RQL's avatar

RQL

It's Mahvel Baby!
340 Watchers704 Deviations
74.4K
Pageviews


Hey all,

Once again it comes to the time where a year ends and a new one will begin soon after. It has been no doubt one hell of a roller-coaster this year but I feel from absolutely everything that has happened, the good and the bad that I have developed immensely as a person, almost like someone completely new in a way haha! Still, may as well do a quick recap on what has gone down.

The year started off relatively normal, though the first main thing to happen was the trip to London for the UK Fighting Games Facebook Group 1 year anniversary meet in London. The original venue was shut down a few days before which was pretty crappy, but in the end we managed to get somewhere hooked up in an arcade and played a bunch of Street Fighter and other games. It was pretty awesome. The day after I made my first ever trip to Cardiff to meet up with someone that would over the year become quite special to me. I would end up making a few more journeys to Wales throughout the year, and her visiting me which was awesome, however there is no longer that kind of special connection anymore, but looking back it has been good and it really has helped in more ways than one. I feel now, just before the new year I can truly get out there and really enjoy things! In this time though, I did truly make some amazing friends in which I hope to see in the new year!

There was also the two MCM Expos this year in London, #11 was pretty interesting despite not going for the full weekend but still it was good to hang out with the guys I usually hang out with a bit more often! Also wicked to see other people as usual! #12 was good, but due to some circumstances could have been a lot better, however I did hang out and meet some of the most awesome Voice Actors ever, getting some cool photos with them as well! Richard Epcar was brilliant, he voices Batou from Ghost in the Shell. Such an awesome guy!

It has been good as well to hang out with the Ipswich crew, and really make stronger friendships with them as well! We hung out a fair few times over the year and all of them were amazing. I really hope we can up the momentum in the new year and keep on going with these hang outs! I was able to also host a fair few things with the guys from Ipswich as well. Always tonnes of fun to host hang outs! We used to do them a lot back during Uni so actually being able to host them personally has been great. They really helped me in a tough time as well so mad awesome feels towards them.

2013 has been the first full year living here in Peterborough as well. Work has been a bit of a roller-coaster in itself. Me originally being made potentially redundant, finding out I really didn't get on with my new department (though I had an absolutely KICK ASS interview, it was almost perfect!). I did however then go on to return to my original department, and I have passed the dreaded 3/4 month barrier of when department changes so far have happened so I feel I am secure for the time being. Looking forward to really learning more though. For those that don't know I work on the TV Channels Ideal World and Create and Craft, good ol' shopping TV.

Besides work, this year has been interesting in terms of getting out there! I have made countless trips to Nottingham in the name of the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game. It is a huge shame now the game will not be getting any more content, but I will admit, I have met some amazing people through it across the country. It also introduced me to Spalding as well, furthering the journeys this year!

Beyond this, we come to the local TCG shop in Peterborough, The Rift. I have found myself heading this small shop so many times this year because the people I have met through it are absolutely brilliant. Especially in the later part of the year, I feel as if I have made a wicked friend group, people I can hang out on a regular basis, play games and watch anime/films with enjoying each others company. It honestly feels so awesome and came around at the right time! Managed to host a few fighting game nights so far with them, and planning to carry them on in the new year! Still, it has been brilliant so far and I can't wait to see what is on the horizon.

There have no doubt been the lows this year, losing and also hurting people without meaning to. If there is one thing I hate is making people feel sad but I have learned, if you are not truly happy with how things are going on, you can't just sit around and let it carry on. Something needs to be done, no matter how much it may hurt there and then. Still, as I said though I feel like I have developed hugely as a person, well despite the massive lack of creative work this year. There was the NaNoWriMo attempt which wasn't successful however I have the basis for a truly cool journey to write about so I look forward to that!

Christmas was pretty rocking this year, really did enjoy it immensely. Seeing the entire family again after so long and having a day where there was no arguments, or debate, and just having fun was really awesome. My PC has returned, and my steam account is ready! Also in terms of Video Games. GotY for me? Pokemon X/Y no doubt. I have loved every minute of playing it, and I have actually through this game made even more friends! Can't wait to play even more, although for the new year I have a tonne of games to play in the backlog, as well as the new Zelda and also Fire Emblem on the 3DS. Should be pretty hype!

