like I had hoped, but better

part of the preparation for the Exit Show/graduation meant putting some things in my life on hold. friends, music, non-research reading, etc. have all been on the back burner until my daily life was focused on more than pending projects. I hoped that I'd be able to pick back up at least somewhere close to where I was before. a little behind or in need of some work and tlc, but there none the less. well, here I am and it's even better than I had hoped. the music is back - I even picked up my guitar more than twice this weekend. still learning, but this time feeling my way along like I do with the piano, which I've played since I was five. I still plan on learning the technical chord positions, but playing by ear is actually working out pretty well. at least I'm not running over to the keyboard to flesh out a verse. as for relationships, the real friends are still around, picking up where we left off, the ones who maybe weren't so great have drifted off, and people who I haven't spoken to in years are popping up all over the place.

oh yeah, and I'm going through books like crazy.

life can feel like hell, but it's also wonderful, it's comedy, and it's beautiful too.

I didn't get much sleep last night. Too much coffee, too much still running through my head, and a very LOUD thunderstorm. Which freaked out the dog. Come to think of it though, I didn't see my cat until sometime this morning. It was a very good storm though - cool lightning, good thunder, and rain that drowned out everything else . . . obviously very loud overall. I love storms.

So here I am, at work, a little sleepy and a little bored. Good times, right? Yeah.

My friend Mat released his new album Tuesday, and I love it. There's some old stuff, some new stuff, and the photos that make you laugh because you actually know the person in person. I can't help it, and I do the same thing with Steve's albums. When you know the goofier side to them, it takes alot of effort to keep a straight face looking at cover shots. Make no mistake though - I couldn't be prouder of any of them. When you work that hard and that long for what you dream of doing . . . it's just the best. And on the other side, it breaks my heart when friends just give up and settle.

There is wedding stuff everywhere you (ok, I) turn right now. Makes sense, as it's a little over a month until June, and planning is in full gear. I'm just really thankful that I don't have to think about any of that for myself right now. However, the television special on the history and making of wedding cakes was really cool. It was on this morning (possibly for the umpteenth time) and made for interesting viewing while I was getting ready for work. Apparently some French chef was absolutely appalled that the English were pilling sticky buns on the floor and have the bride and groom kiss over the mound of rolls. So he went home and concocted a tiered cake. One even did it out of cream puffs (of course they used a different term for the puffs, being the French). There was also a former ballet dancer (male) who does these incredible sugar flowers that look identical to the real things. There's lots of color layering involved and such. It was all very cool from a sculptural standpoint, but it's still just a cake.

I read Blue Like Jazz (Donald Miller) recently. It's a good read, and very funny at times - more or less so depending on your church background. He recounted several points in his life when he realized "I am the problem" - not nessescarily the world. It's the kind of thiing I think about when I read or hear a debate on politics, issues, etc. It makes me wonder if the energy being put into the camera, blog, or air is the only energy being put towards the "problem". Hmm. The term "losers" comes to mind. I know of some community programs that could use some more volunteers. That seems like a better use of time and energy. Just a thought.

One week later . . .

My Exit Show was a huge success. Even with the Sculpture & Fabric Open House going on downstairs, I had a fantastic turnout on my own. So my friends and colleuges attended, and the feedback has been great. One person even commented that it looked like an MFA show rather than a BFA show. Cool.

Now I'm working on getting everything back in order. I probably would have started on Monday, if there hadn't been a portfolio due on Wednesday.

It's exciting to get everything clean and tidy again after the house looked like a fabric bomb had gone off or something. And with the back yard looking more and more like a rainforest every day, there's a lovely view out of the studio window.

So what else is new? I have a bracelet in Southworks, a juried show that opens in May. Graduation is in May (exciting). You will not find me at the cerimony though. No, I plan on sitting somewhere cool that day. What's the point of sitting through all of that heat when you don't even get to hear your name called? Grad school might be starting for me next fall (2007), unless something else comes up over the next year.