Alex Varanese

God I hate designers sometimes. Why can't this be real??!

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tick tick tick tick

Today I "officially" finished work on both my art folios. Yup. Both of them. I had a mammoth couple of weeks getting them finished, but ultimately I am extremely happy with how both of them turned out. It kind of makes me realise what it would be like to be a parent; creating and raising these two beautiful creatures to fully developed independent entities. And now, after a brief period of fond appreciation, I must part with them, and they from me, wishing them luck upon their journeys to Wellington (absurd parallels to my own parents current experience: noted).

I would complain about how little sleep I've gotten this past month, and how hard it all was, and the stress and all, but, honestly, I'd be exaggerating. It wasn't really that bad. Sure, I didn't sleep, and I was pretty exhausted for a while, and I almost completely disregarded all of my friends, but I made it. And looking back from this end, I don't know why I was whinging so much. I was totally capable of this thing. It was a challenge, sure. It pretty much dominated my thoughts all year, yeah, granted. But now it's over, I'll be stoked to be able to do it again. This year has made me want to go to art school. Not just to see how it goes, or because it's the next logical step. But because I REALLY WANT TO GO. It's also made me way more confident in this next year; because I have a plan to come out of it. Something to look forward to.

If, next year, I end up finding a life, changing my path, becoming a person or whatever this idealistic unformed human expects from non high school life, then that's awesome. I will continue that path. But if I go and completely fall of the rails, like, wipe out, shit hitting fan, end up miserable, lonely and without direction... then I get to pack up and go to art school. Bam. Solved. I think taking a year to play the 'come what may" card is not a bad plan. Because, ultimately, I'm not drifting. I'm doing.

I got to tick two big red ticks through my to-do list today. It's amazing how quickly the feeling of accomplishment turns to fear, of shit yet to do. I better get working. I still have to Schol Art submissions to finish.

Speaking of finishing; I finished reading Mayor of Casterbridge. And I have two more days of high school. Ever. Yeah.

Theatresports party tomorrow!

I'll be sure to put up photos of my babies soon.

Time for a celebration sandwich.

Do the Drew

When we were in Hamilton for rockquest national finals, we got interviewed by that Drew guy from C4. This was after a number of encounters with TV personnel, having had a mini-doco short thing made about our band in July (iiish?), and filming an episode for the Erin Simpson Show in August (I thiiiink). Overall, the process really told me a lot about how they go about making TV. From what I can assume, it's done quickly, efficiently, with as much forced emotion as possible, and yet with zero to no sentiment. These guys KNOW they're making disposable entertainment. And it's their job to churn it out, all with fake smiles and happy handshakes and best wishes.

It really demystified the whole process for me. I mean, the attitude they had resembled smugness, and yet they constantly put down their jobs. Like, they were aware that what they were doing was seen as exctiting, but like hell they were going to admit that. I dunno, it's really hard to judge their level of enthusiasm, to tell what isn't forced.

I felt sorry for Drew though. He tried soooo hard to be enthusiastic; like, fake smiling and laughing and asking us about our band name and stuff, which always delivers awkard responses from us (not his fault there).

I worry that this sort of happy veil is all these TV guys have got. What happened to the TV presenter people who were legitimately funny, and seemed to actually like their job/were good at it? Happiness is great, but it's not a substitute for humour. Aaah, well.

Anyways, here's an extremely awkward interview that proves none of my points. It's Drew vs. MGMT (he tried SO hard).

Makes Me Glad

I've been listening to The Magic Kids' album Memphis on repeat (WHAT??) for the past week during extreme arting sessions. It just fills me with painless happy happy glad times and washes away the hours of chair-sitting and neck-bending. They're all for the good times, and are promoters of the gf/bf, hand-holding idealogy that is oh-so addictive this time of year.

I found this video of them playing in a backyard somewhere with dozens of children. It makes me feel less worried about being in a band that children like (although, many of these kids seem to be crying). Kids love happy music. I love happy music. I am mostly a child anyway. Why worry about being badass? Let Mike Dirnt worry about that.

Sleight Of Hand

This year for printmaking, I'm using lot's of old images of stage magicians and the like. Through my research I found this video of Hugh Jackman promoting his blasphemic powers of witchcraft.

