tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92534652023-07-03T07:40:14.279-05:00AiJahyaSometimes madness is the still, small voice at the end of the day asking, "Is there room in your head for one more?" Sometimes that answer is yes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-76977952122130999142010-07-12T17:01:00.000-05:002010-07-12T17:01:07.209-05:00Café? or Kaffee?I got the job at the coffee shop! I start the 23rd of this month, at least filling out paperwork. I'm not sure what my schedule will look like yet. I'm hoping to get mostly opening shifts so that my nights and most of my afternoons will still be free, but we'll see how it ends up working, exactly.<br />
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I think in the meantime, I'm going to start working on freelance. I'm not entirely sure what I would be getting myself into yet, and so I'm sort of just researching what's possible and what's out there. I never thought I'd be an independent creative (freelancing designer) until after I'd had at least 5 years of experience under my belt somewhere else.<br />
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Oh, btw, two new things you should check out.<br />
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One, I finally broke down and got a <a href="http://twitter.com/aijahya">Twitter account</a>, if for no other reason that it gives me more exposure.<br />
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Two, I have a <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/anna-schmunk/19/b28/18a">LinkedIn account.</a> I'm not really sure who all is on LinkedIn that I know, but I'd love to have more connections.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-86747727639887900002010-07-10T10:57:00.001-05:002010-07-10T10:57:44.992-05:00Doomed to be a Barista with a Failing Art Career<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I still haven't heard back about the job at Koch, and considering it's Saturday, I'm beginning to wonder if indeed this is bad news. I'm really not qualified for the position, and I think they know that, but I'm hoping I'm spunky enough and nice enough to get the job.</span></span><br />
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</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Otherwise, I guess I'll just work as a barista. Really, I guess it wouldn't be so bad. I could just open my own freelancing graphic design firm. I'm not sure that I know enough about business, though. It seems like there are two kinds of freelancers. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Freelancer 1:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Jumps into freelancing without learning about any business practice, accounting practice, or billing practice first. They buy a computer and software after quitting their first graphic design job in a bitter rage and jump straight into freelancing. They hand out business cards to every privately owned store in town and hope to have someone that needs some posters designed. They learn about getting things printed and bidding jobs as they need to. Clients are generally happy, unless they aren't. Most of these types can't afford to turn down even the crappiest projects.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Freelancer 2:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">The kind of person that works for ten years, building an amazing portfolio, and then decides to jump ship. However, he has enough experience under his belt now that he not only knows enough about business, but he's seen how it's done. He is his own art director, creative director, and branding agent. He finds his own cllients. Oh wait, he doesn't have to, because he's worked for ten years. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I always sort of saw myself as the second option. It seemed like I'd work at a small firm or a huge agency for ten years, chipping away, doing the mundane tasks while I waited for prime opportunity to jump ship. However, that does not seem to be the case, and I'm not sure exactly how to proceed. I was the top of my graduating class in the art department pursuing a graphic design degree. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Maybe I should find some clients before I start on this adventure.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Or maybe not.</span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-42907014157672115552010-07-06T11:45:00.000-05:002010-07-06T11:45:05.874-05:00Married Life and The Job HuntWe've been married just under a month now, and things are going great! Ben had two days off for July 4th, so we spent the four day weekend together. Thursday night we went to a <a href="http://futureofforestry.com/">Future of Forestry</a> concert here in Wichita. Sam drove down for it. It was a good time. Definitely worth seeing in concert if they are coming to a city near you.<br />
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We've been watching a lot of Zombie movies lately, including 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, as well as the Resident Evil trilogy (soon to be quadrilogy? really? is that necessary?), and the Night of the Living Dead through Dawn of the Dead.<br />
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I put in my two weeks at the Icing finally. The paychecks I'm getting aren't worth putting up with the drama at the store. It seems like no matter what, the schedules are always changing, or one of the employees is causing lots of problems. For example, you don't hit other employees. You also don't walk into the store, full of customers, and start yelling at the other associate working about not getting paid. You also shouldn't walk over to the manager working and start yelling at her about it in front of a customer she's helping. Or snap at people on the phone... or just be rude in general. Hum, yeah.<br />
