I'm Just Sayin'

A lot  has happened this year. The first big event, I was finally released from an abusive illustration job that I took in 2012 because I needed the money and my father had just died-I wasn't thinking straight clearly. I was verbally abused daily at this place and by the owner, well he may have done it weekly if he was out of town, but it was bad. I was constantly being threatened, told I have no talent, told I couldn't do the job that I was excelling at, and everyone there could see it except for him, Anyhow, finally on May 13, 2013 he made up an excuse and let me go-released me from the hell I was living and then my life began again! I was sooo happy to be out of that situation. I loved the job just not him who I will not name. LOL.. I met so many great people there and made many close friends. I also met my boyfriend who I now live with. It's exciting. I know I am old to have never lived with someone, but I never have until now and it's great. I love him so much a...

http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2013/12/wolf_of_wall_street_prousalis.php So on Christmas my boyfriend and I went to see the Wolf of Wall Street with a huge crowd of people in Hollywood. This morning, the above article was sent to me and I was deleted from someone because she was ashamed of me for liking the film. UGH Saying that I am supporting this kind of behavior. SIGH.. what is wrong with people. She also sent me a nasty message saying that she refuses to go see the film. I felt like I was being attacked for what? Liking Leo and Marty and their awesome film? The film does NOT glorify Jordan Belfort's lifestyle, in fact it is so raw and real that you cringe at many of the scenes. It's awful-which means it's a great film. It shows the audience, just like Goodfellas did with Henry Hill that being this type of a human being is disgusting. So attack someone on FB for liking a really well done film? SIGH SIGH SIGH. People are idiots these days. The film is goo...

I hate to be political on here, BUT all these, "every kiss begins with Kay" and "he went to Jared" commercials make me sick. Honestly women-really? is it worth it to have that over priced rock on your finger, neck or other? SIGH ALL DIAMOND S ARE BLOOD DIAMONDS  http://apscuhuru.org/analysis/diamonds/index.xhtml I F*cking hate diamonds! (And yes I volunteered with Amnesty for a couple years for this cause) sad, it still hasn't changed much. Why must people buy these? All those people in Africa dying because you have to wear a diamond? UGH I don't understand why a rock is worth more than human life? It sickens me. 

Gobble gobble, it's turkey day, where everyone in America eats too much and then complains about it for weeks on end. The other super annoying trend is complaining about stores being open on Thanksgiving and posting all over FB about boycotting this store or that... here is what I say to that: just sayin'......honestly. To everyone complaining about people having to work on Thanksgiving, unless you are going to do absolutely nothing that requires someone to work, you really have no ground to stand on here-that includes, restaurants, hotels, airports, grocery stores, theme parks, gas stations, movie theatres, theatres, sports arenas------etc etc etc.. get the point?

Hahaha good reason to move back to old New York eh? Rents may be insane, but insurance is lowering LOL..I have to say, I'm not happy with the new system, only because I can't afford it, but I do support our president. Change is always hard. Give him some credit, he is trying.   http://www.forbes.com/sites/robertlenzner/2013/11/02/obamacare-will-raise-average-health-insurance-premiums-by-32-for-21-million-people/ I have been complaining a lot about how my insurance has doubled and I am getting worse coverage. It sucks, but the bigger picture is that this will even out, I have faith in the system and until then I will just have to make more money. I am not licensing my art out and selling commissions to help solve this problem. I eat healthy, I am relatively young and never get sick, so I am thinking positive instead of negative. I am not planning to move to New York, that of course is a joke. I love New York, but my boyfriend, the love of my life has a good job out here i...

Aren't you getting sick of everyone who has lost a few pounds professing they have found the perfect diet? I try to be positive all the time, but it's just plain annoying, especially when they push it on you. I have friends who have switched to super high protein diets, they lose weight and push it on you like it's the best thing since sliced bread-but how would they know that when they don't eat bread. I went on one of these Paleo diets and gained 20 LBS in a month! 20, yes I said TWENTY and I got a kidney infections. Lost of medical research has said this is a dangerous diet, yet people do it. I am convinced the ones who lose weight are the ones that shovel down three lbs of pasta every night and eat donuts and junk food, so of course they will see a difference. If you did the Hollywood Cookie Diet-and yes this is a real diet-you will see "results" too because it has a low caloric intake. Or the new gluten free fad-no wheat, no flour, ever! "You...

So I have been swamped with a million things, mostly new drawing projects. I have been illustrating children's books all summer and I absolutely love it, so that is why I have been away and of course, it's October, which means the ghost is back. I will catch you all up soon with many things, but here are some new drawings that I have been doing. Excited! And I opened a new Cafepress shop please stop by and get some Westie and Scottie merch! http://www.cafepress.com/stepholivieridoggies

Okay I finally got an iPhone. I loved my droid, but he was dying and the new ones are too big, so I finally got an iPhone. I love it so much. I got the 4 because it was free and because I like it. I like the size, I don't need a phone that's as big as an iPad mini. This one is perfect and did I mention the price was right. My plan went down $25 dollars a month with the iPhone so it not only cost me nothing, it's saving me money. I actually lost a FB two weeks ago because he was throwing a fit that I didn't get the 5 or wait for the 5S. Now I don't understand this behavior, it's my phone, why do you care? He sent me SEVERAL nasty FB messages basically calling me stupid and arguing with me about MY upgrade, even though he doesn't work for the phone carrier I am with and doesn't know what my plan is. You know how mobile phone companies are, everyone on a different deal-like renting an apt from a big company, everyone is different. This person could ...