To-do

Man, these past two months have really disappeared. School for me this year has been an ever ceasing to-do list, so I've been living under self-imposed hibernation for a while now (see this time last year), forcing myself to do work that I've managed to go to ludicrous lengths to avoid (art art art art english english english classics classics music).

Procrastination is a young mans game. Being a young man, I take every opportunity to live up to this expectation.

For instance, I was given a copy of Thomas Hardy's novel Mayor of Caterbridge (a gripping account of the ups and downs of English wheat exchanges) on sign out day last year, preparing me for the 7th form Scholarship English class that I had managed to get into. The thought of completing ample preparation for classwork ahead of time (no doubt resulting in an engaging and stimulating learning environment) produced an excitement that motivated me through the first three pages of the novel. And that was where it stayed until about a month ago. I'm not going to lie to you. I had plenty of time to read it during the entire term we spent studying the book (an entire term that was essentially lost on me). And yet, I somehow managed to convince myself that the months lying ahead of me until the november exam provided me with endless opportunities to catch up, at my leisure, and read one fucking book. How wrong I was.

I'm currently halfway through, reading a strict chapter a night. It's actually not too bad. Everythings sosososooo melodramatic! Can I get a big *M* for melodrama? Look, I don't CARE that your daughters actually not your daughter but shes kept unawares while she lives with your mistress who's actually in love with your competitor who your dead wife wanted your daughter marying but she can't because she's meek but slowly coming to terms with herself and her hidden beauty but the townspeop;'.le hate you becaus...e you're actually a cunt but her!!! real fgathers!!! actually alive acxfnd reclaims her and yoru forieigi ntioe wheatiodknrojtbro88k;....8...ensobrietyoa..th. ntoiwu';.erbh religiousechosekpepe!!1!!

AHHRHGG IT'S ALL SO IMPORTANT TO EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE!!!!

I need to go outside for a moment.

My Family Jumping!

We're happy!!!!

Crafts For Today

Today I made a frog. Its fucking legit. His name is Kim Fowley and he's a rock and roll legend who knows the score. And he can jump like a demon.

Whatch him jump!! (nb. scroll very fast)



I forged him out of my classics assignment task sheet. Oooooo catharsis.
And I took my sweet time, not because it was difficult. Just because I'm a champ and I earned it.

"Well spent Wednesday evening Callum!"

Why, thank you blog!

"You're welcome. now...Shouldn't you be doing you're art research?"

Quiet blog. I'm taking my moment of pride.

I blog videos now. jk LOL!!

christmas 2005

Vampire Weekend Trailer from ezra on Vimeo.

Look familiar?

One of my artist models this year for painting is the wonderful Martin Mull. He paints these weird quasi-psychedelic images representing 1950's childhood and domestic life. I'm sure there's a bigger meaning in there somewhere but I haven't found it just yet. Here's a painting he did;


And this one;

Oh so awesome. I thought I only knew him from his paintings, until I researched the guy online and found that photo of him (at the top there. See it? Yeah, that one). I know.

It's Colonel Mustard. My artist model is freaking Colonel Mustard from Clue!!!



YEAH!!! THAT GUY!!

FLASHBACK: unpublished post #1

02/02/10 11:36 PM

"Ssshhhh... we're in the main block."

I got to school this morning about five minutes to nine. Oli and I can now time our respective routines perfectly enough to be able to walk to school in the mornings. We live at that awkward distance where walking takes forty minutes, but biking takes ten. But biking sucks when you're carrying a bass (and occasionally ends up with five stitches in your chin). I'm excited about this tiny change for two reasons. 1; it means we have to get up earlier... which means we get more out of the pretty summer mornings... and B; I am now not getting lifts. I cant drive, but I hate getting lifts. This probably will have to end with me getting my licence. GO! New GOAL!

It was the year nines first day at school today. They all were standing around the front steps in their new backpacks trying to look invisible when Oli and I arrived. The other monitors were off to the side, kicking stones. We were told to meet before school to talk to the new kids and make them feel less shit scared at arriving at the most ominous looking school in the South Island. Ominous, but crazy beautiful. It was unexpectedly difficult striking up conversations with excited and nervous year nines pretending to be unfazed by the whole ordeal. I would ask if they were looking forward to starting high school, they'd reply with a "Oh, naaah... huh..." exhaling slowly and looking anywhere but at me. There would be more of this sort of talk in their group, then one would say, as if asking about the weather, "So is it true that they throw year nines in the river?". I would answer with a strong yes, and move on to the next group.

