lovin' it...but then again not so much

I have had an interesting past four weeks. I took a basic design class which has actually turned out a successful portfolio piece for my submission to the graphic design program. It has been an adventure and though not an entirely successful one a good one to say the least.

I have finally made a connection with faculty at PSU. My page layout (and in the past other graphics classes) is awesome. She's been doing graphic design for ages and she knows her shit. We always have good coversations about design and computers, exchanging useful information. Six more weeks of this class is going to be great. I'm really digging it now.

That's all for now! Byeeeee....

slow connections and headaches

Well, my internet connection is being a bugger these days. It is really fast, but the connection to start is rather delayed. It is quite annoying, but it does get the job done eventually. The only problem is running the internet on my iPod which doesn’t seem to like it and times out most of the time on our network. Thankfully, our neighbor’s WiFi isn’t secured so I’m free to bootleg his internet. I don’t feel bad about it because I pay for my own internet; I just have issues with my $45/month subscription. It seems to be working okay as long as I'm patient when starting up a new web page. Now if only the phone company were easier to deal with.

Well it is Tuesday and the week is half gone and I’m working diligently on my book for art115. I pulled some random idea out of my ass just before I went to class this afternoon, and of course it was brilliant. I really just have a mind for design. I surprise even myself sometimes. I will post the PDF of the book as soon I complete it. It is this kind of interesting artful take on something scientific. I took the idea of a single atom, oxygen, something rather banal and changed it into something expressive and understandable to a broader audience. I can only hope the end product is as well accepted as the concept.

Another thing though, is that Cooper has been driving me absolutely bonkers. He is going through one of those testy, whiny phases. He’s discovered that whining gets him attention, now whether he likes being told to shut up still being up for debate. Anyway, he is best when ignored. He will usually calm down within a couple minutes if he is ignored completely. The only bad part is that he knows the perfect yelp to basically blow out our eardrums. It sucks when it gets that obnoxious—I can’t even concentrate at that point. I just hope he survives the heat a bit better than he’s been doing.

Well, a lot happened today. Lots more to come this week. Cheers.

a wonderful weekend

I just sent off my good friend back to Salem. He is such a sweetie. We met a while ago when I posted an ad on Craigslist looking for friends. He was one of the few that replied and he seemed nice and even though he is overweight, he’s quite sweet and a great guy. He spent the night last night, and he and I slept very well. I was surprised that I slept as well as I did considering it’s so stifling warm. There’s something oddly comforting about sleeping next to someone you care about. It was so nice we plan on doing it again soon.

As I begin week four, I hope that the next few days are bearable as I have a ton of work to do.

a week of stress? perhaps, but it should be worth it in the end

I have completed yet another week of classes. With three weeks officially under my belt, one might think I was doing great, and I am but things are getting rough. As I write this on my iPod, I look forward to a restful weekend. I have tasks that must be completed, they are minor. For my 2D design class, I have to start making my final book. We are making a book that is free that will express all the very few concepts we have learned. It should be interesting to say the least. For my page layout class, I need to continue finding and formatting text. I have already found some phenomenal images that I hope to include in this book.

It is kinda stressful having to make two books in the same term, but the good part is that my 2D design class is all right brain and the page layout class is all left brain. So I'm getting both sides of my brain worked out and it's freakin' it out! :D I just have to lie here and listen to loud music and allow my brain to leave for a while.

On another great note, I am having a semi-boyfriend over this weekend. But before he can even consider coming over I've got to clean my room. It's so messy it's embarrassing at this point. Gross, gross, gross!!!!

Okay it's really late. I have more to talk about, but it will have to wait for tomorrow. Cheers!

party in...well I'm not really sure where, actually

Well another Monday has gone by and it was slightly good! I went to go see my counselor, whom I haven't seen for quite some time. It was a fruitful visit. We discussed how my mom and I are perhaps a bit too codependent on each other. I have experienced some unexplained anger toward her and we decided that perhaps Mom and I are a little too "enmeshed" as my counselor put it. I would have to agree. I think that what we have is wonderful. I couldn't have asked for a better intervention when I was sixteen. But there comes a time when the birds must leave the nest. I do believe my time has come to make some important strides toward independence. The only problem with bringing it up to Mom is she always brings up money...and since I have none she supports me somewhat. I would love to be more financially independent but that's just not feasible at this point. I would really like to find a few clients for whom I can design some webpages and other business stuff for but that goal seems like it's getting further and further out of my grasp. I have a few clients in the works--one of whom doesn't have any semblance of a website which is actually quite unnerving simply because creating something from the ground up is quite difficult. However, I do feel adequate enough to take on the job even though I've only ever done very simple personal websites.

Well enough chit chat...I have a long day ahead of me tomorrow.

ticking along...life is like a timebomb

I am writing this from my iPod once again. It's turning out to be more useful than I imagined. I had to turn off the click of the keyboard because that's just annoying. I do rather like the option of turning on a bit of music while I write. I can sit back and enjoy some Beatles or Depeche Mode and write some tunes-inspired entry. After this though I have to get to sketching out some grid patterns for my page layout class. I am really enjoying that class. As for my basic design class, I find the curriculum deplorable but it gets the job done so I may as well do a good job since it's so easy.

I've been surfing the web these days and have come across some interesting sites. I'll take some time to list them out tomorrow when my bookmark list is handier to get to. For now though I'm going to read this book about typography and sketch some...seems like my whole life is about sketching or making something. Ah, the life of a designer/artist.

thursday = friday

Well, since today is my Friday, I get a three-day weekend every week. It is very nice. I rather enjoy taking classes in the summer simply because I can chill out. Teachers and students alike are definitely more chill in the summer than during the regular academic year. And I think that I may have found a professor that I actually connect with at PSU. At UO I had quite a few, but here at PSU I have yet to find a really cool professor that I truly respect and admire. So for now I really like my digital design teacher. She is really cool, and she knows her shit. I really would like to see stuff that she’s done. I really quite enjoy going to her class even if it’s only twice a week…my 2D design class is another issue altogether, but I’m not about the let that get me down. I have to keep telling myself it will be an easy A even though she says she’s a tough grader. ☢

Good night!