EVERYTHING I DO IS ARRRRRT

And sometimes that's good and sometimes it's not. Today we had (late) midterm critiques in printmaking. We had to write down comments for each person and recommend 3 artists for them to look at. I felt dumb because I could only think of a few for a few people, and when it came my turn to talk I didn't really have any names to drop either.

Some day I'll just go to the library and read and read and read about allllll kiiiinds of artists and then I will be smart like everybody else.

Halloweekend was very fun. Kathryn came down and reminded me of what it was like to have a close friend. There were not 150 Pokemon but there were about 90 and it was still exciting and fun. I was happy to be a part of it.

The World Series has been a good time, even if we have only won 2 games so far. I've been talking to a Yankees fan that I watch them with in the lounge area. Despite being a Yankees fan, he's still a cool guy. He was a senior and a printmaking major for a little while, so it's good to get some info on that. There's also a sophomore Phillies fan who's been there a few times and she's also cool. Last night there was a Red Sox fan who I see in the print studio a lot and a Mets fan there. They all seem like nice people but I think after the World Series ends we won't communicate much. Still, it's making me a little more grateful to be living in an upperclassman dorm. I used to feel kind of isolated but now I realized the sophomores and juniors and seniors aren't as intimidating as I once thought.

So, people seem to be obsessed with pointing out how great the little things in life are.
Like that blog, 1000 Awesome Thing.
Or that Facebook group about sleeping on the cool side of the pillow (which, by the way, I don't understand. I like my pillows warm.)

But among all this, I've never seen anyone point out something that I always get such joy of and it got me to wondering...

am I the only one who REALLY LIKES being the first person to point out that it's snowing?
Like, especially in classes. I would (and probably will) always stare out the windows on days when I heard it was going to snow. Whenever I saw the first few flakes I might look around the room, grinning excitedly, or just tell someone sitting close to me. Eventually more people would catch on but I still liked knowing I was the first person that noticed.

WHATEVER

Greetings from the outdoors!

The weather has been nice and warm this week. You know, obviously, since last week it was practically December this week is basically April. However, that also means that since they switched the air conditioners from cooling to heating in the dorms that my room is way to warm and I end up sitting there sweating my balls off. So instead I am exiled to the outdoors where I can use my computer and be a decent temperature. It's actually kind of nice though and I wish I realized how nice it was earlier because I'm sure the weather will get really cold again soon enough. But for now I can enjoy sitting in the bamboo garden area and sipping coffee from my Hello Kitty thermos and typing and reading as the cars whiz by below me. (The bamboo garden is on the third floor but still outdoors.)

Today I wore my Phillies shirt and while I had one person ask me "are you from Philadelphia?" I didn't get to share my excitement about being the National League champions with anybody. I did see a kid in the cafeteria wearing a Phillies shirt and I almost said something to him about it but he was surrounded by people and looked like an upperclassman so I didn't. I know there are a lot of people from the Philadelphia area here, but I guess not many are baseball fans. Well, hopefully during the world series some more fans will show up though if the Yankees get the American League title there will probably be some angry New Yorkers too.

I think my break made my realize how everyone here is not like my friends. Probably some of them are, but I don't know it yet. Even so, today and yesterday I just didn't even bother to try socializing with people. Usually I'll look for someone I know in the cafeteria or try and make plans for after class or the weekend with someone in my class but I just didn't bother recently and have been happy being by myself. I don't really know what to think of this. It might be good, because it's less stressful than trying to make friends, but it might be bad, because I'm not making friends. Not that I don't really have friends, there are a couple people here I'd consider my friends, but I don't really have a group of people I can stick with or someone I can just be a tard with. Meh, I still have coffee and the internet.

Ok, blah blah blah.

Today I was outside with a few people during Drawing and I decided to take a break and look around for four-leaf clovers. Yupari (one of the people I consider a friend) decided to help me. And I found one! Then he found one! Then we found like 4 more! It was weird. I'd never found one before and now they were everywhere.