...

FLASHBACK: unpublished post #2

31/05/10 1:21 AM

Chartfest - A Review

Yeah, so we won that Chartfest Competition which is pretty neat. It was cool to do interviews and try to talk about our band, which we haven't really done before. A question we got a lot was "So what sort of music do you play," which, strangely, is a very hard question to answer. We went with "Pop... uh, yeah, pop." But I wouldn't class us as pop, not just yet anyway. Pop suggests an awesomeness (ie. Beatles eraish Pop) that we don't quite have (but are growing, slowly and eagerly), but also has the negative connotations of that bland machine written verse, chorus verse style of writing that boy bands and such used in the 90's. I dunno... it's just something we need to decide upon really.

Another cool aspect was the fact that the competition made us (read: Oli) tidy up our myspace, and record songs. It's a great feeling to be proactive. Also, with Alex's photos, we've finally got a face, not just a name, if you know what I mean. We hadn't done it before, and it's really cool, seeing an article online about us, with a big wanky photo of us standing in an over lit field. THAT'S US! Pretentious as.

The prizes were pretty wicked. We got this mean as PA system and this cool framed trophy thing with a blank CD glued in (we guessed it's probably an old chart disc). Also, they let us play for 15 minutes on the James Hay Stage at the start of the concert. Oh so so much fun.

...

FLASHBACK: unplublished post # 3

26/06/10 6:53 AM

So so far away.

I've had a lot of Lyttleton lately. It's not bad thing, actually it's quite the good thing. Lyttleton is quiet and peaceful, quaint and insane (I would like to give an enormous colourful prize to whoever designed the roads there), and just so darn pretty. The buildings and houses sit tall, crumbling over each other ready roll down the hills and fall into the sparkling waters of the Harbour. It'll happen.

The only downside for me is it's so far away. Oh so far away. The journey their involves quite a commute really, and even longer if you take the public transport option (which I would actually recommend... the busdrivers on the number 28 are usually lovely). It makes sense then that Lyttleton stays so calm. You can't be stressed going there. You KNOW it's going to take a long time, so you just have to learn to be patient, and in doing so, decompress.

On Thursday night it was Custard Bears turn for a gig in Lyttleton. Marking our second gig in a bar, we were invited to play the cozy half-undergroud El Santo by Tono and the Finace Company (who are sick puppies).

...

note on the following:

I thought I'd publish these half-written posts. They're half-written, so not compelte stories in themselves, but they trigger memories for me, ones I'd rather not forget. Who knows, maybe you were there?

Know Thyself...

Let's face it, Socrates. You're a jerk. Just look at you, in your robe-toting ignorance. Fucking wanker strutting around telling people they know nothing, not chipping in his fair share of the political duties, whilst going on and bad mouthing the whole system anyway! Well, YOU think of a better political system than democracy, you mind numbing twat.

But NO, instead you claim ignorance, and yet continue to question the authority and organisational structure of a system that you choose to have nothing to do with. You then spread the word to a bunch of kiss-ass tyrants who take pride in bending your message to validate their self-centred political aspirations.

Go do something with your life. Why not take a leaf out of the sophists book? They did alright, eh? Despite being shunned politically, and disowned by any man with philosophical standing in Athens, they avoided living to the age of 70 in complete poverty! Poverty, Socrates! Look at you! You're an old man, this can't be healthy. Have some self pride. Cut your hair every now and then. Bathe for Christs sake.

Frankly, Socrates, I'm worried about you. Do you really have to be so fucking impolite to people? Just learn to accept people for who they are. And maybe, if you do that, you'll come to accept who YOU are. There's nothing more emotionally crippling than self doubt.

All I'm asking is that you make sensible decisions, and try to live out the few years you have left with a litttle financial security. Who knows, it could be fun. You've got a lot of potential. Just don't fuck it up.

