Dare to be different and learn to be lonely

I was going through my blog and journals (as you do this time of year;-), and I noticed I completely forgot to share the stuff I made for Land of Art in 2024. My year was mostly filled with work and travel (which was also mostly for work) but I did manage to squeeze in some creative times. So I figured for my end of year post, I'll just picspam y'all with my graphic designs.

But first, to round up this year properly, here's what I did since the previous journal post in October, with links to my photos on Instagram:

I had a quick weekend in London for a play that was cancelled last minute (but I found another one to at least make the most of my weekend in November)

I built a cabinet for my renovated shower

I went on another businesstrip to England as well, where I didn't really go sightseeing, but did discover a lovely outdoors pool that was decorated for Christmas in December

I celebrated Sinterklaas with my family

Now, without further ado: all the fanart graphics I made this year!

Land of Art Phase 22 - Summer 2024
I handed in Golden Tickets for Challenge 1, 9 and 11. I missed Challenge 3 and Challenge 14 was a puzzle challenge, so no artwork for all of these.

( Challenge 2 - Stop & Stare )

( Challenge 4 - Technique )

( Challenge 5 - Hide & Seek )

( Challenge 6 - If You Believe )

( Challenge 7 - That's New to Me )

( Challenge 8 - Mother's Day )

( Challenge 10 - The Scenic Route )

( Challenge 12 - Call Me Daddy )

( Challenge 13 - All About That Base )

( Challenge 15 - Show Me the Pain )

Land of Art Phase 23 - Autumn 2024
This phase was supposed to last through December and into 2025, but was cut short because everyone is too busy with work. Team challenge 3 is moved to the next phase, challenge 7&8 were not posted.

( PH23CH01 - Follow the Leader )

( PH23CH02 - Mini Bang )

( PH23CH04 - You were the First )

( PH23CH05 - What if I'm the Bad Guy )

( PH23CH06 - The Saddest Goodb )

( PH23CH09 - On The Side )

That's all! Wishing everyone all the best for the holidays :-)

J.


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Lurk or comment wherever you like:)

Thank you, dear Anonymous who sent me an virtual Livejournal gift. I hope it was done with the best intentions, because receiving a button stating I Love Moscow feels more than a little bit ironic at the moment. I'm not feeling the love myself for a couple of reasons.

I do love the city for its wonderful architecture and I'm sure a lot of the people who live there are lovely, but since the implementation of the most recent Russian anti-gay law, for me it's synonymous for homophobia.

I'm also feeling hostile towards the town because of Moscow hosting the Miss Universe pageant, as I cringe at that type of competition.

Thirdly -on a petty, personal level- I'm pissed off because Panic! at the Disco chose to cancel their sold-out concert in Antwerp in favor of a performance at said beauty-contest. I sure hope Brendon remembers to NOT flirt with Dallon on stage, because that could be perceived as promoting homo-sexuality and that could get him arrested.

So, yeah, I'm experiencing lots of not so mixed feelings. That's why the irony of the gift did manage to make me giggle. Thanks for that:) I would however appreciate it if you could let me know you're not part of the Russian overlords who control Livejournal and used the gift to mark me as a potential threat for wanting kids to have access to supportgroups if needed.

You can respond to this post anonymously if you wish. This is still a safe space as far as I'm concerned. *hugs*

For more information on the issues mentioned above, check out the LGBT rights in Russia page at Wikipedia.

Meme-time! I got 7 topics from eledhwenlin. If you want 7 topics of your own, ask and you shall receive:)

1.) Your favourite food!
Hmmm, does chocolate count, or does it have to be 'proper' food? I like potatoes in any shape or form; mashed, baked, boiled or cooked in the skin, they go with everything and are the base of most of my dinners.

2.) If you could choose to live in any time and country, what would you choose? (Roman Empire, Middle Ages, the year 2525?)
I quite like the time and place I live in; I don't know if I could/would have the liberty and options that I have now anytime or anywhere else. It's not a very imaginative answer but, really, if I could choose I'd pick my country (and specifically my apartment) right now. Okay, mabye a bit into the future, where I'm retired and could read all day.

3.) What's something you have to do this week and don't want to?
I have a couple of orders at work that are pretty cool, but I'll have to deal with clients and I could do without that part. I was also dreading the dirty dishes this weekend, but when I got home last night I found my mom did them for me, so yay! (FYI, I did do a load of laundry and unclogged the sink in the bathroom, so not a complete slob;)

4.) What does your perfect Sunday look like?
Sleep in; have a fancy breakfast and a luxury shower; check online blogs, journals and communities; step away from computer to snuggle in loveseat with a book; maybe chat a bit later; go up to the attic to watch CSI or Westwing marathon; eat loads of chocolate in between. End the evening with some erotica ;)

Actually that pretty much sounds like most of my Sundays \o/

5.) Which CSI season is the best one?
Oooh, mean. If we're talking a whole season it's a toss up between S2 and S3, because I base my opinion on Nick/Greg and that was when they did their best flirting. *grins* After checking a couple of classics in my HUGE CSI archives, I remembered Nick had his best sideburns in the latter, so it's SEASON 3. (Not just my slashy goggles by the way, as that season also has awesome Grissom, and he was the reason I started watching CSI in the first place ;)

Happy coincidence: You can vote for your favorite Nick/Greg scene (out of S1 through S9) here!

6.) If you could sit down and have a talk with any bandom person, who would it be?
If we imagine a world in which I could have a civil conversation with anyone I have had pervy thoughts about, I'd pick Brendon Urie. Despite the issues that knocked him off his pedestool, I like to think we have a couple of things in common and I'd love to pick his brain about religion.

7.) Tell me something about you that I don't already know. :)
I once lost a job because of lewd behavior. *innocent face*


Ahem.