Halloween is coming up. I'm being a Psyduck. What are you being?

For some reason, I've been thinking in lists a lot. Maybe it's seeing my to-do list day after day. Anyway.

People that remind me of my dad:
-Anthony Bordain
-My printmaking teacher, Brian Garner
-Abraham Lincoln

Things I miss about home:
-My cat
-My friends
-Having a headboard (my bed here doesn't, it's annoying)
-Having a bedside lamp
-Having a bedside alarm clock
-My bed
-My family (not as much as I thought I would though)
-Good food, whether it be from restaurants or home cooking
-On that topic, cheesesteaks
-Having a microwave

Things people in class need to start bringing and stop borrowing from me because seriously this stuff costs money and we are like surrounded by art supply stores:
-Tape
-Push pins
-Paper
-Erasers
-Pencil sharpeners

Things that will either give me awesome biceps or carpal tunnel:
-Carrying my portfolio, art bin, and bookbag around
-Reaching way up high to draw because the easel won't lower
-Cleaning out like everything in the woodshop and ceramics studio
-Turning that big wheel on the printing press
-Punching in the faces of people who only do good work because they don't follow the prompt

Today is was warmer than it has been for a while and for some reason I realized this when I woke up and wore a dress instead of the sweater and jeans I was planning to. Usually I am not this person, usually I am one of the many people carrying a sweater around and sweating.

and ohmygod I wish my stupid ac would shut up

College life.
Ok, where to begin.

First off, I have no friends. I guess I didn't get the memo that the point of orientation was to find like one or two people to cling to and become friends with and instead I just acquainted myself with a couple people. So now I have a few people who don't even remember my name but... no friends. It's not that bad, though, and I wouldn't really mind spending all my time in my room and going shopping and eating meals by myself if I wasn't so worried that everyone was just thinking I was a huge loser the whole time. I try and make friends, but it seems like people just kind of brush me off when I try to be friendly. Whatever. It'll happen eventually.

Other than that, things are pretty ok. In fact, I actually kind of like it here. The city reminds me of Philadelphia in some ways, so I end up falling in love with it every time I go out. It also means a fire truck / police car / ambulance blaring its sirens every thirty minutes, but I guess I'll get used to that. My teachers all seem pretty cool, especially my print making teacher, who I think was the only one that actually directly talked to me. My work study... employer?... also seems like a cool lady. I'm still kind of adjusting to the level of what I guess is respect the students get here compared to in high school. Every time I turn the corner there's a swear word or a pair of tits hanging out (not an actual person... but on a poster or something) and while I have no problem with it, it's just pretty different. Haven't made any actual art yet, but certainly have the supplies to do so. I had to buy stuff I'd never even heard of before, and was seriously wondering what the difference between compressed charcoal and char-kole was, because they looked pretty similar. And why do I have to buy both? And what's bristol board and why is it so expensive?

I'm adjusting ok, though. Every once in a while I just get a rush of homesickness and start wondering why I didn't just go to Tyler... but for the most part I'm glad I'm here. I wish I could boast about how much I love college and how I could never imagine meeting such awesome people and having such and awesome time... but I really can't. At least not yet.

Fun things happen when you clean you're room!
Did I really just type that?
Check out the things I found/did.
( Drawings )

( Clothings )

I like staying up late. Sitting on my computer until my index and middle finger hurt from scrolling. And my head hurts. And my teeth hurt. And for some reason it was cool all day but now it's too hot to do anything but lay here in a lethargic daze. But I'm ok with that I guess. I think about how I wish I looked and all the things I should have done today, but not really in a regretful way because there's always tomorrow. And I can't wait for shark week so I can just lay on the couch and let my brain be filled with information that's totally interesting but I will probably forget in a few months. I think about all these weird opinions I have about things that I want to share with people but can't find a way to. Then when I come in contact with actual people I forget them or feel rude actually saying it. I think about how much I like board games and how good I am at Clue but nobody wants to play them anymore because now we are teenagers and we must do things that don't remind us of our families or our childhoods unless it's in an ironic way. But I liked my childhood and sometimes my favorite beach memories are not of drinking my inhibitions away but instead of playing Yahtzee with my dad on that little patio outside my aunt's beach house.