Angst Monday

This winter I've been so busy gettting myself in and out of coats and beanies I've forgotten how awesome summer is. This has probably been a good thing actually, so I didn't torture myself waiting for the clouds to fuck off. Yeah yeah, I know how, it's terrible timing for me to start wishing summer would get here, with a rediculous workload and massive life choices to be made before that point (3 to 4 times as much art work as last year (schol inclusive) as well as 4 schol subjects plus cambridge english to study for, as well as a job to get and rockquest to win). But fuck that. I've got well back into summery music (on that note, when am I NOT into summery music). Best Coast is a beautiful album to do anything to... paint, read, nap, whathaveyou. But nothing has made me miss summer more than Girls. Fuck you guys. With your shorts and beachy ideals. Uber jealous of those northern hemisphereres living it up at the moment. Oh well... it's only gonna get colder for you. Hahahaha! Although, autumn was actually awesome this year, I aint gonna lie. But my ipod has thrown all this goodtime feelings out onto the street of technological dysfunction. It's terrible. I can't stand the silence! And no more rdu to get me through the afternoons with their quasi-awkward witty banter and local electronica/foreign obscure indie! GARR!!

Sooo many eggs

In the holidays we had an eggs breakfast with everyone. Oli made eggs, Georgia did mushrooms and tomato stuff, Steven did bread and I did tea. I think. Mum made DELICIOUS hollandaise sauce. Paige and Alex looked pretty. They probably did lots but this was a while ago so I've forgotten. SOO TASTY!!

Thanks to Steven for sick image (photo is a link to his sick blog).

Its been very quiet.

Yeah I know, it's been months. Although I dont think I want to apologise. This is MY blog, and my bevy of readers now have learned the power of that fact. I have had quite a wonderful winter though. And it's almost over.

The cherry trees have started to blossom. I had a cherry tree in my backyard in Opawa growing up. Every year we'd try to remember to take a family photo under it when it blossomed. I think the initial idea was that you'd stack them up and flip through them like some cool Home Improvement homage. Played so many awesome games in that tree, when we were still small enough to think it was a big deal to climb up it. At one stage, this grape vine growing on the fence started growing all over the tree. We thought it was a grape tree. Got mad confused. Teachers laughed.

Old story, anyway... so winters almost over. And it was an extremely enjoyable one. Il go into detail with various stories and photos. For now, here are some highlights...

- Paige and I reaching our 6th, 7th and 8th month anniversaries, all celebrated accordingly.
- The holidays.
-Busking. More than once.
-Making a sick Vincent Price tshirt and then spilling coke on it.
-Buying my Campus A Low Hum ticket.
-Seeing, like, 800 movies. Because that's what you do in winter. Movie highlights include; ALL the Twilights in one weekend, TOY STORY 3, Dumbo, Iron Man 2 (HUGE let down)Once Upon A Time in the West, The Runaways... oh man... so many more.
-Forcing Paige to watch Monty Python
-COOKING (and being cooked) soo much food
-EATING (and feeding) soo much food.
-Spending ALL of my money.
-Callums Night of Extreme Challenges.
-Custard Bear winning chartfest, rockquest regionals and generally playing SICK GIGS!!(w/ Tono, Gigglepop, Die! Die! Die!) and generally being uber productive.
-Going to Blenhiem to play Dixie Music.
-Meeting PROPS BOY!
-Being meagrely productive in terms of school work.
-My 7th Form Formal, and subsequent celebrations.
-possibly having a career opportunity
-Finding some of my personal limitations.
-Figuring out my five year plan to the vaguest of standards.

There were plenty of lowlights, some of which aren't fit for remembering. But I'll do my best.

Heres to Spring!

In other news, my ipods broken. Sad face...

Armless Fight

Because its Thursday and everything I thought I'd show you a game me and Jimmy made up whilst in Blenhiem for Southern Jam thing. And no, I did NOT break the curtain. And yes, shit does get real.

Poster Bear

I made this poster for a band competition. I hope you like it. It took me two whole evenings. It's done with collaged oil pastels, which is pretty much the best thing ever.

Bar Gig Bar - A Review

Dear The Press, heres a review for your reviews section in the paper on Fridays just before the movie photos and adverts and things. I think it will do just the tricket...

