dygel's gallery

Channel Description:

Latest Articles in this Channel:

09/02/04--21:17: New Feature: Deviation Storage Room (chan 2072467)




Ever want to take a deviation off your user page for one reason or another? Not to delete it, along with all the comments it's accumulated, but to just hide it from your gallery for a time. You now have that option using the new personal gallery management tool just released - the Deviation Storage Room.

In a brick and mortar gallery, there's nothing at all preventing you from taking a work of art hanging on the the wall and sticking it in the back room for a while. Here at deviantART, that hasn't been an option until now. You could delete your deviation, but then you lose any of the criticism and the critiques that have been attached to t


09/05/04--19:04: Fella's Linspire Wallpaper Contest (chan 2072467)




 Introducing Fella's Linspire (Not Lindows) Wallpaper Contest
For anyone who isn't in the know, Linspire™ (formerly known as Lindows) is a fully-featured operating system that offers the flexibility and stability of Linux while providing the ease of use found in Windows XP® and Mac OS X®. Linspire is a low cost alternative to Microsoft® operating systems with real appeal to those who don't want to plunge into the deep end with Linux, but don't want to cower in the shadow of the Microsoft® titan forever.

To celebrate the formal announcement of Linspire's name change from Lindows (because who would want their company a


09/10/04--09:03: Zombiepedia Logo Contest Winner (chan 2072467)




(Note: If you don't know what this contest is about, you should read my previous journal entry, Side Project: Zombiepedia for more information.)

Thanks to everyone who submitted a logo for my contest! It's time now to announce the winner of the contest so that the development team and I can begin putting together the Zombiepedia website. Without further ado, I present the winner:

:thumb9970292:
Zombiepedia.com Logo by :devseenew:
As such, I've credited :devseenew:'s account with six months of subscription time and my heart-felt thanks.

There was a runner up, as well. An effort strong enough that it compels me to recognize it:

:t


09/20/04--14:37: The Perils of Being In Charge (chan 2072467)




For anyone who's ever thought that working for deviantART is all fun and games, here's a reality check for you. I've just had to notify a number of current staff members that, due to internal developments and staff restructuring, I have to terminate their position.

This kind of work isn't all fun work and celebrity. Today, I had to break the hearts of these people who have had nothing but admirable dedication to deviantART. Do you know how to explain to someone that you don't need them, but that it's not because of anything they did (or didn't) do? Try it sometime. It's not a simple matter.

Every day, I work on projects that are design


09/26/04--19:35: The Twelve Months of 3D Contest (chan 2072467)





Introducing the NVIDIA/DAZ Twelve Months of 3D Contest!

Calling all 3D artists pros and wannabees! DAZ® Productions, makers of the ever-popular Bryce® and DAZ|Studio, is putting together their 2005 promotional calendar and they want your help. deviantART, in participation with DAZ Productions and NVIDIA®, is putting on a contest to find the perfect art for this widely distributed desktop calendar.

Here's the rundown:
DAZ Productions offers a selection of 3D content and digital art applications. In addition to this, they're offering a low-cost Starter Bundle for anyone looking to get started with 3D art and plenty of


09/28/04--17:58: The Marble (chan 2072467)




I'm sure many have noticed by now that I've changed my avatar. (And if you haven't: "Hey! I've changed my avatar!") I would expect that this would yield mixed feelings from many of you, since I have for so long been the red batty.

:dygel:
I want to assure you, first of all, that I am not phasing out your little feet-wibbling friend. I am now and forever will be the red batty. But I have been working to change the face I exhibit to the general public online. I'm soon moving to Los Angeles and moving into a business world unlike what I'm accustomed too. I'm being introduced more regularly now to people whom I need as business peers. So, I w


09/30/04--12:42: So You Like Skins, Do You? (chan 2072467)




 Skins & Themes Gallery Director Vacancy
I'm in a bit of a spot here. Ever since :devnieman: resigned from staff, I've really been in need of a competent and qualified gallery director for the Skins & Themes gallery. Now, normally, I prefer to fill what vacancies exist on my staff docket by headhunting. In this case, however, I've had no success, and I have very few candidates to consider.