I like staying up late but it leads to sleeping in late, and while I like sleeping and being well-rested I always feel guilty and lazy when I do. I'm sorry I rarely wake up before 11, but I'd feel like shit if I did and be in a worse mood for the rest of the day.

Now I should take some Motrin to help my head.

Whenever I discover or experience or am going through something new I get kind of obsessed with it. Then I want to talk about it with people like all the time, but I eventually realize they don't care that much and I should stop. Right now this is happening with college. I know almost all of my friends are going through the same thing but the things I mostly want to talk about are either specific to my school or I already told them about. But... I can talk to livejournal all I want. That sounded kind of dumb but whatever.

I'm really kind of worried about college. More the whole living there aspect than classes. The building I'm living in is new and cool looking and usually reserved just for upper-classmen, but they put freshmen there too because there are a lot of us. This excites me and worries me. I'm excited because the building and dorms are really nice and hopefully I'll get to socialize with some upper-classmen. Worried because there's only a handful of freshmen here while there's another building that's entirely freshmen and has a very communal atmosphere. I feel a little like I'm missing out on part of the freshman experience at MICA not being there. I'm sure I'll have friends that live there and I'll be there a lot, but I just don't want to have to leave the fun to walk two blocks back to my lonely room.

I have my own room, which is nice. I also hope one of my "apartment mates" can bring a TV but I guess I can pick one up at Goodwill if not. There's a couch and desk already in my living area and room, respectively, which are both things I was worried about having.

I've still got a while, but it's like all I think about. I've been trying to find places online to talk about it with other college-bound folks and other than the MICA '13 group I have had no luck.

I also got a tablet recently so maybe I'll post whatever I make while I get used to it.

So I got some information about orientation recently, including a full schedule. Let me share!

Thursday, August 27, 2009
8am - 12 pm On-Campus Housing & Orientation Check-in
9am - 4pm Campus Resource and Vendor Tables
11 am - 1 pm Lunch
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm Parent & Family Orientation Session: Understanding Physical and Mental Health Services at MICA
3 pm - 4 pm Diversity & Intercultural Development Welcome (I don't know if I'm supposed to go to this)
2:30 pm - 6 pm Family Time & Saying Goodbye :(
6 pm - 7 pm Parent & Family Welcome Reception
7:30 pm - 9pm Community Living & Expectations
9 pm - 11 pm Tiki Party

Friday, August 28, 2009
7:30 am - 8:30 am Breakfast
8:45 am - 10:45 am Writing Assessment (Probably gonna suck)
11 am - 12:30 pm Guest Speaker - Jamie Washington
12:30 pm - 2 pm Lunch
2 pm - 3:30 pm All About Baltimore! Charm City!
3:30 pm - 6 pm Baltimore Walking Tours
6 pm - 7 pm Dinner
7 pm - 8:30 pm Sex Rules! w/ Maria Falzone (I guess some kinda safe sex thing?)
8:30 pm - 9:30 pm True Scoop Groups
9:30 pm - 11 pm Kickin' it, Karaoke Style (Maybe I can break out "This Love")

Saturday August 29, 2009
7:30 am - 8:30 am Breakfast
8:30 am - 12 pm New Student Academic Registration
12 pm - 12:30 pm True Scoops Part II & Campus & Classroom Tours
12:30 pm - 2 pm Lunch
2 pm - 6 pm Baltimore Adventure Tours (yay, adventure!)
6 pm - 7 pm Dinner
9:30 pm - 12 am Extreme Bingo
10 pm - 12 am Board Games & Hot Cocoa