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I had a phone interview at Koch Ind. for a Production Manager position. I would basically keep all of the designers on task and make sure projects are getting completed on time. I'm not very hopeful, simply because I don't have enough experience to get the job. But the phone interview did go really well. So we'll see. Otherwise, I've been applying for tons of jobs. I had an offer at a coffee shop just after starting at the Icing, so I'm planning to call back about it if I don't get a second interview for the Production Manager position.<br />
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I basically have to have some sort of full-time job by the end of October, which is when my student loans kick in. Blech. I keep hoping and praying that something will open up somewhere!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-25209219380205288772010-06-04T09:01:00.000-05:002010-06-04T09:01:00.855-05:00The Last (stubborn) Two InchesSometime between spring break and about three weeks ago, I gained four inches around my waist. Well, spring break was when I had my dress measured and fitted. So you can see what the problem is. I went from 29" to about 33" in 10 weeks. Not cool, body, not cool.<br />
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I'm not exactly sure how this happened. I don't have a problem fitting into any of my clothes. None of my pants are too tight. My shirts are fine. However, I did notice slightly more pudge around the mid-section. Not attractive. Not sexy. I liked my mid-section the way it was....but now, not so much.<br />
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And yes, there are people out there right now who are saying "Anna, you're already thin for your height." Which is true. I won't argue that. I don't look bad. But in order to fit into my dress without having it re-altered a week before the wedding, I've got to lose 2 more inches around my waist.<br />
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Thanks to my super thin fiancé, I've got quite a bit of motivation. He must have the metabolism of a long-distance runner, because, even though he's gained 10 lbs. in the last three weeks (yay!) it looks like it's all muscle. I honestly can't see where he's put the 10 lbs. AND his suit still fits him perfectly, if not better than the day we bought it.<br />
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Anyway, he's been making me work out with him, and it's helped. Over the last two weeks, I've lost 2.5" inches. I'm down to 30.5" around my waist. So I've only got about two more inches to go. We've been walking/running on the treadmill for about 15-20 mins over the last two weeks, lifting weights, and I've been doing yoga intermittently throughout the week, along with pilates workouts.<br />
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Whaddya know? Burning calories seems to be the best way to, if not lose weight, at least lose inches and gain muscle, which in turn burns more calories.<br />
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To motivate myself, I've told me that unless I work out every day this weekend, I can't have any ice cream. So, until Sunday night, no ice cream. :( We'll see if it works.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-22701153751359356002010-06-02T22:23:00.000-05:002010-06-02T22:23:51.146-05:00The RegistryFirst off, I'm not entirely sure what the point in registering was because most people have given us giftcards up to this point. I'm not bitter and it's not that I'm not thankful, but I did spend 6 hours registering for gifts at two different stores.<br />
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Secondly, today I spent about an hour or two paring down the registries at both stores. One, so that if in the next week, people purchase things off our registry, we get things that we really want or need. Two, because our registry was hugely disproportionate to the number of people that RSVPed to the wedding. We invited about 200 guests and 60 are actually coming. I didn't see a reason to have 20 pages worth of items.<br />
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Registering at Bed Bath and Beyond was a huge pain and I hope to never repeat that again. While I'm excited about some of the items on that list, every time I go into that store, someone asks if they can help you every five seconds. You can't walk around with a registry list in your hand or a scanner without someone checking in on you, asking why you didn't register for this, or that, or the other.<br />
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It's funny, because the stuff you get that you put on your registry isn't necessarily the stuff that you really <i>need.</i> And by need, I mean, need. Like dishes. And silverware.<br />
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But! Ben's coworkers did throw him an amazing party and bought us a very nice gift card. Which means we can now go on a shopping spree at Target after the wedding. On our top ten is silverware, a set of dishes, a set of knives, a good set of pots and pans, pizza stone, tortilla warmer, and quite possibly the softest blanket ever made.<br />
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I'm excited to be able to shop for stuff after the wedding. :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-74822067779580918682010-06-02T11:48:00.000-05:002010-06-02T11:48:45.432-05:00And the key is........keeping it simple.<br />