Cannot forget as well, I finally started going to the Gym this year, despite December not being the best of months for it due to illness and Christmas, next year I will get back into the swing of things. This leads to next year! I hope to really get back into the swing of things creatively, starting off with a sketch I have done for a friend. I hope as well I can carry on well, getting the body I am happy with and start really exploring the world of Cosplay properly. I hope I can keep up with things at work, survive, keep learning and see where the future takes me beyond. I want to keep on enjoying things with my new friends, as well as my older friends who have been there for me throughout the rough and good times! Can't wait to make some awesome new memories, and look forward to seeing who else I meet in the new year!

In the end of this 2013, it has been one hell of a journey of self discovery. It has been a wild ride, but I am glad I have made it. With that, I leave you with a pretty relevant mix, the journey of the year :).

See you on the other side people, enjoy!

Luke xx



Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In

NaNoWriMo 2013

3 min read


It's that time again! This time I aim to really get it all down and finished before the end of the month. My last attempt I came short, well by quite a bit and only managed what - 12000-13000 words which was quite disappointing looking back on it but this time I am taking a completely fresh and original idea and taking one character and building around her. I shall be drawing the character, who is called Xenovia Bulgart in due course :).

I was wondering is anyone else taking the NaNoWriMo challenge? If so lemme know and if you are on the website lemme know so I can add you on there!

Also is anyone playing the new Pokemon X and Y? If so lemme know! Would be good to get together and get in some games if people are up for it :).

Luke x

Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In


Hey all, so :iconartgerm:Artgerm was doing sketches of original characters on his Livestream earlier today and I was so lucky to have one of mine sketched! It was surreal to say the least! It was truly an amazing experience to watch someone so talented at his craft to draw one of my own characters, Jolenne Kasahara. The final result can be found here! Thanks again!

new.livestream.com/stanleyartg…

I hope everyone has been doing well, mainly been prepping for the National Novel Writing Month coming up, as well as getting hyped for Pokemon X and Y coming out next month! It is truly going to be amazing, so excited!

Until the next one, have a good one!
Luke x

Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In


Hey all, you know that feeling when there is tonnes of things to do, and you begin to really get through them? Feels so good! Been getting through a bunch of errands that needs doing for a while and hopefully when I have done everything I will have hardly anything to do in terms of important things so fingers crossed this is when I can tackle some drawing practice. Was pretty happy with some anatomy practice I did last week.

Tidying up is next up on the agenda now and after that and a bit of a clear out I will hopefully be able to sort out all of my older Yu-Gi-Oh and Warcraft trading cards into groups and keep them stored somewhere. Bad news as of late that the WoW TCG will be coming to a close with no new sets, but alas it has been an amazing game to play and I will continue to as long as people would like to! We got a huge event coming up in Nottingham at Chimera on the 9th and 10th of November which is set to be truly something special and well worth getting down for.

Besides tidying up getting done and organising things, I can say the next thing to potentially get done is to finish Tales of the Abyss! After that I can make a start on either Tales of Graces F, or Tales of Xillia. As soon as all the Tales of Games I have are completed, I would be very tempted to replay Tales of the Abyss again! But in other games I may then get Fire Emblem: Awakening to play before Pokemon X and Y comes out in October. I got a bit of a backlog to get through so fingers crossed I can get through as much as possible!

Getting back into the Gym routine now as well which is great! The advantage of a late shift is it lets you do things before work if you get up in time! Going to ask on the Monday how I can target particular areas and get a more solid routine going then from there I can hopefully find out the best foods to eat right now to assist me. 

Hope everyone has been doing well. Have you been getting through a lot of stuff as of late?

Luke x


Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In


Hey all, been playing Tales of the Abyss a bit recently aiming to complete it in the next week or so if possible and wondered if there was many of you peoples that actually plays the "Tales of" series at all? I got after Abyss Graces F and Xillia to play, gah! A lot to catch up on but hopefully will give us an excuse to get the PS3 back up and running. 

Also does anyone watch Breaking Bad? Not yet started it but I got series 1-4 lined up in terms of the DVD box set. On a scale of 1 to 10, how quickly should I start watching it?

Artwork wise I did a little practice in terms of anatomy, and I plan to go over the result and bring back Sugimoto Yakama, one of the first ever characters I designed on here. I really look forward to bringing him back up into the modern light as it has been a fair few years since I have drawn him. If I do a digital version that will be down the line a bit. Currently going to focus on the pencil side of things for the moment!

Anyways guys until the next update, have a good one!

Luke x


Join the community to add your comment. Already a deviant? Log In
Featured

And with this, 2013 is over, 2014 inbound! by RQL, journal

NaNoWriMo 2013 by RQL, journal

Quite the amazing day! by RQL, journal

Getting down to business. by RQL, journal

Devious Journal Entry by RQL, journal