Sunday, August 30, 2009
9:30 am - 1 pm Local Opportunities for Worship (can I skip this?)
11 am - 2 pm Sunday Brunch
12 pm - 6 pm Shopping Shuttles (Yay!)
1 pm - 4 pm Pick-up Volleyball Tournament (If this involves me playing volleyball then... no)
2:30 pm - 4 pm Art of the Critique
4 pm - 5 pm Money Management Workshop
5:30 pm - 6 pm Get Involved at MICA
6 pm - 7 pm Fitness Center Open House
6 pm - 9 pm BBQ & Live Music

So I'm basically done.
Tomorrow is my physics final, which I am well prepared for, and my ceramics final, if you can even call it that.
Wednesday I have to turn in a philosophy essay that I just finished, though I still need to proof read, and I have an independent study after that.
Practice.
Graduation.
OVER

High school was fun but I hope to god that college is better, but with no math how can it not be?

I love the moon.
I was really diggin' the sun for a while, but tonight I fell head over heels for the moon.

I've been weirdly health conscious lately. Not even sure why. I'm okay with how my body looks (though it be nice to get rid of that pesky bit of flub pretty much every female has around her stomach) and I don't think I'm all that unhealthy, but I've been trying harder to eat at least a little healthier, take some vitamins, and get some physical activity. Maybe it's because I'm just realizing it's good, or maybe because I've been walking less since Abbey's car, or maybe my recent doctor's visit. Not really sure. I want to say it's a good thing because being healthier is a good thing, but it's also making me worry more which is just unhealthy. Maybe if I just keep up with the good physical activity and vitamins and can eat okay without worrying as much.

I'm really glad the whole college process is winding down. Incredibly relieved to be accepted somewhere sweet. MICA was a place I really loved but I just wasn't sure if I was up to what they wanted. Now that they've accepted me I seriously can't stop reading the letter. I asked my mom to put it on the fridge because Katy's was on there but now I'm just getting all big headed about it. Oh well, I figure I get at least a week or so to enjoy it. It's really nice to be in that place where most of the work is done and I'm like 95% sure of where I'll be going. The financial aid is still an important factor and I don't know what I'll do if I don't get enough to go, but I guess I'll just apply for a bunch of scholarships in the mean time and keep my fingers crossed.

I wish my classes were more interesting to get me through this last semester. I'm really enjoying ceramics right now, especially since we're at the point where we can make whatever we want almost. I like what we talk about in Falafely and the book we're reading, but the people in my class are mostly boring or annoying. If you don't understand a book that doesn't have straightforward storytelling then why are you taking a philosophy class? Physics is just kind of dull. It's stuff I'm really not at all interested in but the class is easy and Mr. Rothenbach is a cool guy so I'm ok.

Whaaaaaaaaat?

I guess VHS is all hip and vintage now.

I am pretty good at not writing papers.

So here's what the superbowl menu seems to be at my house. Or at least what I can ascertain from the fridge.:

-Cheesesteaks. I was told with provolone, but I can only find Gruyere and Robiola. The latter of which I have never had before. But who knows, maybe provolone is yet to arrive.

-"The Baconator". Which seems to be called the "Bacon Explosion" by those who invented it, but my dad is calling it the Baconator. Made with pork and garlic sausage and maple cured bacon.

-Escargot. Not sure if this is going to be by itself or in some other dish, but there is definitely a small plastic container labeled escargot with snail shells filled with what looks like some green paste inside. Never had this before, but it actually smelled pretty good so I'll make sure to try some.

-Jerk chicken, fish, and whatever else my dad and Andy bring home. My dad called a few hours ago asking if I wanted anything from a jerk place he was at. I've also never had jerk anything before, so he said he'd just bring home a good sampling of food.

-Chips and dips. None homeade, I just noticed that Katy bought more spinach dip and we still have some french onion dip, so I'll probably be snacking on them a little bit.

-Lychee juice. I bought a box of this last night in Chinatown and plan to drink it today.

So there it is. A feast to rival Thanksgiving and probably more fat and calories than every previous wang wednesday combined. If I die today, please know it was a happy death and pour libations of pure liquid bacon grease at my funeral.