So, against my better judgement, this is a journal post advertising that vacancy. I really need an able bodied person working on my team in Skins & Themes and I can't just let it flop around while I wait for someone ideal to stroll in front of me.

I'


10/04/04--13:01: Linspire Wallpaper Contest Winners (chan 2072467)





And now, the moment that so many of you have been waiting for... We've tallied the Linspire Insider votes and the results are in. With no further ado, I present the winners of the Linspire Wallpaper Contest!

Grand Prize Winner
:thumb10941682:
Linspire is Real by :devspleenmuncher:

First Place Winner
:thumb10588807:
Black lily by :devLindaPeltola:

Second Place Winners
:thumb10840868:
Linspire Contest Entry 11 by :devmaxon:

:thumb10771482:
Defragmentation by :devm4h0n3y:

:thumb10877335:
Linspire is Penguin Juice by :devsmashmethod:

Third Place Winners
:thumb10623204:
...let's open linspire box by :devevil-pumpkin:



10/05/04--11:27: Linspire Contest Wrapup (chan 2072467)




Linspire Wallpaper Contest Wrapup
So, if you've been following along, I just wrapped up the big Linspire wallpaper contest. This was the first major contest that I executed in the position of Director of Contests and I must say that I'm extremely pleased with the results. The Linspire people were very happy with the very positive reaction to the contest and to their product. Their bottom line was they wanted to increase awareness of their product and get more people excited about using Linspire. This contest succeeded in a big way at meeting that aim.

We had over 4000 entries to this contest, and I'd have to say that at least a few hundre


10/11/04--23:04: 3D Contest Update: DAZ Offers $10 Voucher (chan 2072467)




As an update to the Twelve Months of 3D Contest, DAZ Productions has announced that it will be crediting all new (and existing) accounts with a $10 voucher to use in their online store.

This voucher offer gives contest participants the ability to stretch their options out a little further. The voucher can be used to shop around the online store for some extra digital content to incorporate in your contest entry, or can be put towards the 3D Starter Bundle and help you get started with 3D art for the contest and for the future.

New accounts at DAZ3D.com will automatically be credited with the $10 voucher as they are created, and existing


11/02/04--11:22: The Present Ignobility of America (chan 2072467)




Americans,
GO VOTE!


Most everyone in the world is aware now that it's a presidential election year
in the United States. Many of you are probably tired of hearing about it. Many
of us are hoping, praying, and sacrificing roosters for one outcome or another per our arrayed faiths. I feel obligated, then, to outline where I stand as we ride into the final week before the election.

First, I'll provide you all with a little bit of background information as a courtesy. I am not a Republican. I am not a Democrat. I am an independent voter, and I am equally willing to vote for men and women of any race, creed, color, or political party


11/03/04--13:09: Birthday Wishes (chan 2072467)




Today (3 November 2004) is my wife Kristen's birthday. You know her better as :devgalactose:.  You should stop by her page and wish her a happy birthday! :party:


11/08/04--15:05: TaintedMEET (chan 2072467)




Kristen (:devgalactose:) and I just got back from the latest Miniwichisconsindiana devMEET at :deveuphoria:'s place in Michigan. The agreed-upon title for the even was TaintedMEET for reasons that are best left undiscussed. Suffice it to say that gratuitious and graphic innuendo of a generally (but not exclusively) homosexual persuasion is at work here. I could draw you a picture, but you wouldn't thank me for the favor.

In attendance were myself*, :devgalactose:, :devderektion:, :deveuphoria:, :devvoodoo-prophet:, :devwitness:, :devjparadei:, :devost2life: (who flew in from the UK for this) for the whole thing. Also making appearances wer


11/09/04--18:22: Announcing The 2005 deviantART Summit (chan 2072467)




Since the deviantART community appeared on the scene in the summer of 2000, a culture of deviant gatherings - often called devMEETS - has evolved from the very roots of this community. For some, these meetings are a source of friendly competition: whose gatherings attract the most people? Portland, Oregon? Southern California? The Midwestern US? How about London, or Berlin?