Have you ever been approached by someone when out grocery shopping, or in a mall, or anywhere that you don't want to talk to? Yes of course you have, we all have. Today I finally figured out how to get people to leave me alone. Finally! A couple years ago I was being recruited into Scientology by some folks who work in the industry for a well known celeb who is mad into it. It wasn't my thing, but at the time when I was approached by religious fanatics I would replay with a quote from Hubbard and that usually shut them up. And for added bonus it was funny. That said, it still didn't work in all situations. Today I was at the grocery store and it's hotter than hell out so when I exited, I wanted to get to my car as quickly as possible. I accidently cut of a man and his son. I have to elaborate, an African American man and his son-it was an accident. My phone beeped and so I was looking down while exiting the store-Annoying I know, sorry but it had to be done. I sai...

OMG I saw these this morning and fell head over heels in love. I have never owned a pair of "flats" but they are all the rage, so I am finally jumping on board. These are so cute and so awesome that I can not wait to wear them. I love my heels and so does my boyfriend, but I also like to be able to walk all day and these are sooooo cute. Okay maybe a little splurge on the old credit card, but hey why did God invent credit cards if he didn't want us to use them?

And it continues.. what is wrong with people?  "54 simple illustrations needed. Small files for web use only, either 300 x 300px square or 460 x 300px rectangle.Will provide font, sample finished product and detailed instruction sheet. Paying $0.50 per .JPG " yeah that's 50 cents!! I saw another one yesterday from New York area that is paying $4 per hour, isn't that illegal in this country, guess not.. I don't understand, a couple days ago I was approached to do someone's book. I gave him a fair price, meaning I quotes less than a day's wage per page and he replied back with insults saying he knows for a fact that illustrators get $5 per page, yes 5 bucks.. he is insane. What is worse is that he wanted fully rendered like hand painted work that would take more than a day.  This happens all the time. I don't understand why the value of an artist isn't valued anymore.  Look we can draw and you can't so pay us a fair wage!! I don'...

While I really don't agree with saying anything negative about a work experience or anyone online-except for satirical posts and or total ranting in general-like why do people still text and drive??? ARRRGH But I digress. Last Sept I was hired as an illustrator at a job that I LOVED. I was excited every single day to go into this job. I got new assignments daily and got to draw Disney characters-which from my background at Disney animation was a definite bonus; as well I got to draw tons of stuff that I had never done. I did about 30-50 new illustrations a week-yup a week-it was awesome. There was one problem, someone there didn't like me and made my life a living hell, but instead of giving up and quitting, I stuck it out and showed up every day. I was called names, insulted, threatened, talked about, etc.. pretty much every day for 8.5 months. The people who brought me, (well convinced this other person to hire me), in have apologized for the "bad situation" I was...

http://www.businessinsider.com/1429-towns-destroyed-by-climate-change-2013-8 A couple months ago I sat on a plane next to a man who was trying to convince me that global warming was not happening. I asked him about the polar bears dying because the ice is melting, he said it wasn't happening. I asked him about how come the San Fernando Valley used to be over 100 degrees every day from May to Oct and now we only see those super highs a couple times in July and August? He said that it never should have been that hot. I asked him how about the east coast seeing temps in the 100s all summer and when I was little the hot days were 80 at the most? He just kept saying that it wasn't happening. Well this man also tried to convince me that Sarah Palin was smart-now that should have been my first clue. It is happening, period and this article above is really scary! I understand the right wants everyone to believe that the left is crazy, but facts are facts and if you think it's...

"If you don't mind having to go without things, it's a fine life!" This is a lyric from a song in the musical OLIVER! based of course on the Dickens novel, Oliver Twist. But hey more and more lately it seems to by the story of my life, and you know what? It's fine. I am absolutely happy 99.9% of the time. Sometimes when the bills are higher than the money that month-yeah well I am human, I'll freak out, but for the most part being an artist (and writer) is a pretty good life. We aren't all starving kids on the streets picking pockets for money and such.. like so many people seem to perceive. I mean when I am working on a film, then everyone is like, "wow your life is so awesome" and also they love how much money we all make in the film industry, then when we are between jobs, or on "hiatus" as they love to say in Los Angeles, these same people are the first to say, "Time to get a real job". You know what, being an artist is a...

