This will likely be a fantastic opportunity whether I am accepted or not; however, I would certainly prefer to be in than out.

If I do not “make the cut”, theoretically I will have more time to better hone my skills and improve upon the areas I am lacking in.

Until now, I have tried not to worry about whether I have a good chance to get in the program, but as the due date approaches, I’m getting more anxious.  I tend to try to focus on improving.

Someone once said “Always strive to improve.”  This is often a motivating factor for me.

Charcoal drawing for portfolio

A preliminary design for one of the parts to my Drawing Final

In any case, the past month or so has been fairly hectic and I’ll be relieved once I’ve finished everything I need to.  I only have about 3/5ths of my Drawing project done and I need to do a massive amount of studying for my 20th Century Art class, as well as finish my Honors paper and study for that test…

An accurate assessment of my current emotional/mental state is definitely overwhelmed.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, here are some photos from my Thanksgiving Break – Sand Sculptures at Saint Pete Beach!

So I typically just eat the yogurt, sigh heavily, and toss the lid in the trash.  It’s not that I don’t want to send them in, I really do, but any time I’ve tried to save them up before, my dad has successfully thrown them out.  The reason being that each lid is for $0.10 and the postage costs more than that to send them, so to “save” you would need to send at least ten at the same time.

Back to business

This is probably my third time in the University Student Center and I was quite thrilled when I walked in and saw a table stacked up with yogurt. So I put down my stuff and walked over to find out what was going on.

There is a lovely box on the table, decorated in fabulous colors and detailing the student organization’s goal of 1,000 pink lids (now through the end of the month) and there are amiable young women behind the tables.  One table for a beaded ‘ribbon’, and one with ingredients for a delectable parfait.

I think it’s safe to say that this was the highlight of my day.

Do you understand my excitement now?

September 6th, 2012: Now I am writing about the aforementioned book party & showing you an album.

Hunter Payne, a former USFSP student of the Graphic Design Program, is probably rolling around on the floor or drawing with China Markers right now.  Or he could be eating a leftover banana from the book launch.  I’m not entirely sure if he’s finished them off yet.

For Hunter’s totally radical book party at Studio @620, the fabulous Blue Bird Bus came out to celebrate, bringing its typewriters and carbon paper for impromptu poetry and word vomit.  I started to write a letter to my mom, but I don’t think she would see the merit in it.  Alongside the Blue Bird Bus, there was plenty of sidewalk chalk — and a whole lot of sidewalk to use it on.

Inside the building were four tables, each accompanied by a microphone that you were free to shout into at any time and assail the ear drums of anyone within the structure.  The walls were covered in Hunter’s art and could be kept as a memento or destroyed as per the artist’s intention.  A paper shredder in the center of the room (topped with a banana, no less) was the predominant spot for such activity, though the paper was hardly contained there.

At one point Hunter decided to flail around on the floor, then proceded to dance in a fashion I can only assume is his own.  To say the least, Hunter knows how to throw a great party.

Author Michael Grunwald

Rather humorous and light hearted, though quite serious, Mr. Grunwald has discussed something I usually could care less about. However, I am finding it very interesting.
Politics tend to bore me. Completely.
Enough so that I typically ignore them.
But Grunwald certainly caught my attention when he noted the media being “brain-dead” and speaking of himself as “the blogger in the news room who keeps saying ‘Bigfoot is real!’” when he was trying to explain to colleagues the benefits of President Obama’s stimulus. Interestingly, the stimulus has been far more effective than critics have let on. Clean energy has been vastly improved; the aid for states’ public workers, teachers, police, fire fighters an public works (new roads/highways); modern electric grids; the movement of millions out of poverty; a much decreased homeless rate.
“Obama has mostly tried to do the things he said he would.” What a concept! An official who has made promises that aren’t empty. Someone who is really investing in our future.

A great quip Obama has apparently said: “Is it too late, or can we hand this pile of crap over to McCain?”

In spite of this being about politics, I really enjoyed this lecture. Grunwald is a fantastic speaker; he has a nice voice, he expresses himself well, and seems to be effortlessly entertaining.
Thank you Dr. Smith.

Ask me why.  (The truth is that I have no idea)
They booked the flight here on Thursday night.  No “head’s up” in advance for me.  Just a “Hey, get on chat! We’ve not spoken in ages!”
“Where abouts is Tampa?” He asked me.
“Would you be able to get us?” He asked me.
“Would you drive for ages to get us?” Is what he SHOULD have asked because the flight was not even coming in to Tampa.  After that whole ordeal was over, it was quite a relief.

Sunday I took the English boys around the lovely expanse of Downtown St. Pete known as the 600 Block.  This is easily my favorite area of Downtown because it’s a hot spot for art and music. There are vintage shops, concert venues, a tattoo parlor, one of the few remaining record stores in the area, and a radical karaoke bar.
Unfortunately, BLUELUCY (one of the studios located on the 600 Block) hasn’t updated the website here in quite some time, BUT the facebook page is updated often, so you can check that out.

Just across the street is the Morean Arts Center, where I used to go to Art Camp during the summer.  We visited this particular jewel to see the Urban Art on display and it was really fantastic (see this link for more than the above photo).  And I took them to The Lucky Dill Deli (click) for lunch before I gave them a tour of the school.  They were really impressed with it, and apparently “everything is bigger here“ (in America) than it is in England.

USFSP was the university I chose to go to for several reasons:

• It is a much smaller and more intimate campus than that of Tampa, as well as being easier to navigate (in my opinion)
• It is close to home (about a 15 minute drive)
• We have a very attractive campus (right on the water!)
• I have class with quite a large variety of people
• And I much prefer it over Saint Pete College (about 15 minutes in the opposite direction)

Many of the students here are particularly enthralled with the Water Front on campus.  This is especially exciting, as our school offers sailing lessons and scuba instruction. How many other schools have that right on their campus?  The pool is also very nice; clear, well kept, and fantastic for lap swimming.

There seems to be a very large range of skill amongst the students in this class; some know virtually nothing, while others seem to know Photoshop like the cliched ‘back of their hand’. It’s safe to say that I have a good amount of knowledge as compared to at least a few of my peers. Though clearly there are members of the class who know far more than I.

We’ve done one project thus far and have started a second.

Part of our first project - This is a robin's chest with severe color alteration.