These meetings take on any number of different formats, from sleepovers and a day trip downtown to visits to art museums and public art exhibitions. Every devMEET has been as different as the deviants who have called their fellow community members together, and tales fr


11/10/04--17:52: Twelve Months of 3D Winners Delayed (chan 2072467)




Due to larger than anticipated volume of submissions, the celebrity judges need longer than was initially expected to decide on the contest winners. The announcement date for the winners of the Twelve Months of 3D contest has therefore been pushed back until Monday, 15 November 2004. Great work, everyone who participated!


11/19/04--17:13: Twelve Months of 3D Winners! (chan 2072467)




First of all, I'd like to offer my sincerest apologies for the delay in getting the final winners list together for you all. We had some problems contacting some of the celebrity judges, and then matters were further delayed by my own primary workstation unexpectedly going down for 24 hours due to a CPU fan failing. So, without further ado, I present to you the winners of the Twelve Months of 3D contest!

Grand Prize - Cover
That Moment by :devredragon:
:thumb11219976:January 2005
Taking Off by :devaphoennix:
:thumb11587398:Feburary 2005
Assault by :devdeligaris:
:thumb11450243:March 2005
Power of Gold by :devrapman21:
:thumb1176101


11/21/04--20:25: Murray Christmas Card (chan 2072467)

Yes, my wife and I are that couple that puts a Santa hat on their pet and takes pictures of it. So we're weird. Get used to it. I took the photo and did most of the post-shoot production. Kris...









11/29/04--10:35: It's Go Time (chan 2072467)




I hope everyone's well rested after the Thanksgiving holidays (if your country celebrated Thanksgiving this time of year).

I know many of you took notice of the counter I had in the footer of my journals. The counter was counting down to when I left my now former employer, Fusion Broadband. I was a web developer for them and left their offices to change careers.

As of today, I am now fully dedicated to deviantART.

So, I know I'm well rested, and that's a good thing. It's go time. Time to make some real magic happen.


11/30/04--11:22: Announcing the Holidays 2004 Category (chan 2072467)




With the holidays rapidly approaching, we've decided to make better use of the Current Events gallery and add a Holidays 2004 category. This category can be used for any holiday purpose: greeting cards, well wishing, and so on for any winter holiday.

So if you're in the spirit to put together a Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Yule, or even Festivus (for the rest of us) deviation, check out the Current Events: Holidays 2004 category.


12/03/04--14:37: 12Mof3D Winners Enjoy Upgraded Holidays (chan 2072467)




For those of you who have been following the Twelve Months of 3D contest, which was concluded recently, there's been yet another unexpected update.

According to the original posting about the contest, winners were poised to receive graphics cards from NVIDIA's GeForce FX line as prizes. The FX line is an inexpensive (though quality) line of graphics cards.

In a display of overwhelming holiday generosity, NVIDIA has decided to give each of the winners of the contest an NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT graphics card instead of one from the FX line. These cards aren't just cutting edge. They're so cutting edge that you haven't even realized that it'


12/13/04--20:04: deviantART's Response To The NYCTA Photography Ban (chan 2072467)




Banning Photography In The NYC Subways
Many of you may have read the recent news article that was posted regarding the new regulations from the NYC Transit Authority banning photography in the subways. You can read more about it at nycsubway.org.

The reaction from our community has been unified: alarm, disgust, anger, and disappointment. Though other cities around the world have already banned photography in its subways, New York City should not be in a rush to join them. We members of deviantART value the freedom of expression we have enjoyed in New York City, and we have an obligation to protect that freedom.