On Thursday (yes Thursday) the 13th of May 2010 I was really nervous sitting in my bedroom with Paige and Oli and Alex waiting for it to be late enough for us to go in the car to get to the bar in time for our gig. We waited for AGES. It was nine thirty by the time penisey texted me saying that they were on the way. So I ate a muffin and got in the car. Dad drove us there. In the car we listened to Yeah Yeah Yeahs songs to sike ourselves up. It worked. Alex and Paige walked us into Poplar Lane as I'd never been there before and would get lost if I tried to find it on my own or even with Oli. We just walked straight in! No bouncer or anything. I was relieved. Then we went into the band area room and met the sound guy named Mathew/Ben/Something I can't recall and he was real nice saying that I looked like freddy kruegar and started setting up mics. No one else was there but then Penisey was there and told me he got kicked out of home (SAD :(....) and Thom who was wearing SHOES!! which is a novelty for Thom. And others were there too but I dont know everyones names Im new. Then a surf band called Piha Rescue (geddit?) went up and set up on the stage and I got worried cause Jack said he was tired. He arrived and was all gc about it. His brother and my brother and their friends and my dad and jacks dad were all there to see us. We told them we were on next cause we were. Me and Thom danced to Piha and it was awesome. We did the Twist and had a "Play Fight" and bumped into this guy. They were all wearing sunglasses except for Ben Dodd. WHO is awesome as it happens and Penisey is started a band with him (GOSSIP!). Then they finished and we got to go up and play our songs (AWESOME!) We set up and got water and tuned our guitars and there were quite a few people at the bar including some friendly faces. We played pretty well. Olis guitar string broke two seconds into the first song! LOL! And the vocal mics were condensor mics which was pretty cool I guess. We played Fuck You Courtney, Safety Cheque, LPG Doesn't Grow On Trees Bro, Jessica, I Said To My Girl (She Looked Nice), Evergreen, and then we decided to finish, but Ben Dodd stuck his fluffy head in the window and said "play that Jazzy one" which we took to mean Cake, and so we did. It was well sick and everyone danced really well and clapped very loudly. It was very good fun and I was pretty tired as it was twenty to twelve. Paige seemed happy too which was awesome as Paige is wicked. Alex took photos (see below) for us which was nice of her. They came out topps. We didn't get to stay for Lonely Harris Club. But they were my favourites anyway. I was well gutted cause I heard they did a Strange Boys cover and I love them. I gave John a hug as we left though, and said thanks. He replied "Oh no worries. I really hope we go allright...Sorry for not dancing to your set. I'm not sure if I can play my guitar at the moment." But he did. I give the gig a wild 7 stars!! * * * * * * *

Photo Bear

Lovely Alex took some photos of our band playing our first bar gig and standing akwardly on some grass and in a tree. I got to scan them! It was mean! The gig was at GBM with Lonely Harris Club and Piha Rescue, two wickedly awesome bands. And I'm not just saying that because they gave us reason to stay up past 10 on a school night.

Disposables

Heres some of the photos taken off my disposable camera. It follows the days after my birthday and up until the eep a gig. Theres a real nice one of my parents. Thanks Alex for an awesome birthday present!





And yes. My birthday was as fun as it looks.

Birthday Party

I just realised I never told you about my birthday. It was ages ago (February 16th), but I recently got back my photos from the photo guy man thing developer place so I thought now is as good a time as any to fill you in on the greatest birthday ever.

This year, our birthday fell on a Tuesday. Amazingly, it coincided with our Bitch, Please practices for the 'Eeep a Gig' gig. It was Tuesday, and beautiful and sunny. I got off school an hour early than everyone else (which I tend to do on Tuesdays) and walked all the way to dog log park. Not that long, really, but Im trying to make a story out of this. When I arrived, toting guitar in hand, Georgia and Steven were sitting waiting, along with Paige and Alex! Awesome! AND they had a wiked pile of presents!! Apparently they had made a day out of doing birthday prep stuff for Oli and I. It was so exciting. I was giggling with glee the whole afternoon. I wasn't allowed the presents until Oli arrived, but I did get given my card from Paige. It was, and still is, the greatest present I have ever ever been given. It was hand made with copious amounts of cellotape and had dinosaurs and tape and stars and felts... Im giggling describing it. It sits now, pride of place, on my bookshelf next to my Lyttleton Idol hat!! Most auspicious (?). We then spent time writing homework for Alex because she's still in school and everything (much like me, but she complains more (although has reason to. Im just angsty)).

When Oli arrived we got to dig into our awesome pile of presents. Mine included: more cards! a choooodie!!!! (which was actually a card, not a present) a disposable camera (photos to follow) !!!! DINOSAURSS!!! LOS CAMPESINOS!!! WATERCOLOURS!!! HUMOUROUS COMICS!!! And other things... i think. They were all really wrapped very nicely (which I love) and had my name on all of them. Oli got nice presents too... But I cant remember what they were... it was over two months ago.