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I think I might be having the most simple wedding on the face of the planet. That is, of course, until my friend Sam gets married. And hers will be even more simple.<br />
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I don't see any holes yet in our fool-proof plan for a stress free wedding day, other than it's so early in the day that I have to get up at 5AM to start getting ready to make sure I can head out the door at 8:45AM. The cake and food and flowers should all be ready by that time and at the church. The only thing we have to do is make sure that everyone gets there.<br />
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It's a weird feeling, I guess, because it seems like I should have LOTS lots more to do right now, but not really. People start getting here in the middle of next week. And then things start to get really, really busy.<br />
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Otherwise, I got the job at The Icing in the mall as a Third Key (kind of part-time manager). I can't fire or hire anyone, but I get to count the drawers and fill out paperwork and catch shoplifters. Someday I'd like to have a real job, but you do what you can. If nothing else it'll be nice not to be sitting at our apartment all day long.<br />
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I feel like I should have a big-girl job right now, especially considering I just got done with a $100,000 college career. Instead, I'm working at the mall. We need the income, though, even if it's only a pittance. Any extra cash would be better than none.<br />
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I still need to figure out what to get the fiancé as a wedding gift. I'm thinking of going to Barnes and Noble to look around for a while and try to find something fun that he'd enjoy. I'm drawing blanks as to what that would be, but there's got to be something out there.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-85796424060005839212010-06-01T11:14:00.000-05:002010-06-01T11:14:58.602-05:00Boredom Beyond Belief<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">One of my greatest fears right before graduating was that I would graduate, and then find nothing to do during the day. So, my days would be filled with things just trying to fill time. I find it funny, because if I had a million dollars, after taxes, I'd give half to charity and spend the other half seeing the world. But it seems like even rich people get bored with that after a while. </span></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">So, obviously, money isn't the answer.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I have been reading quite a bit, though. Due to the recommendation of my good friend Megan Birnstein, I'm reading <i>One Hundred Years of Solitude</i>, and so far it's going quite well. It's Don Quixote-esque style is refreshing in story telling. However, I appreciate the fact that it revolves around quite a few characters, focusing on two central. It's a good read.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Otherwise, I've re-read the <i>Uglies</i> trilogy and I've really enjoyed that. The writing is so much better than the <i>Twilight</i> series and the story is much more interesting. I wish more teenagers would read it. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">And, currently, I'm reading <i>Fight Club.</i> I adore the movie, if for no other reason it's a valid statement on what our culture has come to in the last few years: trying to find cheap thrills and stopping at no length to get the rush and feeling of passion that a person used to have. So far the book is better than the movie, simply because it lets you visualize how things would be. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">On the reading list for the rest of the summer:</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><i>Three Cups of Tea</i></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><i>Reading Lolita in Teheran</i></span></span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><i>The Poet of Baghdad </i></span></span></li>
</ol></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">I've watched all of the episodes of <i>Glee</i> that are available on Hulu. I've kept up with <i>House, </i>watched the ever so sad ending of the first and last season of <i>Flash Forward</i>, and <i>Community</i>. Jeff's now a jerk, which I don't understand. I can't really blame the writers for <i>Flash Forward, </i>simply because they probably weren't giving a lot of warning that the show was going to definitively end instead of just a season. <i>House</i> looks like it's got about one more season in it, and it will end. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">Meanwhile, I've been waiting for a call back about a job. It had looked like I had a job, and I've been waiting for the manager to call me back for five days. The other interview was last Tuesday and she said she wouldn't know for two weeks, but I'll probably give her a call back in the meantime.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;">If I don't have either of those jobs after the wedding, then I'll start applying at agencies. We'll see how that goes. </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-56405019548120652802010-05-31T21:48:00.002-05:002010-05-31T21:56:13.312-05:00Trying this blogging thing one more timeHola,<div><br /></div><div>I'm a terrible blogger. I seem to have left this one high and dry more times than I can count. And right now is probably a terrible time to actually start blogging again, but we're going to give it a shot. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm getting married in 12 days. This last month has seemed like a whirlwind of adjustments. College came to an abrupt and highly anticipated end. I moved to Kansas, where I knew only my fiancé. Moved into a new apartment and got somewhat settled. And now I'm getting married, which will be my new normal.</div><div><br /></div><div>Personal goals for the rest of this year:</div><div><br /></div><div><ol><li>Find some sort of employment.</li><li>Volunteer somewhere at least 10 hours. (10 hours in six months shouldn't be too hard).</li><li>Visit a zoo.</li><li>Keep the plant-babies alive.</li><li>Work out at least three times per week, and make Ben work out with me.</li><li>Establish long-term goals for the next decade, and find a way to work toward them. (Ex: taking a trip to ___________ by 2020). </li></ol><div>Surely that shouldn't be too hard to accomplish. Who knows?</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-73285128664583681222009-04-13T10:36:00.002-05:002009-04-13T10:37:05.361-05:00Free Music Archive<a href="http://freemusicarchive.org/">This </a>is quite possibly one of the coolest ideas I've ever seen. Over 5,000 free, legal downloads from artists that you've probably never heard of, but some good stuff nonetheless. Check it out.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-52121505592474188962009-04-12T19:51:00.003-05:002009-04-12T20:07:33.079-05:00The Music to My SoulI'm sure everyone has heard Happy Easter about five million times by now and, while I'm not knocking Easter, this isn't going to be an Easter post. He's risen. Alleluia.<br /><br />I'm a music fiend. No joke, I download music every week, several times a week if not several times a day. Whether it's hearing about a new artist or simply finding an old favorite song that I didn't have, I luuuurve listening to music. It's beautiful stuff. Music is coffee that you can hear. I think it's sad that there are people out there who think that music detracts from life. I honestly know people who refuse to listen to music outside their comfort zone or refuse to listen to music at all. Music is written, always, about life. Others experiences. Your experiences. Music is a great way to learn about other cultures and people who aren't like you.<br /><br />But it's not just about the words or the things expressed in songs. It's about how the words and the sounds pair together - the marriage of meaning behind the words and the meaning added with the sound of the music. How do the two interact? Do they work well together?<br /><br />Food for thought next time you listen to something.<br /><br />Now, my reccomendation, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QJVJ28/ref=sr_1_artist_1?ie=UTF8&parent=B001PZA9OG&qid=1239584708&sr=1-1">Dr. Dog</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0016NB072/ref=sr_1_artist_1?ie=UTF8&parent=B0016O0N7O&qid=1239584759&sr=1-1">Fleet Foxes</a>, and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0013IKLT8/ref=sr_1_artist_1?ie=UTF8&parent=B001P1MTK2&qid=1239584812&sr=1-1">Bon Iver</a>. Check them out. Maybe I'll post something new next week.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-40373529058981746992009-03-13T22:33:00.002-05:002009-03-13T22:48:56.447-05:00Strangely....Reminiscint?<p>I've been a bad blogger. Not because I've been trying not to blog, but because my life is actually kind of busy and any and all things unnecessary take a back seat to . . . life? </p><p></p><p>So I'm on spring break right now. I've gotten absolutely *nothing* accomplished. I mean, you have no idea. Mainly because having surgery over break usually means you get nothing done . . . My wisdom teeth are out, my jaw hates me. I have not been in this much pain since last spring break when I went to the emergency room. Spring breaks just haven't been good to me. I finally got out today and took some pictures. Drove out to my parents new farm. They just closed on the place Monday. It's an old dairy farm. It's going to need a lot of renovation, but since when have my parents ever done things the easy way? (At least in the last 15 years?)</p><p></p><p>I've basically saved all of my homework for tomorrow. I have so much to get done this week it's not even funny. I haven't really worked on flash in two weeks, which means that nothing has gotten done in two weeks. I need to really have my opening sequence sort of finished by Thursday. Opening sequence being 20 seconds long . . . it takes me about 5 hours for 5 seconds of really good animation . . . I'm guessing it'll take me about 10-20 hours to get what I want accomplished. Maybe not. At least I have an idea of what I want to do now. I'm supposed to have a 32"x24" drawing halfway done by Thursday (eek). I have three prints due for photography by Saturday. I have a six page paper due for Old Testament by Friday. I was supposed to have scanned sketches in for my GS group before I left for break...and that didn't happen (not that I really care). Oh yes, I also have a portfolio review to go to on Saturday, meaning I have to put the portfolio together (ouch). AND, I have an internship interview next week meaning I need to have print pieces pulled and ready to go. I'm kind of doomed. I might be pulling some really late nights and / or freaking out a lot this week. I think espresso and I are going to be really good friends. That's what you get for procrastinating, right?</p><p></p><p>I sort of have my summer figured out, though. I'm staying in Seward instead of living at home. I'm hoping to get this internship (really, really hoping). And I'll probably be working two other jobs besides that. The internship is unpaid . . . so I'll be busy, but that's nothing new!