  Oh, and I fill up the Chinese food since it is a Chinese Buffet.

Okay so after that we went and saw a live performance of The Backyardigans.  It was lots of fun.  I should mention that The Backyardigans is a CG animated children’s show with a hippo, penguin, moose, kangaroo and a… pink thing.  They sing songs and play pretend in their backyard.  But see, the songs are really good.  Each episodes songs are done in a different style like, Hip Hop, Country, 1920’s Jazz, Swing, Rockabilly or Italian folk.  The list goes on an on…  Plus the whole show is really, really well done.  My wife and I love it more then the kids I think ^_^

Anyway, the live show was lots of fun.  After that we went home and made some home made funnel cakes which failed miseItrably.  Put the kids to bed watched a movie and went to bed.  That was it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Did I get any presents?  Just one.  My daughter drew me a picture of our whole family.  I cried a little when I opened it and I’ll keep it forever.

That was my birthday.

One of the best ones so far.

31 years ago today, at Belleville General Hospital in Ontario Canada, I was born.  Both my parents are artists types (one draws, the other crafts furniture) and I seem to have taken the best aspects of these skills in to myself to hone.  When I was a child I would play with my Legos and small toys but I would get down low and use my eye as a sort of camera and plan out cool “shots” for my own viewing pleasure, like I would fly little space ships close to my eye and alter my focus to create a more dramatic entrance of the hero of the moment.  I drew a bit, but not much, although I knew I could, I just never bothered.  I took film classes in High School and architecture and drafting and excelled at both of them.  Later, when I’d decided that I wanted to make art my career, I went to animation school and learned to better draw the human figure and create life in my work.   I soon found the the film courses, drafting and even the way I played with toys as a kid help me a great deal since I already had a working idea of the concepts and shot set ups.  After college I succumb to my love of games and decided to do animation for them… 2D animation.  Seven some odd years later I’m still at it and loving what I do.  I also found the time to get married and father two children. ^_^

It’s interesting to look back and see what you’ve done and the decisions that you’ve made to get you to the point you are at now.  I’ve had high points and low points but regardless of those it’s the decisions that I’ve made have made me who I am.  It makes you wonder if those events in my life where different would I have made the same choices?  Probably not… how could I after all.  I would have made different choices based on different events, but would I end up at the same place I am now.  Is it destiny or choice, or maybe both.  I believe that the life you live is a road with branches on it.  You come to a branch and you have to make a choice as to what to do.  But I also believe that the choices that you come across in your life are presented to you for a reason.  So you can learn from your choices.  It’s not about making the wrong move, but learning and becoming a better.  Some people will learn from their choices and some won’t.

In 31 years I’ve learned quite a lot and I’m happy to be where I am and who I am and I’m glad I can share my life with the people around me.  It’s neat to think what I’ll learn in my later years too.  What choices I’ll make.  Where will I be.  Still here I hope.  Some parts tell me that this whole “31 is you last year” thing is silly but something still eats at me.  But regardless of what happens, I’m still happy with the live I’ve lived.

I wouldn’t have it any other way. ^_^

31 years ago today, at Belleville General Hospital in Ontario Canada, I was born.  Both my parents are artists types (one draws, the other crafts furniture) and I seem to have taken the best aspects of these skills in to myself to hone.  When I was a child I would play with my Legos and small toys but I would get down low and use my eye as a sort of camera and plan out cool “shots” for my own viewing pleasure, like I would fly little space ships close to my eye and alter my focus to create a more dramatic entrance of the hero of the moment.  I drew a bit, but not much, although I knew I could, I just never bothered.  I took film classes in High School and architecture and drafting and excelled at both of them.  Later, when I’d decided that I wanted to make art my career, I went to animation school and learned to better draw the human figure and create life in my work.   I soon found the the film courses, drafting and even the way I played with toys as a kid help me a great deal since I already had a working idea of the concepts and shot set ups.  After college I succumb to my love of games and decided to do animation for them… 2D animation.  Seven some odd years later I’m still at it and loving what I do.  I also found the time to get married and father two children. ^_^

It’s interesting to look back and see what you’ve done and the decisions that you’ve made to get you to the point you are at now.  I’ve had high points and low points but regardless of those it’s the decisions that I’ve made have made me who I am.  It makes you wonder if those events in my life where different would I have made the same choices?  Probably not… how could I after all.  I would have made different choices based on different events, but would I end up at the same place I am now.  Is it destiny or choice, or maybe both.  I believe that the life you live is a road with branches on it.  You come to a branch and you have to make a choice as to what to do.  But I also believe that the choices that you come across in your life are presented to you for a reason.  So you can learn from your choices.  It’s not about making the wrong move, but learning and becoming a better.  Some people will learn from their choices and some won’t.

In 31 years I’ve learned quite a lot and I’m happy to be where I am and who I am and I’m glad I can share my life with the people around me.  It’s neat to think what I’ll learn in my later years too.  What choices I’ll make.  Where will I be.  Still here I hope.  Some parts tell me that this whole “31 is you last year” thing is silly but something still eats at me.  But regardless of what happens, I’m still happy with the live I’ve lived.

I wouldn’t have it any other way. ^_^