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Goodbye, ~aurora-starwing.

She was murdered in her new apartment. Likely a botched robbery attempt, there were fires set as if to cover it up.

How senseless.

I met her through the Gryphon's Guild, and later was able to meet with her in person when I moved to Florida. She gave me my D&D dice, because they're iridescent.

I was on vacation this weekend and kept thinking to comment on her LJ, but I didn't, told myself I didn't have enough time. I should have.

She drew for me, too. [link] I should have drawn for her.

Should have, should have, should have.

And now she's gone.

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Yeah, I went and got sucked into Tegaki E. [link] is my profile over there. If you haven't heard of it, go check it out, it's insanely fun.

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Amazing, I remembered that I have this thing. Well, I do check my watchlist rather often, I just...haven't been doing much art recently.

It should be of little surprise to anyone that I will be seeing Def Leppard on their 2008 tour...but since they aren't doing any shows near me this time, I'll be going to Detroit to see them. I've never been to Detroit before. Or Pittsburgh, which is where the lovely friends who will be hosting me and concert-going with me live. I cannot wait for hints on the setlist, or word on the new album and new songs and cover art and release date.

I'm now typing as a cockatiel sits on my lower arm and preens. Birds are weird, it should be said. I've let the three girls (the cockatiels) out to fly all morning/early afternoon, and man, the trouble that birds can get into even when you are RIGHT THERE. (All of my birds are flighted.)

Soooo... Art? I dunno. Maybe. I'm picking up a parttime job somewhere, which will affect the "free time" thing, but that hasn't been my problem; it's been the lack of inspiration. I think I need to grab my copy of The Artist's Way again.

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Def Leppard concert. Wow.

Just... I will never get tired of these guys. They put so much of themselves into their music and their performance. I will see them again next year, and every year that I am able to see them.

I screamed myself hoarse. I sang all the words, and I knew all the words to begin with. I put my hands up for "Excitable." Attitude rolled with "Rock On." I was lit up with a huge smile for "Two Steps Behind." The world was made of pure guitar for "Switch 625." "Hysteria" was made of amazement. The opening riff of "Photograph" gave me chills. I could live happy forever listening to "Pour Some Sugar On Me" live. And "Rock of Ages" just made the night complete.

And I took so many photos, again. But this time I was so much closer. :> Joe moves all over the damn place and whenever I tried to snap a good photo of him, he had turned his head. I got a lot of blurry photos of Joe's hair. Viv was on the wrong side of the stage from me most of the time. Mostly it's photos of Phil (imagine that), Rick, and Sav. I'm uploading maybe a few of my favorites here. Like one of Sav that came out pretty spiffy.

Third time, and there will be more.

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Uhhh, my art output of late has been pretty...not happening. So has my attentiveness to this gallery. The two may be related! Oh well. I'll come up with something sooner or later. Most of my focus has been elsewhere lately.

Def Leppard in Minot rocked out loud, and I put a few photos in Scraps. In just under a month I'll be seeing them again, this time in Concord from the fourth row. Need to acquire earplugs still.

I have a pile of comments I still need to reply to, and I feel bad about that, so I put them off, and then I still don't get them done, and augh and whimper. Please have patience?

Also, Stardust is a most excellent movie, and if you have any interest in seeing it, go do so immediately. The bird in it is a White-throated Magpie-Jay. How cool is that? (Okay, so that's trivial, but still.) The movie is, according to my Gaiman-fan roommate, a very masterful adaptation.

And guess what movie I have seen in theatres four times and will see a fifth time this Sunday? I'll give you a hint: it may have something to do with my new avatar.

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