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-3813456291096482432009-01-24T12:07:00.003-06:002009-01-24T18:12:37.455-06:00"I won. You lost. Nyeah, nyeah, nyeah."This week I was forced to watch the inauguration for my drawing class. I've never taken a political science class on campus, but I was forced to watch the inauguration for 2 whole hours because of one of my art classes. I had chosen not to watch it simply because I don't need the extra stress of politics in my life right now. Campus was pretty split on the issue of whether or not Obama should be elected to office. I was against, but I wasn't for McCain either. In the end, I voted for McCain with the mere hope that I'd bump his percentage points in Minnesota. Then again, I also voted for Coleman. I guess that doesn't count either.<br /><br />Barack is a good speaker. He keeps your attention. He talks about a lot of things. But when you really think about his policies, or what he's <span style="font-style: italic;">said</span> about his policies, I can't think of anything where he's actually come down on an issue, except maybe for taxes and the war. Taxes are the one thing he's completely decided on. Raise them for anyone that makes more than $80,000 a year. War, end it before we finish. I'm not for the war in Iraq. I honestly think the war in Iraq, while we have done some good things there, does eventually need to come to an end. I don't know if I can honestly say that I think what they're doing over there is really going to help us out in the region or not once we're done. However, to simply pull out is ineffective. What does that say? Yeah, it's Viet Nam all over again, yay us.<br /><br />Read this <a href="http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2169625/posts">article</a>. You can read this <a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28755135/">one</a>, too.<br /><br />The man isn't respectful and doesn't appreciate being questioned. At least you should be honest with people. If reporters are asking you a question, GET OVER IT. ANSWER THE F'ING QUESTION. And he's a hypocrite. <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17831.html">Let's not allow lobbyists to have special treatment...but because I'm the president I can do whatever I want.</a> How <span style="font-style: italic;">dare</span> you question the president of the United States? After all, <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17862.html">he won.</a><br /><br />Now. . . I think we should pray for the man. He <span style="font-style: italic;">is</span> our president whether we wanted him to be or not. But let's face it. He's inaugurated. The economy isn't magically better. We're not magically out of this war. Our country really hasn't changed anything fundamentally. Maybe he really <span style="font-style: italic;">isn't</span> Jesus after all.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-74400896732965602112009-01-19T18:39:00.002-06:002009-01-19T18:40:09.085-06:00John Wayne Gacy, Jr.This has got to be one of my favorite songs. . .morbid though it may be.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">His father was a drinker </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And his mother cried in bed </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Folding John Wayne's T-shirts </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">When the swingset hit his head </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The neighbors they adored him </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For his humor and his conversation </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Look underneath the house there </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Find the few living things </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Rotting fast in their sleep of the dead </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Twenty-seven people, even more </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">They were boys with their cars, summer jobs </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Oh my God </span><br /> <br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Are you one of them? </span><br /> <br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He dressed up like a clown for them </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">With his face paint white and red </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And on his best behavior </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In a dark room on the bed he kissed them all </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He'd kill ten thousand people </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">With a sleight of his hand </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Running far, running fast to the dead </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He took of all their clothes for them </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">He put a cloth on their lips </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Quiet hands, quiet kiss </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">On the mouth </span><br /> <br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And in my best behavior </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">I am really just like him </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Look beneath the floorboards </span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">For the secrets I have hid </span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">-</span></span>Sufjan StevensUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-74463930780382173792009-01-16T23:05:00.000-06:002009-01-16T23:05:26.702-06:00Menu, Week 2<ul><li>Monday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - GF Waffles w/ Syrup</li><li>Lunch - Leftover Lasagna<br /></li><li>Dinner - Leftover Chicken w/ Mashed