And now for something completely different... ( I finally put up my Meet & Greet photo on my Panic! wall. )

Had a marvelous trip to the UK, but I spent the last two days trying to get home from London; got stuck in Antwerp (Belgium) and The Hague (Netherlands) because snow caused problems for the railways. Luckily I had a tanisafan who offered me a bed and breakfast in B. on Fridaynight and family in NL who did the same for Saturdaynight, so I didn't have to sleep at trainstations. Nevertheless the weather, the crowds on the trains and the extra backpacking gave me ALL the snot, so I don't really feel up to doing a full travel report at the moment. Instead I'm offering a couple of teaser-photos: we visited a castle in Cardiff, saw a unicorn in Bristol and had a Meet & Greet with Panic! at the Disco there too (related? I think so;) I'll write the whole story later...

( Rock 'n' Roll Nerds! )

I also put up a video of Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off. Mostly for my own entertainment, the quality of the vid is not that great, but I just so love being reminded of the boys on stage;)

In depth post later!

Oh hi MTV, I didn't even know you were still showing musicvideos, but yes, I do like to participate in a poll to pick the best one of the 2000s. What is that you say? I should only vote for lady Gaga, because apparently all the music that came before her is already out of date? Well, excuse me for voting for my favorite instead. I don't even know the video you promote. (FYI: the only other video I remember is Hey Ya by Outkast and even though I LOVE Greenday, I don't have a visual for that song. Must be because I always seem to miss the times MTV actually shows musicvideos.) Way to be impartial. Did you maybe already invite her for a big hoohaa at the awardsceremony? Sucks to be you then. Go congratulate the winners;)



Okay, fine, Panic! At The Disco hasn't won yet, after all: the poll is open until August 24 and a lot can happen. But still: it's one thing to ask people to vote and an entirely other thing to push your 'hip' opinion on the public and tell the fans they're being silly. I happen to think this video is the best of all. So there.

Want to vote? Here are all the contestants!

Panic! At The Disco in Amsterdam - Tuesday May 10
Early in the afternoon I traveled to brotherdearest's apartment in Amsterdam, where I left my overnight bag and got some well needed comfort from the brother before venturing into town. Checked out the Melkweg venue where I already found little clusters of fangirls hanging out. And then bodyguard Zack strolled out of the building and all the calmth brotherdearest had provided was gone again;)
I still managed to walk away and focus on some shopping until I was supposed to meet up with tanisafan in front of the Sexmuseum. (What? That is an excellent place to wait;)
( Rest of the report in pictures )
( PatD concert pics start here; )
My photos from the concert in Antwerp are MUCH BETTER. I'm sorting through them now and will share loads of them later (UP NOW, CLICK LINK!). ( Until then you can already peek at my vids on You Tube: )

Part 2 of groupie-tour (MEET & GREET, PEOPLE!!!!\O/)

When I got home tonight I found my mom had fixed not only the jeans I plan to wear to the concert next week (and that fit perfectly but were too long as usual), but she also transformed my tiny Panic! at the Disco shirt into a cuddly pillow:
( look how cool! )

Only six days until the concert in Amsterdam (and seven until Antwerp!) and I have started freaking out. Since my body is being unpredictable with the monthly hoo-ha, I feel like I'm fourteen again and I'm going to a concert for the first time. (Let's not calculate how long ago that was, mkay?) FFS, I think I even feel some zits coming. Oh hormones, you amuse me so.
I just realized I need to add another shirt to my travelbag, since I'll be following the band for two days. I only managed to create one comfortable and cool outfit out of my meagre collection of clothes and I'm still not sure about what shoes to wear.

Eeeep.

Because we met in the patd community, your presents are all Brendon-based, even if since then we found out to have a lot more in common than fangirling over that boy music;)

Teaser:

( More goodies! )

Hope you have a great day!

Okay, so I didn't get to put Brendon and Spencer in my pocket and feed them M&M's, but Zack did allow me to give them chocolate <3

( The whole story... Beware of squee )

( Photos! )
I had an awesome day and it was well worth the long journey and missing out on the holiday at home. Thank you, Peggy, Isabel and Janina for letting me hang with you. Thank you, Panic! at the Disco for making this possibly the best Sinterklaas ever :)

If you want, you can read about my whole travelexperience in my photoblog;)

Especially for the US-folks on my flist; a little background information on Saint Nick
Sinterklaas is a traditional Winter holiday figure in the Netherlands, Belgium, Aruba, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles. He is the basis of the mythical holiday figure of Santa Claus in the USA.


Sinterklaas is celebrated annually on Saint Nicholas' eve (5 December) by exchanging gifts and poems. Celebrants of the holiday are traditionally given their initials in chocolate.*
The feast celebrates the name day of Saint Nicholas, patron saint of Amsterdam, children and sailors.

It is often claimed that during the American War of Independence the inhabitants of New York City, a former Dutch colonial town (New Amsterdam) reinvented their Sinterklaas tradition, as Saint Nicholas was a symbol of the city's non-English past. The name Santa Claus supposedly derived from older Dutch Sinterklaas.
Sinterklaas is assisted by many mischievous helpers with black faces and colourful Moorish dresses. These helpers are called 'Zwarte Pieten' (Black Petes).

*In order to use the same amount of chocolate for each letter the manufacturer varies the thickness or the depth of the grooves in the letter. This way one letter is not favoured over another, for example the W, or the M over the I or the J. It also occurs that two of a small letter (like I for Ian) come in one package to make up for its smaller size.

This is how my family has celebrated Sinterklaas the last couple of years. For the first time in 40 years I wasn't at home. Because I chose to travel to Berlin to see Panic! at the Disco;-)