Below is the letter I ha


12/13/04--20:13: Mobilize! (chan 2072467)




Question: What do the cities of Toronto, London, and Melbourne have in common that New York doesn't share?
Answer: Photography is banned in the subways

That's right. Residents of New York have been enjoying a freedom that residents of other major cities around the world have not - the freedom to use their cameras in the city subways and transit systems.

Consequently, this has resulted in a rather large amount of NYC subway photography. Here are some examples:
:thumb821703: :thumb2905855:
:thumb9804453: :thumb2214974:

Well, this is a freedom that NYC residents and visitors might not enjoy for much longer. NYC's transit authority is


12/15/04--11:18: Global Subway Photography Contest (chan 2072467)




The Global Subway Photography Contest
In order to sustain awareness about the proposed ban on photography in the subways of New York City (see also deviantART's response), we are opening up a photography contest encouraging deviant photographers to get into the subways (while they can) and do what they do best - create art.

There is no format for the contest, no special rules, no tricky requirements. Just submit your photographs pertaining to the subway systems of the world and that's all you've got to do.

The contest will run from today, 15 December 2004, until 15 January 2005 - five days after the end of the 45 day comment period on


01/05/05--16:31: The deviantART Clothing Contest (chan 2072467)




After years of requests, deviantART is finally launching a line of clothing - enter deviantART Clothing. The deviantART brand is a business venture that will not only provide the best artists on deviantART with incredible exposure and commercial potential on an entirely new platform, but it will also be marketed and packaged as a premium clothing brand that will separate DA from other apparel companies in the marketplace.

We are calling all artists to help us build this mega-brand by opening the doors with a contest. Each of the contest winners will have their art printed in the first series from deviantART Clothing. This initial series wi


01/06/05--14:29: Announcing The Artisan Crafts Gallery! (chan 2072467)




Anyone who has spent at least twenty minutes at deviantART knows that DA is home to more than just one kind of art. While the predominant galleries are Digital Art, Traditional Art, Photography, and Literature, these galleries do not make up the entirety of the DA society.

In particular, there has been a growing community of artisans here at DA, and together their voices have become louder and louder. They have been asking for a better structure within which their craft works can be exhibited.

At long last, we are happy to unveil the Artisan Crafts gallery, which is a gallery for those whose art doesn't fit within the constraints of two


01/16/05--14:50: The Smoky Mountains (chan 2072467)

A simple photo. A landscape of the Smoky Mountains. From *galactose's and my trip to Gatlinburg, TN just after Christmas. Taken 28 December 2004. Minor digital post production: selective brigh...









01/16/05--17:24: Freezer Burn (chan 2072467)

Part of the sculpture of the basin of a fountain in Carle Park in Urbana, Illinois. Very minor digital post-production: warming photo filter, brightness/contrast.









01/24/05--09:15: Global Subway Photo Contest Winners (chan 2072467)




The Global Subway Photo Contest has ended, and here are the winners!

Grand Prize Winner
The Munich Underground, a series, by :devherbstkind:
:thumb5035288: :thumb5035266: :thumb5041031:

First Prize Winners
The Subway, by :devpomadman:
:thumb12582830:

Bras In Red, by :devblagus:
:thumb14136048:

Chicago L Disco, by :devdogeatdog5:
:thumb13315798:

Second Prize Winners
Global Subway Photo Contest 3, by :devroyksopp:
:thumb13341943:

S-Train, Denmark, by :devferguskane:
:thumb13295589:

Connection Point, by :devdesanvium:
:thumb13973834:

The Hideaway, by :devintoxik8:
:thumb10787750:

Third Prize Winners
Hau


01/24/05--15:13: deviantART Visits The Anime Overdose Convention (chan 2072467)




To show our love for the anime community, we here at the deviantART headquarters are headed north to the Bay area on
March 4th, 5th and 6th to join in on the craziness of the Anime Overdose Convention.

On Saturday the 5th from 10:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m the infamous :devspyed: will be hosting a panel on deviantART and the impact anime has had on deviantART with the arrival of a large anime community.