Potatoes</li></ul></li><li>Tuesday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ fresh fruit or cereal</li><li>Lunch - GF Wrap w/ Roast Beef and Swiss</li><li>Dinner - Leftover Lasagna<br /></li></ul></li><li>Wednesday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ fresh fruit or cereal<br /></li><li>Lunch - Leftover Lasagna</li><li>Dinner - GF Waffles and Fried Eggs</li></ul></li><li>Thursday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Cereal</li><li>Lunch - GF Wrap w/ Roast Beef and Swiss</li><li>Dinner - Spring Rolls w/ Rice, Carrots, and Shrimp</li></ul></li><li>Friday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ fruit<br /></li><li>Lunch - Veggie Stir Fry w/ Rice</li><li>Dinner - Eating Out</li></ul></li><li>Saturday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ fruit</li><li>Lunch - Leftover Stirfry w/ Rice</li><li>Dinner - Pork Chops w/ Roast Carrots and Salad<br /></li></ul></li><li>Sunday<br /><ul><li>Dinner - GF Pizza</li><li>Lunch - Mullagatawny Soup w/ Basmati Rice</li></ul></li></ul><br />The first week has gone well so far. I've not tried to make the lasagna. That comes tomorrow night. Other than that, I've pretty much stuck to the menu and I've stayed <span style="font-style: italic;">under budget</span>. The only thing I did change was the wraps. The HyVee in Lincoln that I went to didn't have them. Instead, I bought GF bread at $5.99 a loaf. The loaf is <span style="font-style: italic;">tiny</span>, but very filling because it has more fiber in it than regular bread.<br /><br />For this next week, I have some of the ingredients already. If something seems like it should be listed and is not, it's because it's already here.<br /><br /><ul><li>Grocery List<br /><ul><li>1 Package GF Waffles</li><li>Yogurt</li><li>Fruit</li><li>Coconut Milk</li><li>Ground Coriander</li><li>GF Pizza Crust Mix</li><li>1/4lb Roast Beef</li><li>1/4lb Pistrami<br /></li><li>Sliced Swiss Cheese</li><li>GF Cereal</li><li>1 Gallon Milk</li><li>Package of Frozen Stir Fry Veggie Mix</li><li>1/2lb Basmati Rice</li><li>Pizza Sauce</li><li>Mozzarella Cheese</li><li>Pepperoni</li><li>Syrup</li><li>Salad Shrimp<br /></li></ul></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-59152346479034170102009-01-15T16:35:00.002-06:002009-01-15T16:38:49.112-06:00Panic! In Anna's MindThe first week is always a little bit of "OMG! I'm going to have SO MUCH to do! How am I going to manage my time? Wait, I don't even HAVE free time. . . " It usually hits Tuesday. It didn't. It waited until today for some unknown-to-me reason.<br /><br />I'm going to be very, very busy this semester. I'm taking 18 credit hours, working about 22 hours a week, have two night classes. Four of my classes are art classes. I want to die.<br /><br />Then I remember that not everything that's on the syllabus is due right away and that all of that work is spread out over the course of a semester . . . I have the feeling, though, that something, somewhere along the lines will have to give. I just don't know what, yet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-36948871449001819562009-01-14T12:35:00.004-06:002009-01-14T16:15:44.223-06:00The God Who SmokesI've been reading <span style="font-style: italic;">The God Who Smokes</span>. I work in the library preparing books for shelving by putting their labels on, their pockets in, and then doing any cover applications and targeting. It's an easy, stress-free job for the most part. Before Christmas break, I had done a set of books that had that title in it, and I was curious. I kind of thought it would be a lot like <span style="font-style: italic;">Velvet Elvis</span> by Rob Bell, a book that I read, got a little bit out of and thought the rest was garbage.<br /><br />The entire premise of <span style="font-style: italic;">Velvet Elvis</span>, besides God loving us, the emergent church being the only truly Gospel oriented movement, and other such tripe, is that there are some paintings out there that should be painted over, changed, and moved around. Such paintings are cliche, and are changed to move with the times. Bell questions whether or not the Virgin Birth, Real Presence, and a host of other doctrines are really necessary to our Salvation. <span style="font-style: italic;">Velvet Elvis </span>left a bad taste in my mouth. Some of what was said was okay, but most of it was questioning the truths of <span style="font-style: italic;">all Christianity</span> from the time of Christ onward. I happen to believe what is set forth in the Apostle's Creed, which is pulled from much of the Apostle's writings. . .and he was ripping that apart.<br /><br />So, I picked up this book with it's somewhat jazzy looking cover thinking I was in for much the same fare. You're probably asking why I read that crap at this point. I like to stay up on current trends within the Christian (or not so Christian) church these days, just so that I can be informed when or if I have friends discussing such topics.<br /><br />But, so far, two chapters in, it's different. It says that Rob Bell goes too far by using the repainting metaphor, and that rather than a Velvet Elvis, Christianity and Christology is more of a Rembrandt. Take out one brick, start poking holes anywhere, and the whole thing falls apart. Now, I'm only two chapters in. I'm fairly certain this man doesn't support any liturgical order in church, but it is very interesting to find a man who grew up fundamentalist say that doctrine is important - that you can't just trash everything.<br /><br />Rob Bell's approach to Christianity may is sort of like the brick in the wall theory. If you take one brick out, the wall won't fall down, it won't destroy your faith . . . but is it a good idea to keep poking holes?