It’s a dream come true when you land your first illustration gig

:) Hey it’s been a little quiet as of late, but that’s because there are many exciting things that have kept me away and on many travels… one of which is my new break out career into the world of children’s book illustration.

And I just landed a job! Will chat more later~

I Open at the Close: Some Tolkien Quotes to Inspire

So… It’s been terribly, horribly quiet around here — but the plus side is I have plenty of exciting adventures and tips to share.

It’s just been a bit of a whirlwind, but oh there will be Things on the horizon.

And a very, very important Thing is that today is the release of The Desolation of Smaug (And it happens to be my birthday, yay!) Another year older, not necessarily wiser, but eager to keep on pushing forward–and of course, very, very excited for Smaug. I’ve only heard good things (And arm-flails) so far, so I simply cannot wait to see it for myself! (Expect a review)

And, with that errata out of the way… Without further preamble, let’s get on with what you’ve all been waiting a rather long time for: Some inspirational quotes to close out the week :3 Home is behind, the road is ahead!

Gryffindor I may be, but I personally prescribe to this week’s Hufflepuff quote–it’s very important Food for Thought!

I Open at the Close: End of the Week Inspiring Quotes VIII

Psst

The secret is that I am actually not in the states anymore… As promised, this wandering girl has gone on many an adventure and is currently finishing up a week of service slash international healthcare in the Dominican Republic. More on that later when I can transfer some pictures and share my story from Dejabon to Santo Domingo.

But for now… For now let´s reflect a bit on travel and why you know you kind of need it in your life.

Travel in undergrad, study abroad or save money and travel after you graduate… Travel as a young twenty something, travel as an adult, travel in a caravan of old farts if you want, or travel with kids … just get out there!

After all, as JRR Tolkien once said: Not all those who wander are lost :3

NOTE: These quotes are NOT Hogwarts House themed, but may they inspire you anyway!

AND SORRY NO PICTURES THIS WEEK

1. “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.”–– St. Augustine
2. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.” –– Mark Twain
3. “One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” –– Henry Miller
4. “Do we really want to travel in hermetically sealed popemobiles through the rural provinces of France, Mexico and the Far East, eating only in Hard Rock Cafes and McDonalds? Or do we want to eat without fear, tearing into the local stew, the humble taqueria’s mystery meat, the sincerely offered gift of a lightly grilled fish head? I know what I want. I want it all. I want to try everything once.” –– Anthony Bourdain
5. “Every one of a hundred thousand cities around the world had its own special sunset and it was worth going there, just once, if only to see the sun go down.”–– Ryu Murakami
6. “He who does not travel does not know the value of men.”––Moorish proverb
7. “Traveling is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that familiar comfort of home and friends. You are constantly off balance. Nothing is yours except the essential things – air, sleep, dreams, the sea, the sky – all things tending towards the eternal or what we imagine of it.” ––Cesare Pavese
8. “When we get out of the glass bottle of our ego and when we escape like the squirrels in the cage of our personality and get into the forest again, we shall shiver with cold and fright. But things will happen to us so that we don’t know ourselves. Cool, unlying life will rush in.” ––DH Lawrence
9. “Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by.” ––Robert Frost
10. “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” ––Maya Angelou

And just because I love, love, love this quote by Mark Twain here he is one more time

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” ––Mark Twain

I Open at the Close: End of the Week Inspiring Quotes VI and VII

Hey guys! It’s been a bit busy for me around here–did you know that I am off to the Dominican Republic for a service trip? Aw yeah free clinics! ^^; More on that in another week or so — and if it’s not my volunteer work, it’s actual work!

Wow adulthood you’re not all that you’re cracked up to be, haha. But do keep on the lookout for some super cool posts that are scheduled to come up next week–including a cool explanation as to why I missed a few updates, haha!

And without further ado – here are some inspiring quotes to finish up the end of the week; bonus points there’s fourteen quotes, because we missed a week! Woo!

And if you need a refresher – check out an older batch of quotes here! (They’re kendo themed)

Happy travels, everyone <3

I Open at the Close: End of the Week Inspiring Quotes V (Kendo themed!)

Hello everyone~ I hope you’re all excited for this kind of cloudy but otherwise nice start to the NYC Comic Con Weekend! o v o I am particularly excited for tomorrow, but more on that in a minute — you’re all here for this week’s round of inspiring quotes!