After the panel presentation, the deviantART team will be answering all your questions in regards to anime’s effect on our technical team, our administrators and how it has infiltrated, as well as created several communities and sub co


01/25/05--08:40: The Two Hundred Photographs Sent To The NYCTA (chan 2072467)




Below are the 200 photographs from the Global Subway Photography Contest that were printed and physically mailed to the New York City Transit Authority. This project was done to serve the transit authority with a poignant reminder of how important subway photography is to so many photographers, and that their proposed ban on photography would serve only to frustrate those photographers.

You will certainly notice that most of these are architectural. That is a result of two factors. First, I wanted to present a strength of architectural photographs so that our message would not be misinterpreted as photographers insisting on the right to in


01/26/05--12:50: The Aftermath (chan 2072467)




Several people have asked me how the end game of the subway activities played out. I suppose now's as good a time as any to address the subject.

I have not heard back from anyone at the NYCTA, despite having written a letter, run a contest to raise awareness of the topic, and even mailing 200 prints of contest entries to the NYCTA. If I had heard back, I would have most likely made some kind of news post about it, and should I yet hear from them (which I do not expect at this point), I would do so.

After doing some checking around the web today, what I feared was confirmed. The proposed ban has gone into effect.

So, our voices were i


02/08/05--21:23: On The Path To The Summit (chan 2072467)





I can only presume that, by now, you've seen the hot topic about the deviantART Summit scheduled for June 2005. I figure I should take this opportunity to give you a little insight into this baby.

First and foremost, don't mistake this for your average deviantMEET as I've seen some people do in the comments of the news item. Have you seen the pictures of this place? This isn't a venue you pack thirty, fourty people into and call it a party. This is where you pack a full-blown convention into and really go all out.

Here's what we're talking about:
:pointr: Classroom-style workshops taught by deviants
:pointr: A wide variety of panel


03/01/05--13:57: One Year & Summit Advances (chan 2072467)




Okay, I needed an excuse to write a new journal and I've got a pretty good one. Today is my one year anniversary of being married to the woman you'd all know as :devgalactose:.


Just to clarify, we were wed on 29 February 2004. That's the 60th day of the year, which is 1 March for non-leapyears. So, we were married 366 days ago from today.

It's been a good year, and there'll be many more where that came from!



Now, I'm sure most of you have noticed the deviantART Summit update center now added to your Message Center. This will be your first stop for news regarding the Summit.

Ticket prices have gone up to $55 now, and so our n


03/02/05--18:36: DA Clothing Contest Winners Delayed (chan 2072467)




Unfortunately, for reasons that are mere feeble and sorry excuses, we are not yet prepared to announce the winners of the deviantART Clothing Contest. We will have more interesting news on the same next Wednesday, 9 March 2005.

We are very sorry for this delay. Those responsible for the inconvenience (namely myself and a couple of other administrators badly in need of a vacation) have been punished severely. :surrender:

We thank you all for your truly divine patience.

Update: No one's actually gone on vacation. I was only remarking that many of us could certainly use one right about now, though. :laughing:

Really, there's 1100 ent


03/08/05--20:40: Ticking Clock (chan 2072467)

Every now and again, I like to pretend that I'm an artist and make art! Seriously, though, what I like to do when I encounter a genre or a technology I don't fully grasp is to just give it a s...









03/09/05--15:43: deviantART Staff Returns from Anime Overdose 2005 (chan 2072467)




We're back from the Anime Overdose convention in San Francisco, California this past weekend. Admins in attendance were :devspyed:, :devdygel:, :devspot:, :devfluffy:, :devskittleboi:, :devmangapunksai:, and :devmelodymaker:.