<br /><br />To quote:<br /><br /><blockquote>"Rob queries: Would the entire wall of Christianity fall down if we found out Jesus had really been the product of a secret liason between 'Larry' and a Jewish maiden? What would be lost if that brick were removed?<br /><br />As one notorious, testosterone-drenched thirty-something pastor put it: 'Not to mention the incredible disrespect of this question to the Mother of Jesus, if we take that brick out, well . . . we would lose - Jesus.' (Pause for effect.) 'I went to public school, and I know <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span>."</blockquote><br /><br />Hmmm . . . We'll see how the rest of the book goes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-43532785348912685742009-01-08T15:30:00.000-06:002009-01-08T15:36:09.336-06:00Thank You Notes in the Age of All Things DigitalI miss the pen-pals I had when I was a little kid. The excitement that would come when you got the letter in the mail. Sometimes there would be a surprise sticker or two stuck in the envelope with the letter. We'd write about our pets, siblings, parents, pool parties, favorite foods, anything. It was fun.<br /><br />Nowadays, I might send a postcard or two during the summer. Maybe a letter here and there. A package once or twice a year. But when Christmas comes, and you've received all of the gifts from family, friends, co-workers, you send Thank You Notes. I'm kind of surprised this tradition hasn't yet died. Maybe it has and it's something only my family continues to do.<br /><br />I went Thank You Note shopping today. I was surprised at how little stationary was available besides Hallmark type cards, not to mention how cheesy most of them were. I don't like to send cards with "Thank You" plastered all over the front of them. I think that defeats the purpose almost to open up a card that says "Thank You" when you already know who it's from and why they're sending it. It's easier to make it more personal when it doesn't say "Thank You" in a scripty font on the front of the card.<br /><br />So, not finding what I needed at Barnes&Noble or Target, I turned to Etsy, and the search continues.<br /><br />Is it nerdy to want to send the perfect stationary? Probably so.<br /><br />Someday, probably with my generation's generation (our children's children), letter writing will die out. Handwriting will probably die out with it.<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 0);">EDIT:</span> I just bought some cards on Etsy that should just do the trick. :) <a href="http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=19482509">The Cards</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-69853260355044679272009-01-06T13:23:00.005-06:002009-01-06T14:17:56.348-06:00Cooking in 2009 - A Glutenless Girl's Guide to Cooking in a College ApartmentI don't have a meal plan at school, simply because to have a meal plan would mean I couldn't eat much and I'd be spending $4 a meal to eat crappy food. (Mashed potatoes and slices of salami aren't my idea of a great breakfast, lunch or dinner.) So, I've been opted out of one by our dean of students, which is nice. For those that don't know, I have celiacs disease. I try not to make a big deal out of it, but it does affect nearly every aspect of my life in some way, so it's kind of an important part of my existence.<br /><br />The problem is that it's very easy to eat junk food, or run to McD's and get a double cheeseburger, minus bun. And, sometimes it's cheaper than cooking an elaborate meal. To make mac and cheese costs us (my room mate and I) about $10, and while it feeds us for few days, $10 is a lot of money for one dinner and two lunches. Not to mention the time it takes us to cook the noodles, grate the cheese and then bake it, adding up to about two hours. Granted, we don't usually do this during the week, which helps, but it's almost impossible to cook something like that during the week. And Mac and Cheese is just an example.<br /><br />Another problem is the size of our kitchen and my room mate Jenni, who always seems to happen to start cooking her meals about five minutes after I get in the kitchen. We have a stove, a sink, and on the other side of the sink is an L-shaped counter which, after 2' of counter space meets our fridge. We literally only have 2' of counter space that is usable. You can't fit two people in our kitchen at the same time and be able to move.<br /><br />The ingredients to make gluten free baked goods are expensive. It's not just flour, salt, baking powder, yeast and some liquid. There's four or five different kinds of flours in addition to the normal bread ingredients. To buy these, it's anywhere from $1 for a small amount up to $10 for a decent amount that will last you more than one batch of something. I have, however, found a small company that makes mixes that all you have to do are add an egg, a little milk and a tablespoon of oil to and it makes a <span style="font-style: italic;">wonderful</span> bread that goes great with just about anything.<br /><br />SO! My goal for this semester is to plan out my meals better and try to stick with eating out only once a week on weekends. If I can come up with some easy to make dinners that are relatively inexpensive, it will not only help my wallet, but I'll be eating healthier, too. It will also help me come up with a better shopping list, so I don't waste food by not eating it or buying too much of something. My other goal is to keep my food spending down. My <span style="font-style: italic;">goal</span> is going to be to keep it to less than $75 per week. Whether or not that will actually happen is a completely different story.