I am so sleeeeeepy.
And I am in Chicago.
The ride over wasn't bad, I got some (rull uncomfortable) sleep and played a lot of Kirby. I woke up probably about halfway through Ohio around 8-ish and got to see how damn nasty and boring Ohio and Indiana are. Snow and barns and trees and snow. It's also hella cold, apparently sometime when were in the Pennsylvania mountains it got to 4 below. Since then it's been about 12 degrees or so. We went to Three Floyds pub somewhere in Indiana for lunch where my dad drank three beers and kept commenting on how "bitchin'" they were while I ate like da best french fries evrrrrr. Shortly afterward we arrived in Chi-City and it was like ascending into heaven. Finally, life! Technology beyond EZ Pass! So I kinda just looked around at everyone all bundled up in their coats and hats and they have all kinds of sweet statues of like mythological junk here. Now I'm just sitting in the hotel room enjoying stretching my limbs and watching television since everything interesting closes at 5. I guess we're gonna hit up the Sears Tower soon and then get some foooooood.

Oscar nominations are out a giant WTF to the academy.

Benjamin Button for Best Picture and like thirty other things? No mention of Gran Torino? And didn't Springsteen win the best original song Golden Globe, but not even a nomination? Synecdoche, New York, Happy-Go-Lucky, and Let The Right One In were all supposed to be amazing and yet only one gets a mention?

Did I mention 13 NOMINATIONS FOR BENJAMIN BUTTON AND YET NO MENTION OF GRAN TORINO?

Also, people need to get over the Dark Knight STILL.

OKAY
CHRISTMAS STUFF

I got:

-Reserved copy of the Sims 3!
-Red waffle print longsleeve shirt
-Black vest
-Gray tweed-y vest
-A sweet sweater
-Another sweet sweater
-A sweet coat
-I won't get into details but 17 PAIRS of socks, tights, and legwarmers total (3 from Kathryn, 1 from Emily, 13 from parents)
-Bath bombs and salts
-Candle holders and set of 42 little candles for them
-Stankonia by Outkast and Eli and the Thirteenth Confession by Laura Nyro
-Mad chocolates
-Mad iron-on letters and prints from Abbey and Emily
-Blue penguin hoodie from Abbey
-Sweet robot shirt from Abbey
-Xword (do people say that?) puzzle book from Kathryn
-$20
-Pretty ring
-Coal

And there's some stuff I need to return and probably some stuff I'm forgetting. It was an awesome Christmas, though!

I think I've been watching too many movies.
Friday I watched Hannibal, today I watched Fargo, tomorrow I'll probably go see Doubt or Frost/Nixon or Slumdog Millionaire.
I think part of it is because we've been talking about movies in English and I realized just how many I hadn't seen. So I went and added Shane, City Lights, The Philadelphia Story, The Godfather, City of God and a bunch of other things to my Netflix queue. There are just so many good movies out there and they keep releasing more!
Maybe it's a good thing they're re-releasing the Dark Knight, because then they'll re-release everything else and I can just catch up on stuff.

Thanksgiving was nice. Great food was everywhere. Like, really great food. The only thing I tried and didn't like was my dad's pumpkin beer, but I think it's mostly because I'm not used to drinking beer and can't really get past the alcohol taste or something. I dunno, Katy explained it and it made sense. But because it was at my house we now have lots of leftover turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cornbread, pie, cheesecake, and homemade bread. So come over if you're feeling hungry because we've got food to spare. When I wasn't eating a spent most of the time hiding from my relatives meaning mostly my 6 and 8 year old cousins who want to play with dolls for hours on end.

Now I'm pretty much spending my black Friday sitting around and playing video games. Last night I had a dream where I got an iPhone and it was better than anything I could ever imagine, so if you find a mad cheap iPhone for sale anywhere then hit me up. From now until Christmas I'll probably just be eating turkey sandwiches and catching fake fish.

Why do I suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck