I've often been asked what it's like to be an Army brat. While it's mostly the same, there are some differences. Same can be said for any childhood, really.

I had a lot of fun making this video so I hope y'all enjoy it.

I'd like to give a special thanks to gyllenmaya (Darren) and missamerica (Lis) for doing special request records for me to use. You guys are awesome and I really appreciate it!

Since citing resources is a bit sketchy lately, here's a full list. 

Music: ashlaaa -String Orchestra (I can't believe how perfectly this fit the video, I barely had to fiddle with it)

gyllenmaya- FOR DEB! Panels 1, 2, and 3. 

mirtle- mountains, tree trunks and wishingstars

missamerica- and behind door #2 and cologne 3 (or whatever she calls it when she uploads it)

LittleBelD- Gobble Gobble

Crescendo- Christmas Candy

Sojushots- it's only a matter of time

All other images are my own.  Thanks for watching! 

I made the perspective and proportions a bit off kilter; felt it better represented life that way.

Because Hitrecord is apparently in cahoots with the insomnia monster, I found myself browsing way past my bedtime. My sleepless addled mind remembered an old PBS show I used to watch when I was a kid. The narrator would read a story and I watched as an artist chalked up the picture. I used to love watching the picture unfold. So I thought I'd see if I could do something similar.

Who needs sleep anyway?

Thank you to sfdetroiter for "Piano Top" that forms the canvas and to Ryan Cohen for "wintersleep" which set the perfect tone. 

This is a very rough edit, no sound.

It just occurred to me (yeah, I'm slow sometimes) that all 4 of the collabs mentioned for the new show tour flow together really well.

I tried to fit together a story from innocent child, being an outsider, getting to be okay with being an outsider but it show that it still sucks sometimes, hitting the road to try and create a new self, getting lost in the self destructive loops, trying to find someone with the same kind of broken as you, trying to hit the road to escape it but always falling back in. Finally breaking free and just going.

Not sure how well it succeeded but that was my intent. Hopefully one or some of our fabulous video/audio folks can make it something special.

It gave me an error when I thought I had gotten all the resources. Double checked with my sleep deprived mind, think I got them all again but please let me know if I missed any!

I loved Wirrow's Outsiders Creation Myth. This is how I see it. 

Pretty sure I got all the resources, please let me know if I missed one!

The only record in this collage that was not in my previously recommended section was the Sunset Tree one that I used as a base. I figured I could showcase a more diverse range of artists if I did it this way. Plus, I got to find some great stuff I had forgotten I liked. :D

I'm planning on doing another with just portraits filling in the sun and rays, but this one was an insomnia project and I'm about to burn out. I'll get around to it. 

Okay, fixed my layers so the face in every HR portrait is visible. It's gonna be another long haul to cite all the resources again. A great reminder to triple check my work before hitting record. *sigh*

At least I have coffee. <3

For the 1,000,000 rec celebration I made this collage of all the recorders I followed at the time I started working on this. 

Also, not sure how to cite some of the "bunny" recorders as when I clicked on their portrait picture it took me back to sinnamin's records. :/ 

Hope you enjoy and thanks for sharing all your great work!

(p.s. just wanted to say there are some people I was a little shocked to realize I wasn't subscribed too. I see so much of their work recommended by others I just figured I was. I fixed that but it was too late to add to this collage. Maybe at my one year anniversary. :D)

I'd love to see others collage their subscriptions or even hit a random browse choice and just do the people that pop up. I think it's a great way to showcase a wider group of artists and help us discover recorders we may not have found otherwise.

Sometimes people are upset about certain people or work not getting enough attention. I do agree it can be frustrating but I always try to look at a positive.

It's like this place is a big city. Just because they don't know my name in Brooklyn doesn't mean my corner of the Bronx isn't freaking awesome. I love the people I've discovered and the support I get from the people that like me. That's enough for me. *just my 2 cents* ~~Deb 

I went ahead and added narration to my rough draft. Please be kind. Words, either written or spoken, don't come easy for me. If anyone wants to tweak it, feel free!

Between the freebie software, lack of experience and too much niquil, I couldn't manage to add music as well as my voice file. It would be wonderful is someone could take the time to add music. <3

(I think I got all the resources, please let me know if I missed you!)

Here's the words:

Childhood. 

Happy and carefree.

Full of wonder and discovery.

Learning who you might be.

Learning you  might be a little different.

If you're lucky, you'll have great parents or friends to help you see it's not always so bad- being different.

You aren't hampered by what everyone else is doing.

Not contained by their reality.

You can run away with your dreams.

Sometimes it's the only way to escape all the normal that surrounds you.

It's not always a conscious choice- leaving the preset path.

It can be a little scary, and sad.

But it can be exhilirating!

The freedom to remake yourself whenever you want and to run down whichever road catches your eye.

Meeting someone with the same kind of weird as you.

Losing yourself in a mad and passionate love.....until it ends.

And that's okay, you say.

There's always a different road, leading to a different town full of different people. 

Always another road.

Again and again.

You begin to see that maybe it's not that different after all.

But you keep trying and each loop around is harder and harder becaue you know damned well that you are the only common denominator. 

And all you can see is the trail of wasted time stretching out behind you.

But there is more time.

You don't know how much, but it is there. 

And it's full of possibilities you don't dare dream of.

Not yet.

For now, it's enough to know that there is still time to get off the road you are on.

There is always another road.