8.30.2004

Finally. I'm sitting at a Mac in the computer lab, with an hour and a half to burn. It's certainly taken long enough, that's for sure. Then again, it's barely even been a week since classes started, so I think that's pretty good. This is my "Flash MX" hour of the day, though I'm taking a break to update. I'm only taking 12 credits this semester--which I admit, for me, is strange. I've taken 15 or 16 credits every semester since I was a freshman, and now...to only have four classes? Well, it's just way too weird. So I'm adding my own "class" to my schedule, and that is Flash MX 101. I ordered a book called Flash to the Core from amazon at Cameron's advice andI'll be using it to teach myself. My goal is to have a really nice Flash-created portfolio by the end of the semester that I can send to Flagler with my application.

Can I admit that I'm really bad at the "opening" part of journal entries? I never know where to start. Especially when it's been a long time. So let me just get the basics out of the way for those who haven't heard from me in a while:

*I moved to Forestbrook, this great little apartment complex about five minutes from Caleb's place. I'm living with my friend Stephanie, and our place is awesome. Very cozy and full of records. When we get more finished, I'll post pictures.

*I'm taking the following classes this fall: Modern Poetry, Advanced Expository Writing, Gourmet Cooking, and Marriage and Family (it's a Psych class). Basiclly, I'm finishing up my english minor and then adding two fun classes to fill space. And no, I don't mind at all.

*I'm still working for Student Life, only this time at the East Campus Clubhouse (i've probably mentioned that before, but whatever). I didn't think it were possible to have a job easier than David's Place, but yeah, it is. I love it. I sit around and basicly get paid to read. And listen to music. And every now and then, tell people that No, they aren't allowed to wear a Speedo in the pool--and yes, they can use the playstation if they give me their student ID. Ah, let the good times roll.

*Caleb is having a great time working for Student Activities (planning concerts and trips and whatnots) and I'm definitely enjoying the benefits of being the girlfriend of a S.A. person.

That about brings you up to speed. Oh, and Liberty is crowded as all get-out. I've parked in the commuter lot once since I've been here. I always end up stuck in the pit/DP parking lot, which is eons away from everything. Especially when it's pouring rain like today (Do I have an umbrella? yes. Did I leave it in the car? yes.)

I've been spending a lot of time in Barnes and Noble lately, since I have a two hour break between my MWF classes--perfect time for eating lunch and reading. Also the perfect time for getting addicted to design magazines. Which is good and bad: good because I get inspired, bad because I want to do eight million things that I still don't really know how to do. I need art school, desparately.

For now, however, I'll have to rely on myself and my little Flash tutorial.

p.s.
check out Cameron's story of our little Charlottesville experience. Yeah, it was both frustrating and fun.

8.19.2004

Just a quick update to tell everyone that, indeed, I am alive. We just got internet connected at my apartment a few days ago, but right now it only works on my roomate's computer, so I haven't used it until today. Things are going well, but busy. I got two of the Ben Fold's EP's that I ordered in the mail today, which was great. I've finally gotten most of my room unpacked and configured, which makes me really happy.

Yesterday I jumped off a fifty foot bridge into the James River. Three times. It was amazing. I also saw "American Beauty," which was extremely good. Sorry if that this is so short and scattered, but I can pretty much guarentee it will be awhile before I'll be using a computer again. I hope everyone is doing well and joing their last week or two of summer-ness. Hasta!

8.10.2004

So this is it! (Wooo!)...ok I promise I won't break out in song (points to everyone who can sing the previous phrase and actually get the melody right). But I'm finished! Tonight was my final night of work. And, hopefully, it was my final night of ever working in Michigan. Mmm, yeah that feels nice to type. Tomorrow is just all the final packing and getting my hair cut and what nots. Which, I have to say, I'm really hoping that my hair doesn't turn out horribly, becuase if it does I'm don't have any room to let it "grow out". I'll just have to deal with it. Joyce is good, though, so I'm trusting that I'll end up with something decent.

I'm so excited. Have I mentioned that I'm excited? I can't blieve how quickly this summer has gone. As usual, I started it with my list of "to-do"s and projects, and finished it with only a few things crossed off. But you know what? I'm happy with my summer. Even though I'm bummed that I didn't get to go to any shows, and I wish I could've hung out with more of my friends, I'm proud of myself. I worked two jobs, and still found time to do a lot of the things I wanted. Like buy more records and scavenge Goodwills and sew more and finish up my website (all I have left is some of the portfolio section). Yay for me.

I talked to Cameron today--he has a cell phone now (so if you're a Sprint person and you want another person to add to your free "sprint to sprint" list, just give me a call and I'll get you his number). And on the flipside, Caleb doesn't have one (he's waiting till I get there) and it cause him a lot of grief today. Apparently David's Place is now the Center for Worship, and he had no idea where student activities had moved to. I'm getting the idea that the new Campus North is enormous, and I'm not sure how I'm going to like the way everything is changing. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all for change and for doing things better....but dang. We're starting out with over 4000 freshman (last I heard). That's just wrong.

Oh well. Not much to do besides thank Jesus that I live off-campus. Thank you Lord! And with that, I'm going to bed, so I can get ready for a busy last day tomorrow. Hasta!

8.07.2004

Holy Man! I can't believe how fast the past couple days have gone by. I blinked and now it's Saturday. Which, don't get me wrong--is wonderful. Three days until I'm back at school.

Whew. I went to the Webster's house (the people that I house/dog-sat for) on my break from work so I could walk their dog. Sadie (the...well, I'm really not sure what kind of dog she is, but she's not big and she's not small) is fairly excitable, but she calmed down enough to take her out for a walk. I decided that I'm really not a dog person. They follow you around everywhere, like that clingy friend you can never get rid of; they drool on you and lick you and smell funny; they bark and growl at anyone who comes to the door...dogs are okay, but give me a cat any day. My cat is wonderful. She sits on my lap, she's clean, she's neat, she's silly, and she doesn't chew things up or make loud noises. Yup, cats are great.

Anyhow, I got off work at 10 and ended up watching tv in the Webster's humongeous living room. With its fireplace, gigantic half-mirrored wall, bay windows, and sofa/chaise lounge, it was a wonderful setting to enjoy watching AMC on the three foot, widescreen, flatscreen tv. Ohh yeah. I talked to Caleb and Cameron (Cam is hanging out in Branford/St. Augustine for a few days) a bit and then went to bed. In a wonderful, huge, major-comfy bed. I love big houses.

I actually had all day Friday to relax--no work! I read, took a walk, drew (yes, I drew! I drew! I'm so proud of myself!), watched a little tv, and played piano. It was grand. Kate came over around 1:30 and we watched The Most Depressing Movie Ever: "The Butterfly Effect." I kept hearing from people that it was really good. Well, I've got news for you: well-made, sure. Nicely directed, great. Good acting: eh, decent. But the plotline? Terrible! Horrible! Morbid! Depressing! Ugh. It's one of a very small percentage of movies that I wish I hadn't seen. Bleh.

After we watched The Most Depressing Movie Ever, we were, well, fairly depressed. But Kate had to go home and Cork was on her way, so I was able to divert my mind from how cruel life can be (You think I'm kidding? Seriously, this movie was sad!). Cork and I headed over to the Detroit Institute of Arts. They're open late on Fridays, so we got to wander around the galleries for free. I'd forgotten how many paintings they have that I really enjoy--lots of Roethke, Picasso, Van Gogh, Florine Stettheimer and Miro.

We ate at Olive Garden, where we were serviced by our creepy waiter, Eric, who said things like, "I'm Eric, and I'll take care of both of you tonight," (in a tone that sounded like he was thinking about things other than food) and, "Oh, sure, I'll bring the ranch right out--if I forget, just slap me--in the face, that is." Eww, Eric was slimey. But the food was good, and I am in love with Olive Garden's "lunch portion" (cheaper than dinner and the perfect amount of food). We looked around Nordstrom Rack and then hung out at my house until eleven, reading pages from my cool Found book (thanks Cameron!).

I had my last day of work at Pottery Barn Kids today. And wow, what a last day it was. We were up to our eyelashes in busy, and it was lots of complicated merchandise credit, catalogue order, stock searching, back ordered, gift regeistry craziness. Every confusing transaction and/or customer service situation that exists happened today, short of being robbed blind or having the store burn down. It was that insane. On the upside, it did make the day go by fast, and though I'll miss PBK and the fun people there, I'm glad to be done with a summer of long retail hours. Now I have two five hour shifts at Ann Taylor and I'm outta here!