Yesterday I threw a pity party in my name because I am not working full time.. ....well boo effing wooo, seriously. I am healthy, loved by my family, friends, doggie and boyfriend. My life is actually great, but I don't have a lot of money coming in steady. Today I learned that a colleague of mine from Disney has cancer, stage three! FUCK! Seriously. This guy is super healthy and is a nice one too-of course it always happens to the nice ones. And then I read that another friend has a friend whose son was killed on a motorcycle this weekend. Nothing is worse than losing a child. Then I heard about a girl in OC, 18 or 19 year old, gorgeous girl, who caught some nasty ass thing and has had ALL her limbs cut off... seriously? Next time I am having a pity party I will remember, that life is short and I am very very very lucky. Count your blessings people and remember there is always someone sadder than you.

So I got a call from my doctor-no I do not have a thyroid issue-and no I do not have cancer-so yippee!! Nothing is wrong with me-maybe I am just getting old....eeek! Never I say never! Honestly it is what it is, and I couldn't be happier. I started a new meditation today for 21 days with Deepok Chopra-well not with him directly, but on his site and it's pretty awesome so I am ready for things to change in my life. I am no longer going to focus on bad things or people. I have given too much power to people who have made my life miserable and I am not 100% sure of why except that I have this need for everyone to like me and accept me. That is not realistic, but that's how I am built. I bend over backwards to please people who are never going to like me. For example, my last boss-he hated me from the day he hired me, he bashed my work for 9 months, and threatened me, slandered me and basically made my life a living hell, and I allowed it because I was desperate for the job....

Got a blood test for my thyroid this morning-honestly you know what my thyroid issue is? My love for Italian food! MMMMM I am down 11 lbs since Friday just from juicing and dropping all those things near and dear to my heart-risotto, parmesan cheese, pasta, breads, butter...etc.

So I opened a credit account with the Home Store on April 8th-promotion etc... well I just got a bill with a double payment due and a late fee-I asked what happened and they said they sent me a bill in March-I explained that the account wasn't even open then and then they changed their story saying the bill closed in March and the bill was due in April. I explained again that the account wasn't open in March. "Yes we can see that you opened this in April, must be a computer mistake, but you still have to make a double payment to avoid further fees." Account closed...seriously!

So when I was about 7 I told my mother that I wanted to be an actress, she looked at me and laughed, "You'll always be broke." I replied that I didn't care. To be fair, I had no idea what that meant at 7, but I knew what I wanted and that was a creative life. For the better part of my life I have worked in the entertainment industry in one way or another. I started my artist career when I went to an audition for a Disney feature film and they offered me a job as an artist-of course I turned them down and called my mother to complain about the nerve of them for I was an actress. Two years later I gave up the unsteady life of being an actress to work in feature animation-then BOOM! That crashed in less than 4 years and here I was struggling again. My brilliant plan to move onto writing-a plan that is working great to get rich slowly-also has had it struggles. This all said, I would rather be an artist (any kind of creative) and be broke and struggling than anything els...

Sorry to all the folks afraid to eat bread, but this new gluten free rage is a bit crazy. I mean, honestly, does more than half the population have Celiac disease? Give me a friggen' break. It's getting so ridiculous. It's like when people say, "I lost a ton of weight when I stopped eating meat." It has nothing to do with the meat, it has to do with the fact that you were eating a steak with mashed potatoes, and heavy stuff, then all of a sudden you switched to salad and you blame meat? In the 90s the big fad was to shovel down all the carbs you could because they were low fat and everyone was "losing weight". I mean honestly. The way to lose weight is to simply, eat less and work out more. Have a diet mostly of plant based foods etc. The Mediterranean diet is one of the most healthy on the planet and guess what? They eat carbs-bread-gluten. I gave up gluten for a month-felt NO DIFFERENT. I gave up sugar for two months-felt NO DIFFERENT. I have g...

I am for equal rights for everyone-that is the first thing I need to say before my rant. Okay, seriously, what is wrong with people? I don't understand why the Supreme Court has to deal with this crap when the world is having actual problems. Today on FB a ton of people have been posting complete crap and some good things too. I cut and pasted this from someone-I honestly don't know it was on a friend of a friend's page and she liked it. So sorry for not giving credit to a well written statement. Seriously, I don't understand people sometimes. I am so sick of the "crazy" Christians trying to tell everyone else how to live. They need to read the bible they are thumping again, because as far as I can see they haven't a clue what Jesus was talking about. I could go on and on and on, but I won't..here is the post. Against gay marriage? Then don't marry someone of the same sex. If you're truly worried about the sanctity of marriage based o...

So I had surgery on Friday, not a huge deal but I had to stay in bed for three days. Now before this surgery a few of my friends were like, "if you need anything, lemme know, food whatever." They all were no where to be found and I spent the weekend alone, without eating much and I couldn't walk. I don't understand why people offer and then don't follow through. I am really hurt-physically because I just had surgery and mentally because I was counting on people who blew me off when I needed help. Thank God for take-away and credit cards or I would have been starving too. People suck, just sayin'