Archive for February, 2014

We Think We Know You.

Posted: February 26, 2014 by Angel Young in Life
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So, I recently watched (and then rewatched) Bo Burnham’s “what.” – which I’ll refer to as a comedy special, even though his performance was that and so much more. Look him up on YouTube if you aren’t easily offended. And even if you are… get over it for a few minutes. He’s a breath of fresh air and brings me great joy, even on dark days.

Point is, his final segment is incredibly inspiring to me:

Hopefully, you watched the video.

Anyway. I have this problem a lot with random friends, acquaintances, family, etc. Whenever stuff is going right in my life – i.e. New article/photo published, new interview, I mention filming, or they see a new profile pic of me and a celebrity… and BAM! Suddenly, I have a whole group of people come out of the woodwork that are suddenly my BFFs and closest of close family members, when 90% NEVER TALK TO ME EVER. 80% I’m pretty sure have never even LIKED me. Friends of a friend’s friend are suddenly messaging me like I’ve known them for years. While I am not opposed to new friends, I don’t appreciate the awkwardness of one you can just tell from the start isn’t genuine. Especially if the conversation drifts to…:

“So, I saw that picture of you and [insert celebrity/author/artist/whatever here], and I’m a huuuuge fan, could you introduce us?”

“You’re drawings are amazing! Would you draw me [insert random picture here]? What’s a commission? You mean you’d charge a FRIEND?” (Mind you, there are friends and instances I AM fine with this. But those are my long term friends, or people I wanted to draw anyway, etc.)

“I heard you’re trying to get a book published! You should give me a copy when it comes out!” (Yes, because what I really want to do when I’m trying to make a living off of my writing is give people I never talk to free copies. Sheesh.)

“You can use me as a model, because I totally would love to have some shots taken… But none of that weird stuff. Like, I want some normal pictures. What do you mean you want paid for that?!” (Unless I find your face or the project we’d be working on together incredibly beneficial to my photography portfolio, it’s not too likely that I’m going to take some free pictures for you. I need to be able to make at least enough to cover the gas I used to get to the shoot. Otherwise, what’s the point?)

And really, I could just keep going on and on and on…

BelowYou

The point is, I’m not one above helping people out. I am fairly reasonable and usually can work something out with people when I know their financial situation may be a little strained or something. I’m also a fairly big fan of exchange – for a small favor or assistance in something, I’m usually willing to work out something. But I can’t give everything away all the time. I would defeat the purpose of creating things to make a living. This is probably a good chunk of the reasoning behind why I’m still working my mind-numbing day job.

But people will always think they know you. People that want something from you. People that are jealous and want to drag you down. People will always try to change you and mold you to best suit their needs. And you know what? Let them try. The people that matter know who YOU are. The friends and family that have stuck by your side even when it was hard, those are the people you can count on.

Let the right people in, and clear out the toxic influences in your life. Use the negativity and stress to fuel your motivation to move forward, instead of letting it hold you back. And I beg you, plead with you —

Don’t let success get to your head, or failure get to your heart.

~Angel

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere.

Posted: February 22, 2014 by Angel Young in Life, Travel
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In the end, our lives are a sum of our stories – the stories we live, the stories we believe and the stories we leave behind with others. Make yours worth reading.

DoctorStories

The above quote could probably be considered the most accurate way to describe how I try to live my life, and really the core of my beliefs. To quote Doctor Who: “We’re all stories in the end.”

I’ve never wanted to live an ordinary life. It bored me to think about. Now, it scares me. Settle down, have a family, work a mediocre job that you secretly despise, grow bitter with someone or everyone, and watch as years fly by. Before you know it, there’s no time left for all of the things you had once wanted to do. That scares me. It isn’t that I don’t want a home, or husband, or children. I want all three, actually. But I don’t want to give up my dreams for those things, and I see that happen a lot. And by no means am I saying you HAVE to give those things up if you get married and have a family. But priorities change (as they honestly should in many situations) to best fit the needs of the family. You work to support yourselves, and sometimes, if there isn’t enough cushion to start, everything else gets pushed to the back burner because you absolutely must provide for the family, first. There is nothing wrong with that.

Adventure

However, it just isn’t for me.

At one point, I honestly thought that sounded just fine and I could try to write in what little free time I would have and maybe from there someday somehow get something published. But as I really looked at that option, I felt my skin crawl. How could I have worked so hard for so long for something I wanted so very badly — and then honestly consider tossing it to the back for a while to live a semi-normal life. I still heavily debated this option leading up to the Mysterious Sickness of Doom aka Sjogren’s.

But I’m pretty sure it was around the time of my actual diagnosis that I started to realize everything I had tossed away because I was, in fact, becoming one of those people that pushed their dreams aside. Except I didn’t have children to support, or a home to pay for, or anything that honestly justified, in my mind at least, a reason to push my dreams so far off course.

AdventureTARDIS

That’s why 2013 sparked the Adventure Overtime, in which I went on more trips in 2013 and did more than I had for quite some time. I set my mind to something and let myself have it. I worked hard to strengthen the writer inside of me who had grown so weak because her fire was dying and the Sjogrens didn’t help whatsoever. I started forcing myself to draw regularly again. I promised myself I would make 2014 even better.

And so far, I have – despite the horrid health issues so far. But we’ll get to the health and whatnot in another post.

SuccessCircle

The point is, I’m broken and beaten. I’m exhausted beyond anything sleep could ever recover. I’m busting my ass at a job that hates me and holding my head up. I’m writing and drawing and going places, and it’s all somehow leading to something more despite the countless people telling me I can’t do it, shouldn’t do it, etc.

I want so much more than this provincial life.

