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I am takin a short break from my drawing assignment.  My arms are covered in sanguine charcoal right now.  I have already worked on it for about 2 hours already. 

College is going alright so far.  I am learning a lot.  My studio classes give me the most work, but they're my favorite classes.  Being an art major is expensive and tough.  Don't ever let anyone tell you that it is an easy task.  It's not.  If you think drawing miscellaneous pictures is all we do, you have no clue.  Yes we draw pictures, but we have to solve a visual problem while we're at it.  And the grading...oh the grading.  Half of the grade is how well the project is presented.  All the way down to its measurements and fine lines.  It's tough, and it's going to be even tougher being accepted as a a Graphic Design major.  At the end of this year, I will probably be handing in at least 3 different portfolios, and taking exams on top of it.  So yeah, everyone who thinks being an art major is easy, and you don't have to have intellect to be an art major.  Take a closer look at your art majors.  You are surrounded by the work of artists every single day.  From the webpage you're lookin at, to your book covers, your campus maps, the vehicles you drive even down to the damn cups your probably drinking your coffee out of.  Yeah, all stuff art majors do.  Think about it. 

I've been really confused for a long time.  I feel like my life, actually I know my life is centered around what people think of it.  What people think of me, my work, and what I do in general.  It's hard to please everybody at once.  I have my family who wants me to strictly concentrate on school.  I have other people who are tellin me the same thing, I have another group of people telling me to have a social life.  I have another group telling me to not listen to anybody at all.  You know, it's hard not to listen to what other people have to say about you, and not ponder for awhile if it's true or not.  I am in a constant battle, whether I am doing the right thing or not.  And I am trying to please the people around me because that is going to be my job the rest of my life.  Is to please the people around me. I feel like everyone is disappointed in me because I am not doing exactly what they are telling me to do.  School is important to me, and it comes first on my list more than anything.  Trying to make money is another important factor.  If all of that is at the expense of me having time on to myself or to have a social life, it's really not a new concept to me.  I have lived with it since I was 13.  Thank God for drum corps, I probably wouldn't have any friends at all without it. My life has been wrapped up in work, and it's probably going to continue to be like that.  I will try to make time for myself, and I will try to meet everyone's needs for me.  But, I can't guarentee anything. 

God, making everyone happy is hard....I promise I'll try not to make you disappointed in me...

So...yeeeaaahhhh, you know your hair is long when....your boss notices that it's long.  Yeah, I really need to cut my hair, hopefully my mother is going to do that tonight.  Get back down to at least shoulder length, if not more...which would take off at least 8 inches.  Which is about 50lbs off of my head (really, that's what it feels like). 

Apart from being home and not moved in yet (get to do that on Friday), I have been teaching marching band.  One of our vets is starting to piss me off.  I cleaned some of the crap out of the ballad, still have to write Tes's solo, still have to rewrite closer drill, figure out what the crap they're spinning in closer...the list goes on.  And in these last two weeks I have worked 71 hours at Papa Murphy's.  Kinda crazy. 

My room is a mess from packing.  We move in on Friday, I can't wait for that, hopefully the change will lighten the mood some.  I am skeptical about the transition.  I just don't want to turn out like Becky!  Prayers to the Good Lord I don't want to hate college like she does.  Of course, she doesn't have another life outside of studying, I hope I do.  And maybe things will change for her now that she (FINALLY!!) has the man of her dreams in her life.  My 3 biggest textbooks are for my art classes (this still doesn't make sense to me).  But they are nice and pretty.  Hopefully I'll come out learning a lot, and hopefully claim a major in Graphic Design, and hopefully make it into the honors college.  And still have fun while doing it.  Opening my creative mind, actually having a social life, unlike the rest of my school years.  And being able to balance everything successfully. Lots of goals, hopefully I can reach them all.  I need to too, otherwise the parents aren't going to aid me at all with school, and that wouldn't be good. 

Hopefully all goes pretty well. 

Later

Well, looks like I have to update this thing since too much has happened since I last wrote:

We'll do this chronologically I guess...

First off, I am a 2006 Graduate of Fort Atkinson High School.  Yay me! Thank God. I got a $300 scholarship from my high school.  Gretchen is going to school for free. *rolls eyes.  It was really hard staying concentrated during classes at the very end of the year because life was pointless by the time senior interviews and AP stuff was done.  I had fun making fun of our Econ teacher with Katie in the morning.  It was depressing whenever she wasn't there in the morning.  But I made it through everything successfully and I thank a lot of people for that.  Special thanks goes to Bama Dave and his mother for helping me find a path in life.  Much love to him! 

Now I will be moving on to UW-Milwaukee as a visual art major and who knows what I will minor in, but I find it inevitable.  Orientation was fun with that.  I have my schedule for first semester now.  Art Survey, Drawing 1, 2D Concepts, Contemporary Concepts of Mathematics, and Africology.  (Yes, Africology...the study of African American culture) I think it is going to be fun, yet, difficult.  I am hoping to land at least a 3.5 this semester so I can get into the Honors College with Gretchen, because I tested out of English.  (Yay me!) My CA and student mentor are both really cool.  My student mentor just got back from backpacking all over Europe.  What I would give to do that...

Now onto what everyone wants to know.....How was my summer with the Colts?... 

I can't sum it up very well really.  There were high points and there were definate lows.  The show itself was great.  It was a great show.  I loved marching with Ryan Uitenbrock again.  That REALLY helped me get through the summer.  I am glad he has found his home.  Carla was a good instructor and so was Jason and Todd.  They were my faves.  Everyone else kinda put me down a lot more and considering I am already really hard on myself that doesn't help me much.  Nick Botkin, who sat in front of me for most of the season, kicked ass, I love him to death.  I loved most of the hornline members and I liked the drum solo rifle line.  There was a lot of immaturity at times and I left CS to find a more mature corps.  And it disappointed me that I didn't find that really.  I guess it's because I have matured so much through this activity and I am on my 5th year marching, I should be aging out with how long I have been marching.  There were very mature individual members.  But on the whole with my section, I felt that there was a lack of maturity, I really don't know for sure about the other sections. 

I did meet a wonderful person on tour.  And he's NOT a bass drummer.  (Yes I know, SHOCKER!!) He treated me (and still does) with a lot of respect.  He worked hard to make me comfortable and happy.  And he did well. Definately took the stress load off a touch.  And I miss him a lot already.  His name is Brandon, btw. 

It was absolutely fantastic seeing Tristan Moody Semis night.  I love his hugs!  He's the best best friend you could ask for, really. That really made things just a little bit better by seeing him. Love you Tristan!  Don't think Mr. David Baskin made it to finals this year, which depresses me a little, haven't seen him since August of last year. 

So it was a pretty good summer.  I am fully sure what I am doing yet.  But I am pretty sure that I am going out to more auditions, which I don't think I can come back to Colts if I do that.  But we'll see what happens. 

Missed you all!

Love!