And then we sung songs in the park and jumped around and put on each others clothes and took humourous photos of one another and experienced general merriment really. Best birthday ever.

That night we went to Winnie Bagos for tea. I brought Paige and that was when she got to meet more of my enormous family. She did very well not to get overwhelmed and die from all the attention. Luckily, it was my birthday, so I generously helped her with some of it. We split a pizza... Half smoked chicken cranberry and brie, half ROAST DINNER. Yes. Complete with roasted veggies like pumpkin and potatoes and kumura and gravy.... OH YES. So delicious I wept. I got some really nice presents as well, from my family. It was a very nice occasion. I even got a beer. I got some really nice presents from my family. Sam gave me and Oli an Arj Barker Twin Pack (lolz) which was awesome, so we went back to our place with ma and pa and paige and grandpa and watched disk one, drank tea, ate carrot cake (YUM! Thanks mum!) and soaked in general merriment. I think it was a pretty great way to turn 17.

Il post the photos up next. They're film, so Il have to scan them. I hope that works. If it doesn't... uh... Il draw shitty representatives on Microsoft Paint.

Holidays

So the first term went all right. But all in all it was school, wasn't it? Oh, I did have the production (being West Side Story) and that was pretty awesome. Wicked fun all the way through, and the after party was quite memorable. I brought Paige. Yeah, I bring her everywhere now. Awesome, I know. She even came to Easter with our family (didn't she do well?) with declans and photos and foood and chocolate. After that it was pretty much the holidays where all life is real and happy and good. So we decided to go to thoms birthday party and make him turn 18. It was good fun.

Holiday activities include; hanging out with Paige way too much; cooking (mashed potatoes (twice), salsa, indian, mexican breakfast (for dinner), pasta out of thin air etc etc....etc); eating said food; drinking responsibly; sexy parties; sleeping... oh so much sleep; gig wenting (sidewalk meese, rackets, and others....happy birthday georgia by the by...); singing; watching films (finally make paige watch Superbad and Dirty Dancing... a couple of my favourites); anniversaring (bookaramaing... as well as duck feeding, hand holding, park kissing, bagel eating, movies watching, food eating.. all the good things); fort building (ROMG!); homework avoiding; bike riding; walking; room cleaning; new queen size bed assembling; napping in said queen size bed too much; and more things which probably come up in these photos...

Eeep a Gig!! a review.

On Saturday we all woke up really early and decided to clean Sam's shed for him. He didn't really mind, and we had nothing to do. It was a bit bung smelling so we sweeped up all the sheep shit. It was kind of dark and dingy so we decided to put up fairy lights (by WE I really mean Logan, crazy, Logan). We hated the feel of the room so we moved around all the furniture. It seemed a tad bare, so we chucked in all our band gear in one corner. At this point, Thom went "Eeep!" and we went "A gig??" and then we all said "YES! Eeep A Gig!!" and decided to put on a gig. Lonely Harris Club came over and brought with them a PA system and lots of fans. Then Logan and some of us went and warned the neighboors. That was fun. Then we kicked the shit out of everyones ears for four hours. It was real hot in the shed, but everyone still played really well. Thom especially, and I hadn't heard him play before. Bitch, Please were my favourite. They played real nice harmony songs and the drummer was well fit. Everyone who came was real nice and polite, and didn't smoke that much really. We even made enough money in the pity bucket for Samurai Bowel. We were so happy with ourselves that we went and busked in town, and then went to Ruby Suns and their gig kicked our gig in the teeth, but we didn't mind because we were well gone.

music blogocide

You know, I'm still kinda angry at the moment. So bloggers not that flash in my books really. I might just take like a fiver and cool down.... If that goes well, who knows.

I and Steven Made A Poster

THOMS! BACK!

This was a while ago, but I found these pictures on my camera and they're too hilarious not to show you. We had a craft day to make welcome home presents for Thom when he came back from Belgium or Denmark or something. Oli painted a tiger on a dog (no photos), Paige made a blue demon dog with red eyes and beeswax candles (no photos either) and I made Olis awesome cat tshirt (photos to come), and a fake swapper crate box thing which took 3 minutes (no photos again).

Then, Oli got bored at one stage and drew old man makeup on his face. Hilarity ensued. And photos. In backwards order.