Anyway, I’ll have a few more posts for you guys, because I’ve been very motivated to give my blog some much needed TLC.

~Angel

Women of Horror: Model, Little Red

Posted: February 21, 2014 by Angel Young in Uncategorized
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“Little Red” – aka Skylar Wendell – is much more than just a pretty face. She’s still in the early stages of her modeling career, but with nearly five years of experience under her belt, she’s off to a decent start. Now she’s been a model for several designers – in fashion shows and online, as well as being featured on a flyer for Women in Horror Month 2011 – which debuted both online and in print. She even has her very first magazine appearance coming up.

Little Red is incredibly talented for her age, and definitely an on-the-rise model. She can pull off any look – from something sweet and dainty, to something alternative and edgy, to retro pin-up, and our favorite – drop dead gore-geous horror model. And while becoming a model had always been an aspiration of hers, she’d never really thought much about seriously doing it – until her friend, and aspiring photographer as well at the time, needed a model and requested Little Red’s help.

Now, I’ve moved on to some bigger and better shoots, and worked with some pretty talented people from all over, but some favorite pictures have always been delivered by Little Red. People love that she offers something new and different, but still incredibly beautiful at the same time.100_8320 (960x1280)

Now… How did she end up settling on the modeling name, “Little Red”?

Back in May 2011, we did a shoot with the stunning Daisy Von Doom, in which the girls modeled together at some kick-ass locations. Skylar was wearing an insanely awesome ring leader costume, which was bright red, as well as rocking some red striped tights and red makeup. Her nicknames on set for the day involved many variations using “red” as a theme, but “Little Red” reoccured a few times. After the pictures hit the internet, people began calling her Little Red. She liked the name and let it stick to her.

So, what’s next for Little Red?

With lots of changes going on in her real life, shooting has been a little slow lately, but that will pick up again soon enough. Not only has she become a main model for Way 52 and for jewelry designer Atlantis Found Jewelry, she’s working on some new projects to expand her modeling reach even further and combine it with other passions. So she’s definitely a woman to keep an eye out for!

You can find her on Facebook here.

~Angel

Women in Horror Month: Childhood Rolemodels.

Posted: February 16, 2014 by Angel Young in Uncategorized
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I’ve always been a weird child. I cut teeth on vampire movies, carried around a Wolfman doll I treasured (appropriately named ‘Wolfy’), and made ‘potions’ in the front yard when our new neighbors were moving in next door. The Universal Monsters have always been near and dear to my heart, and set a solid foundation for my love of the horror genre. But a big influence on my childhood and the girl I grew up to be were a handful of women, characters you could call them even, that my mother introduced me to at various points. I’d like to share the top five with you, starting with an honorable mention (aka, I snuck in a sixth person. Ha!)

Honorable Mention: Vampira

Vampira

Although she didn’t quite make Top 5, she did deserve to be mentioned on here somewhere for being a role model for Little Angel.

5.) Morticia Addams

Morticia

I alway wanted to be like Morticia…A true matriarch of her family, but also a little peculiar, but fiercely loyal & protective of her family & most of all she allowed her children to explore all kinds of ideas and curiosities so they could discover who they were and where they wanted to go. And all the while she remained supportive & available if any of her children needed her guidance.  What a Mom! What a role model.

4.) Lily Munster

Lily

Pretty much what I said about Morticia. I looked up to and absolutely adored Lily Munster. She was so beautiful, and her hair was to die for. She’ll always be my hero.

3.) Wednesday Addams

Wednesday

This pretty much sums it up:

Morticia: Wednesday’s at that very special age when a girl has only one thing on her mind.

Ellen: Boys?

Wednesday: Homicide.

2.) Bride of Frankenstein

BrideofFrankenstein

One of the most beautiful women, most tragic stories, most influential in imagery to my young mind… Just.. Yes. Frankenstein was one of my favorites (I adored the Universal Monsters, remember?), and when I saw Bride of Frankenstein… whoa buddy. I was in love. Definitely a role model to me, even to this day.

1.) Elvira

Elvira

Mistress of the Dark. The Queen of Halloween. And one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met – Cassandra Peterson, aka Elvira.

My mom has adored Elvira for longer than I’ve been alive, and was cosplaying her before that was really a thing:

MomElvira

That isn’t the best picture I’ve ever seen of my mom in her Elvira dress, it was just the only one I knew where it was at right now haha. But this was taken before I was born I believe. You could say, I was born to be the Queen of Halloween. Well,  I guess I was technically a Princess. You get my point.

Anyway, my mother and I did get to meet Elvira, and it was pretty much one of the best mother-daughter moments we could’ve had. I wish I had the photo of the three of us scanned in. I do, however, have this:

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I’m hoping to have a few more Women in Horror related posts for you before February is out. I’ve had a lot of health issues plus a trip to New Orleans to contend with, and I’m actually between procedures right now (had one on Tuesday, and due for another Thursday. Oh boy.)

Stay tuned, misfits.

~Angel

Little Update.

Posted: February 5, 2014 by Angel Young in Uncategorized
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I had no intention of disappearing like I did – oops. There has been a lot going on: Work stress, college stress (which ties into work stress, since it is works fault I cannot attend college), loads of health issues (more on that in another post), and randomly deciding to go to New Orleans…. Friday. Not to mention, trying to write more and making myself draw every single day again. I’ve had my hands full. But never fear, I’m getting back on the ball.

But happy Women in Horror Month! I shall definitely have an amazing post for that coming up within, say, a week? 🙂 To make up for my slacking off. As well as a decent, lengthy update on health and other matters, plus a New Orleans post. Sounds fun, huh?! Sure does.

More to come, lovelies! I shall make up for my absence.

~Angel