This week is special, because this weekend is the annual Cornell tournament, and university-aged kendoka are making their way upstate as we speak! o w o It’s very exciting, and was one of my highlights about undergrad–alas, I can only cheer on my team from afar, but, I do wish them the best! がんばって！Give it your all, guys!

And try not to get injured, please thank

So today’s round of quotes take a page from Miyamoto Musashi–like him, hate him, or think his quotes are taken out of context (More on that on another post)–the author of the famous Book of Five Rings, the must-have text for kenjutsu, martial arts, and strategy.  Definitely worth a read-through if you’re currently someone interested in kendo!

PS: If you missed last week’s quotes you can check them out here!

And now with that errata out of the way, let’s get on to the quotes:

Wednesday Webtoons: Out of Sight

Hello everyone, it’s the Wandering Girl here and we’ve been kind of quiet as of late >A<; What with a rush of work (Ugh) and pressing social gatherings that will be remarked upon in photographic detail quite shortly

Actually, I want to now introduce a new feature of sorts: Wednesday Webtoons! You know, to get you through the better part of Hump Day.

So we’ll be starting off with a personal favorite of mine, with its perfect simplicity and charming detail. The music, the style, the story is brilliant–hence why I do love the animated shorts that come around.

There’s plenty of animated gems that can leave one quite happy :)

I Open at the Close: End of the Week Inspiring Quotes IV

Well today is an unreasonably warm Frey’s day! * A * While I currently have to slog through some matters for my internship, I have not forgotten you lovely readers and your newfound interest in reading a bunch of quotes, haha!

May they help you out a bit as we finish up for the work-week/school week!

Annnd if you missed last week’s quotes, you can check them out here~

Also dudes, here’s another week to serious Hufflepuff quotes haha

So there’s a NEW ‘Desolation of Smaug’ trailer

Did you know there’s only like, two more months until my birthday?

And like, two more months until The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug releases — on my birthday?

*Insert excited squee*

The Hobbit fandon rose from the ashes to speculate over the latest trailer, and while fans are swooning over Smaug voiced by Benedragon Cumberoar, I cannot help but mourn for my “own” version of Smaug. I’ve read The Hobbit ever since I was a wee sprout, and I am quite stuck in my own old ways–that is to say, stuck in my own happy version of Smaug’s voice, which was, in many parts, informed by the good old Hobbit animated movie.

Observe:

Ugh. There’s a lot I can say about this particular monologue. It’s one of my favorite villain monologues–complete with all the boasting and posturing you need for a good old fashioned villainous “MWA HA HA HA” moment.

:) Can’t wait to see how it plays out in theaters!

Budo Diaries: Wow Keiko

Hello! It’s nearly midnight, you know, the end of September, and you know what that means.

It’s time to wake up Greenday: 

Anyroad, on the kendo forefront here’s a very quick, very brief summary of tonight’s practice! It was a pretty normal run, overall, and I did myself proud by making it to the dojo early this time to properly change and stretch, ehheh.

Also today was pretty keiko heavy, and I got to go a couple of rounds with the intermediate class guys and also Jo-sensei. Which was kind of a mistake, on my part, since I was soundly beaten by Jo-sensei’s marvelous men strikes and counters * A *;; Way too fast–and of course, he knows I’m waiting for kaeshi-dou.

Need to definitely work on a Thing to counter a counter. Or be more aggressive instead of conservative with senseis. Hm hm hmmm.

What I did really well today: Stamina, honestly; Sensei was pretty brutal about having me take the beginner guys on one-after-the-other, definitely for their benefit as much as mine since it also gave me a chance to work on seizing opportunities faster while giving impromptu lessons and tips to the newer guys… I had a few fabulous men and kaeshi-men  today * A * It was brilliant!

What I need to improve on: Speed! Countering counters, countering people who are taller than me, compensating for my height disadvantage–you know, the basics. Of course, taking a bit of a summer break can really slow down tournament-ready senses *COUGH* Although, I don’t need to worry about competing as much as my kohai still at NYU!

I Open at the Close: End of the Week Inspiring Quotes III

What a fabulous Friday! Or a frabjulous Friday? (CALLOO CALLAY~)

Anyroad, you all know the drill, it’s the end of the week, my dogs are tired, and I just want to go home and eat pasta and watch Iron Man 3! But alas, we cannot have it all, so buck up everyone and enjoy these tasty tidbits of wisdom to end your week right! By the way, if you missed last week’s inspiring quotes, you can check them out here and gaze ardently upon my lovingly designed (*COUGH* QUICKLY DESIGNED *COUGH*) inspiring words from a week ago!