We all had lots of fun, and many of us carried home our fair share of loot. Personally, I picked up an import Final Fantasy soundtrack, a plush soot from Miyazaki's Spirited Away for my wife, and a Full Metal Alchemist shirt to wear around the office. I know for certain that both :devmangapunksai:'s and :devfluffy:'s bags were weighed down with at least an extra ten pounds of anime stuff for their respective trips hom


03/09/05--17:43: deviantART Clothing Contest Finalists Announced (chan 2072467)




Ah, the announcement you've been waiting for... almost! ;) Oh, this isn't another clever delay notice. No, last Wednesday we simply weren't ready yet, but that's not the case this week.

The winners of the the deviantART Clothing Contest have indeed been picked, but we can't tell you who they are quite yet! Since part of the nature of the contest is that the winners are offered the opportunity to enter into a business arrangement with us and have the shirts printed, now we need to talk business with those winners. Once everyone's confirmed and everything is settled to everyone's satisfaction, then we will tell you exactly which designs will


03/31/05--13:35: Have You Been Commissioned To Create Art? (chan 2072467)




It's no secret that deviantART is the largest community of artists on the planet. With that fact in mind, we're interested in seeing how deviantART artists are faring in the global art marketplace.

Throughout history, art has been commissioned by individuals and institutions. Some of the world's greatest masterpieces - like the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were commissioned. Even today, artwork is commissioned for a wide variety of reasons.

Perhaps the greater portion of commissioned art is what is called work-for-hire in the language of intellectual property. This means that an artist is employed by an individual to create art for a s


04/05/05--09:17: Interim (chan 2072467)




I have spent the last day and a half doing nothing but talking with deviants about their Submission Agreement concerns. I'm working on a FAQ-style journal right now that should hopefully provide definitive answers to many of the questions that have come up.


04/07/05--13:46: Submission Agreement FAQ (v1.1) (chan 2072467)




EDIT: I understand this journal is still seeing some circulation. However, as I no longer work for deviantART, Inc., I will not be be making further updates to this document nor will I be responding to comments made hereupon.
- EAK, 17 Aug 2005

Okay, here it is. I've been doing almost nothing but talking with deviants all day yesterday and today, and the notes I've made were compiled to make this FAQ on the recent Subnmission Agreement concerns that have been floating around.

I'll talk to :devphae: and :devjark: and these will likely be added to the FAQ at some point in the near future with some minor adjustments.

If you have a ques


04/19/05--10:10: A Testimony Of Effort (chan 2072467)




You need to read this journal by :devspot:. Let me give you a little insight into where that comes from.

There's a lot of people who work for deviantART on various levels. Some of us are full time employees. Some are part time employees. Some are volunteers. But for everyone who does any work whatsoever for deviantART, it's a sort of dream job. I get to work with artists and build and promote positive things for people. I'm surrounded by fantastic works that grow from the imaginations of some of the most creative people around the planet. We're like a magnet for all things awesome, and anyone on staff can tell you that it's nothing short o


04/21/05--14:01: A deviantART Short Animation Presentation? (chan 2072467)




Are you an animator, be it 3D or 2D? Are you a musician? Want to be a part of a big multimedia presentation at the deviantART Summit? Read on for more information...

First of all, note that I'm using my journal right now rather than a news post because this idea is not official yet. If the prospects here look good, I'll look into making this happen and making news posts, announcements, etc.

With that said, here's the story:

Like most people do, when I got to college I discovered dozens of neat things I'd never tinkered with before that captured my interest. That's how I first got involved with deviantART - digital art was one of thos


04/27/05--09:49: Resignation (chan 2072467)




Effective Friday, April 29 2005, I will no longer be a member of the deviantART administration team. I have resigned my position for two reasons:

:pointr: Changing Directions - It had occured to me some time ago that, while I've very much enjoyed the work I've been doing for DA, it's not what I wanted to find myself doing several years from now. I'm moving in other directions now, into an industry where I intend to start my own business some years from now.