8.05.2004

Just thought I'd let you all know that I'm house sitting from today until Saturday night. And they have no internet connection (sad, isn't it?). So I'll be catching up on some reading and movie-watching and other basic hanging out-age. Enjoy your weekend, and look for another update Saturday night. Ta ta!

8.02.2004

It amazes me the kinds of conversations guys will have when they're working out together at the gym. Even when a girl is sitting no less than five feet from them. Today's, for example:

Guy 1: Arright, we gotta do abs next.
Guy 2: Dude, I'm getting so psyched...when we're finished with this program they're gonna be like, BAM.
Guy 1: Oh yeah!
Guy 2: Dude, I'll be able to wear a shirt with all the buttons undone--and the chicks'll just be like, all over me.
Guy 1: You know it bro.

It was all I could do to keep from bursting out laughing. Because, golly, the things it does to me when I see a guy wearing a completely unbottoned shirt. Like, for instance making me want to tell him he's a loser, and the Fabio tryouts aren't for another month.

Unfortunately, the more I thought about it, the more I realized...there are girls that are impressed by that. A lot. Way more than there should be. After a couple of profile views on MySpace, I can barely wrap my mind around how brainless and skanky so many of the female population really are. Now, granted, this is the internet we're talking about, and we all know how crazy girls seem to get with webcams and pictures and any other means that will allow guys to comment, "Whoa, yer hot!" Which is exactly the thing that annoys me: women complain that men are sexist and the media objectifies women and blah blah blah, yet the lines for Playboy models and the millions upon zillions of porn sites will never run low. Because somehow there are always fifty thousand girls ready to have their pictures taken. For what? For a split-second of feeling secure in their looks, for the armies of perverts that are more than ready to send them creepy emails that are laden with compliments? I just don't get it. Get a hobby. Go read a book. But for the sake of us all, find self-confidence without being a ho.

//end diatribe.

In less rant-y news, I got the most perfect Audrey-esque vintage dress last Friday. For ten bucks. Oh yeah. I just need to get the zipper fixed, but let me tell you: it's amazing. I'll post pictures once it's back from the tailors, but until then, I'll leave it at the fact that it's my favorite vintage find to date.
I actually found it in this awesome little shop in downtown Ferndale. The owner is a thirtysomthing year old gay guy, and I talked to him for three hours. I know, I couldn't believe it either. But he was so interesting! We talked about Europe, Old Hollywood, good movies to rent, books...it's the longest conversation I've had with a complete stranger since Wally, the owner of my favorite record store. And I really enjoyed it. I also enjoyed the live musci that Ferndale randomly had going--a dj and not one, but two soul bands--on three different corners of the street. Walking around amongst all the people who were enjoying the late July evening, I wished that Caleb were there to enjoy it. And I knew it was one of the things that I really would miss heading back to Lynchburg.

Which (woo hoo!) is coming sooner than I thought it would! I can hardly believe that next Wednesday I'm going to be back in Virginia. And back with Caleb, and David's Place, and the Mac Lab, and my friends...I really can't wait. This summer has gone by faster than I expected, and I admit I'm glad for it. It's sad that half my working money is going to pay for school, but I'm grateful that my parents have covered as much as they have.

Oh, random tidbit of the day--one of my co-workers told me today that a few months ago, a guy lost conciousness and drove through the main entrance of the mall. Yes, through the glass doors. Amazingly, no one was hurt, but apparently when it happened, everyone ran downstairs to see. Now, I don't know about you, but when I hear a loud crash and lots of glass breaking in a public place, and there's smoke coming up, I tend to want to run away from whatever scary thing that might be (curious as I am). Especially with the whole, you know, bombs and terrorists bit. But then, maybe that's just me.

I watched "Valley of the Dolls" today. It's an old sixties flick based on a novel. I was actually pretty impressed. It's mostly about drugs, fame, and heartbreak, but the directing was very well done. I wouldn' tgo so far as to put it in my top ten, but if you need a movie to rent, try it.

I decided I'm actually going to go spend some time in my room for once. Reading. And eating popcorn. This needs to be done, as it hasn't been in a long, long time. Hasta!