Quick little comic.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I just realized that I never posted this here, and that some of you might find this entertaining.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who has done this:

http://www.sarahluann.com/blog/the-artist-and-the-engineer-while-reading-the-queen-of-attolia

Comments

[canonisrelative.livejournal.com]

My sister totally trained herself to be able to do that. Not sure if it was cuz of QoA or Spock, though.... :)

Cute comic <3

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I guess I'll just have to try harder... maybe I'm not a lost cause ;-)

[checkers65477.livejournal.com]

Ha, I don't think it's possible to read the book without giving it a try.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'm not the only one :-)

[maidenbeckah.livejournal.com]

Lol! I can actually raise my right eyebrow, and according to my family every time I read that Attolia or Gen was raising their's, I raised mine too. :D

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

Its funny, the things we do without even realizing it. But when I read, this usually comes in the form of sounds I make rather than faces. :-)

[freenarnian.livejournal.com]

I loved that moment, when Eddis noticed Gen picking up that expression from Attolia, proving that it wasn't just Gen changing Irene--she was changing him. It might have been the beginning of my long road to forgiving her for what she did to him. I guess you could say Gen and Irene were changing me. :1

Alas, I can't make my own face cooperate. Attempting it merely adds wrinkles to my forehead!

I can blush like Sophos, however.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

It was a great "Show-don't-tell" moment for the effect they were having on each other. Megan is so great like that.

I can neither raise one eyebrow, nor blush easily. I am merely good at appreciating those abilities in others :-}.

[filkferengi]

How's your Vulcan salute? That's what I spent hours practicing, in my dissipated youth. It was a kick, finding out it was Jewish blessing gesture Leonard Nimoy had borrowed and incorporated into the character.

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

That one I've been able to do since I was little. Its a bit easier on my left hand than on my right, but easy. Maybe we can blame starting violin lessons really young and learning to control each finger individually.

[filkferengi]

Do you still play?

[rosaleeluann.livejournal.com]

Nope, quit years ago. I wanted to focus on art instead of music. I don't really regret the decision, though everyone said I would. I haven't really played in years, but managed to find myself a man to marry who went through a phase when he wanted to learn to play every instrument, and purchased a cheap full size violin (and trumpet, and clarinet). He never played it, but I can pick it up when I want. :-)

[filkferengi]

Such men are dangerous; they tend to cover the walls with instruments, instead of bookshelves, as nature intended. Remember, the computer is the hoarder's best friend.

:)

[tiegirl.livejournal.com]

I taught myself to do this in high school. I considered it unfair that my mom could do it and I couldn't so I wasted time in class training. It's quite easy, actually: hold one eyebrow, then try to raise both. Because you're holding one still, the other one will rise. Eventually the muscles of that side of your forehead will be stronger than the other et voila! The eyebrow quirk, perfected. It is an athletic endeavor, so you must be persistent. Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect. To quote my high school diving coach. Carry on.


P.S. I actually got in trouble at work for doing this during a meeting. I tend to raise my right eyebrow while reading and apparently I was doing that while reading an edict handed down from on high. "Kristin, do you have something to say about this?"

Um, what? Huh, no. (privately laughing my head off)

[jessre.livejournal.com]

Great comic! Also your Attolia is fantastic! And Maia and Sabriel. So glad you posted that woodcut of Attolia here.

I've been able to raise either eyebrow (independently) since elementary or high school. Also flare my nostrils (together), wiggle my ears (independently or together), and wink with either eye. Oh and raise the right side of my upper lip into a pretty ugly sneer. The left side, alas, still needs work. Also I can make my eyes well with tears, but not enough to actually cry.

What works for me generally (assuming you want to acquire the art of expressive eyebrow lifts - seriously, these can be more effective than words!) is to do the action I want done, to learn what that motion feels like in my facial muscles, and then to practice until I can summon the expression I want on command. For eyebrows this might look like this:
- Raise both eyebrows. Do this a lot, staring into a mirror so I can see I've got it right.
- As I raise my eyebrows, focus on the muscles in my face that let me do this. (Concentrate on noticing how moving your eyebrow feels in your face and memorize the muscle sequence. You should know what it feels like.)
- Summon that feeling on one eyebrow. You know what it feels like to raise one eyebrow, now make your face feel that way. Move the tiny muscles in your forehead and around your eye that let your eyebrow raise. This step takes the longest, and takes a lot of staring into a mirror making awful grimances. It is also fun.
- When you can raise one eyebrow on command, practice with the other! (You can attain Gen-like heights of smug satisfaction by raising one eyebrow, then the other, and back and forth, at a friend who can't do either.) *Cough* Not that I've ever been that annoying, of course.