:pointr: Distance - Most everyone is aware that deviantART is based in Los Angeles, California. I, however, live in Urbana, Illinois - about 2,000 miles away. That distance was becom


05/23/05--12:39: New York Subway Photography (and a Musical Baton) (chan 2072467)




So, have you heard the good news yet? After months of internal deliberation, some maneuvering on the city level, and reflection on the public feedback to the proposal, New York City's Mass Transit Authority has opted to let the proposed ban on photography go the way of the dodo. This is truly a fantastic revelation, and I can't help but feel a bit of a personal victory in that those of us who were active here from deviantART were able to contribute to this. But it was you guys who did it.

Thank you once more, all of you who participated in the Global Subway Photo Contest, those of you who wrote letters, those of you who cared. It's because


06/10/05--10:31: Neil Braithwaite (a.k.a. randomcasualty) (chan 2072467)




I was just informed that Neil Braithwaite - known better to most of us as :devrandomcasualty: - passed away a few days ago. I know not from what, but I'm told he was a victim of cancer. Really, there's very little I know about the circumstances, but I'm in the process of learning when any services will be, where I can send flowers, and so on. Here's what I do know, however:

I brought :devrandomcasualty: on to staff a long time ago as one of the first help staffers. He was a massive help in reforming the customer service reputation for the company with regards to the website, since prior to his efforts and those of his team mates, help desk


06/13/05--19:05: Remembering Neil Braithwaite (randomcasualty) (chan 2072467)




The deviantART community was informed that Neil Braithwaite, otherwise known as :devrandomcasualty:, passed away last week. Unbeknownst to most of us in the community, Neil had long suffered from cancer until last week, when his stuggle with the disease finally came to an end.

As a community, we have suffered through the passing of members in the past, but Neil was much more than a deviant. He was an amazingly giving person, an upright pillar of strength that stood upon the foundation deviantART. Now that pillar is gone and the earth trembles around us at the loss; so, with the Braithwaite family, we will mourn what we have lost.

I brou


07/19/05--11:09: A Solid Favor? (chan 2072467)




Newer Update: I have indeed received the iPod, thanks. Just in time, too! I've got three potential contracts rolling in, so I'll certainly need it for the work that's ahead of me. Thanks once more to everyone who helped me out!

Update: Thanks to everyone who pitched in to help me out. I've got more than enough credit now, and once I deal with their slow review and shipping processes, I will be music-ified while consulting once again. I really appreciate everyone's willingness to help me out!

Can someone out there do me an absolutely solid favor? I'm doing some consulting work right now while I'm interviewing for full time positions. T


08/02/05--10:10: On Why You Came Here In The First Place (chan 2072467)




Some of you might have noticed that I've yet to say anything with regards to :devjark:'s unexpected departure from staff. This is, of course, intentional; I've wanted to maintain a low profile.

I do have something to say now, and I do so because it needs to be said and not because there seems to be a bandwagon for saying something about the situation.

Here's what it boils down to: if you want to ask questions of the administration, I wholeheartedly encourage that. I was always open to dialogue with folks while I was on staff and, while I might not always have been able to provide an answer for one reason or another, I think that's a goo


08/23/05--07:42: GenCon 2005 (chan 2072467)




(Cross-posted from my LiveJournal)

I went to GenCon in Indianapolis this past weekend with statichd3 (LJ). (:devgalactose: and :devvoodoo-prophet: hung out at the latter's pad and played WoW most of the weekend.)

Out main objective for going was to get started with Hecatomb, the new CCG from Wizards of the Coast, which was released this weekend. In a single sentence, Hecatomb takes familiar color groupings from Magic: The Gathering, gets rid of the white deck and dresses it all up like a black deck. It's a battle between would-be endbringers in the end times to be the one to reap enough souls to be the one to actually end the world. The


09/21/05--17:43: Requiem (chan 2072467)




I know I have drifted noticably from deviantART in past months. For this I ask your forgiveness; my own pursuits have taken me in different directions and I have not found the time to cycle back to here.

I come back today not with glad news, though. I come back to let you know that another friend has died.

Unexpectectly and without warning, :devderektion: committed suicide sometime between Sunday night and Tuesday night, though more likely the former. He was a young man driven past the breaking point by the stresses in his life; the rest is a tale that is still too fresh for the telling of it.

I will miss the man who was my friend. I


01/24/06--13:31: Taping The Wire (chan 2072467)




I am told my absence from this place has been noticable. To be sure, I'm flattered.

Please understand, 2005 was a very bad year for me, as I know it was for others. I turned 24 near the end of last year and, of those 24 years, this last one was by far the worst. If you've been a friend of mine for a while now, then you're aware already of the series of events of the first six months of 2005 that threw a chill shade on the latter half. It was in this already gloomy darker half that the painful final chapters of a close friend were written, breaking those grim clouds into a tempest that would rock the very walls of hell.

In terms of liter


02/29/08--16:46: Where's Waldo? (chan 2072467)




Gone but not forgotten, it seems. I appreciate that, I do.

Allow me to fill in the gap of two whole years for the folks whose radars I still register on. After my departure from deviantART, I did some freelance work for a while. During this time, :devgalactose: and I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. Once settled, I returned to the corporate work force. First I worked for a start-up company building software for government offices (mainly local government). I was starkly underpaid, the company was poorly managed, and there was a startling lack of subject material expertise. So I left there in favor of a much better employer.

For the last 9


03/18/08--06:19: Press Coverage (Translated) (chan 2072467)




So, what am I up to? Here's a bit of press coverage to lead into. It's in Norwegian, so the second link here is to a rough translation.

Gamer.no: http://www.gamer.no/artikler/kristiansand-utvikler_lager_mmo-spill/49660
Translated: http://tinyurl.com/2cly47

UPDATE: A friend of a friend translated this to English for us. It's not perfect, but it's loads better than the machine-translated version.



KRISTIANSAND (a city)-developer makes MMO games

The fresh game developer Web & Circus works on two MMO games for young players.

Web & Circus is a new game developer located in Kristiansand. The company staff is currently of five peo


03/18/08--15:29: My God, It's Full Of Stars (chan 2072467)




If you've not heard, Arthur C. Clarke -- one of the hallowed masters of Science Fiction and an frequent unintentional-but-uncanny predictor of Science Reality -- passed away today at age 90. If you're not familiar, this is the man who gave us 2001: A Space Odyssey and its successors. This is the man who dreamed up geostationary satellites before the rocket scientists did.

Athur gave us Clarke's three laws of prediction:
1.) When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
2.) The only way of discovering the


03/18/08--16:11: Arthur C. Clarke Dead At 90 (chan 2072467)




Fans of science fiction literature (or even cinema) should already be familiar with the name of Arthur C. Clarke. After all, this is the man who gave 2001: A Space Odyssey and all its successors to the world.

Clarke passed away today, 19 March 2008, at the age of 90.

Clarke was the unlikely oracle in the science world. He's credited with dreaming up the geostationary satellite (the kind that delivers satellite television or radio to us). He's given us Clarke's three rules of scientific prediction:

1.) When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that someth


03/20/08--23:05: Independence (chan 2072467)

A photo taken along the Mandal River from my recent trip to Norway.Buildings there aren't afraid of bold color. It's a world away from the often duotone aesthetics of American architecture -- if it...









03/21/08--18:56: Unconquered (chan 2072467)

The big secret is that I'm a hack photographer -- I don't create photos, I let them create themselves. (I'm not at all unique in this, but I digress.) Usually I do at least a little bit of color ba...









03/21/08--19:09: Nestled (chan 2072467)

Another photo from my recent visit to Norway.I mentioned in the description of Independence that I really appreciated the colors of buildings in Norway. It's bold and complementary in an innocent C...









04/13/08--17:19: New Print (chan 2072467)

Recently purchased print of Desert Town by ~dylancole.









04/30/08--09:20: 20080430 Desktop (chan 2072467)

All the hip kids are updating theirs...