<br /><br />We'll see how it goes. Mondays and Thursdays I have a two hour break from the time I get off work to the time I have night class. Saturdays I have a lot of time in the morning and afternoon to cook meals and the same goes for Sundays. My goal will be to post my weekly menu and shopping list here to keep my on track. When I post the weekly menu (on Friday or Saturday), I'll talk about how the last week went.<br /><br />Here's the goal for my first week back.<br /><br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Menu for January 12, 2009 - January 18, 2009</span><br /></li></ul><ul><li>Monday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ GF granola or Cereal</li><li>Lunch - GF Wrap w/ Salami and Roast Beef</li><li>Dinner - Fish Tacos w/ Cilantro and Mango (yummmm)</li></ul></li><li>Tuesday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ GF granola or Cereal</li><li>Lunch - GF Wrap w/ Salami and Roast Beef</li><li>Dinner - Stir Fry Vegetables w/ Basmati Rice</li></ul></li><li>Wednesday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ GF granola or Cereal</li><li>Lunch - Leftover stirfry and rice<br /></li><li>Dinner - Rice Bowls w/ Chicken, Sour Cream, Cilantro, and Black Beans</li></ul></li><li>Thursday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ fresh fruit or Cereal</li><li>Lunch - Salad w/ left over Chicken, Craisins and GF Blue Cheese Dressing</li><li>Dinner - Hamburgers w/ Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, Lettuce, and Cheese</li></ul></li><li>Friday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Cereal</li><li>Lunch - Leftover Hamburger w/ leftover Potatoes</li><li>Dinner - Eating Out</li></ul></li><li>Saturday<br /><ul><li>Breakfast - Yogurt w/ fresh fruit or Cereal</li><li>Lunch - Salad w/ Chicken</li><li>Dinner - <a href="http://glutenfreemommy.com/lasagna/">GF Lasagna</a> w/ Salad (click on the link to the recipe I want to try)<br /></li></ul></li><li>Sunday<br /><ul><li>Lunch - Leftover Lasagna</li><li>Dinner - Roasted Chicken w/ Potatoes and Carrots</li></ul></li></ul>This week, a lot of dinners will be cooked, and I hope to be able to eat the leftovers. Once I cook on the weekend, I'll have leftovers through Wednesday or Thursday of the next week, so meals the following week will be easier. . . for lunches, at least.<br /><ul><li><span style="font-weight: bold;">Shopping List</span><br /><ul><li>5lbs. Potatoes</li><li>Cilantro</li><li>Head of Lettuce</li><li>Package of Carrots</li><li>Package of Baby Carrots</li><li>Two tomatoes</li><li>1 Head of Garlic</li><li>Oregano</li><li>Basil</li><li>Rosemary<br /></li><li>Gallon of Milk</li><li>1lb Basmati Rice</li><li>1lb Hamburger</li><li>2 Cans crushed tomatoes</li><li>Frozen Stir Fry Vegetables</li><li>1/4lb Salami</li><li>1/4lb Roast Beef</li><li>GF Wraps</li><li>Small package of Tilapia (4-5 filets)<br /></li><li>Hard Taco Shells</li><li>Italian Sausage</li><li>Package of Chicken Breasts</li><li>One Whole Chicken</li><li>Half Dozen Eggs</li><li>Mozerella</li><li>Ricotta<br /></li></ul></li></ul>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-83944532176094029112009-01-05T20:46:00.003-06:002009-01-05T21:17:13.713-06:00The Problem of PatienceI work at Subway. It's not the most glamorous job. I smell awful when I leave there mainly because the oven runs all day. I usually end up covered in other people's mayonnaise. And let's face it, Subway doesn't even take a high school education in order to work there. Working at Subway is a relatively simple concept: finish the tasks, help the customers, get paid. If you do your job super-well, your fellow employees will really appreciate you and your manager will notice that you are a very hard worker. . . unless you have the manager and co-workers that I do.<br /><br />Now, our manager, while she is very nice, doesn't do much and she lets a <span style="font-style: italic;">lot</span> slide. There's an employee that she hired - because her husband is friends with the guy - that is absolutely awful. If I ask him to do something, he gets angry with me. I don't know how many of you have a no cellphone policy, but Subway <span style="font-style: italic;">corporate</span> rules dictate that you shouldn't have yourself out unless you're on break, and <span style="font-style: italic;">never ever</span> have the cellphone out in the view of customers. It's a fireable offense, especially if the DM caught you.<br /><br />This employee that I have had many, many problems working with has his cellphone out and is using it right next to the cash register. I don't ask him to put it away, I simply say, "Customers can see your cellphone from where you are standing." His reply: "I don't care." He then tells me to go into the cooler, which is where I was headed. I just about lost it. I told him that he needed to come back to work tomorrow night (because, hey, guess what? I have to close with him tomorrow) with at least an ounce of respect for me and if nothing else he should at least respect store policy and WORK while he's there.<br /><br />His response: "Whatever."<br /><br />I was so angry I was shaking, which doesn't happen very often. I had to leave before I started screaming at him. I asked my manager to "discuss these issues" with him so I wouldn't have to anymore. Before he left I asked him what his issue was with me and he simply said, "I don't like being told what to do." I told him I was going to give him jobs, or ask him to do things if he's just standing around, which he's doing most of the time. His response? "I AM doing things when you ask me to do other things."<br /><br />Okay. I've had it. I <span style="font-style: italic;">cannot tolerate</span> laziness. If you're standing around or not working, you do not deserve to get paid. How does a person learn to be patient with people like this? I can be patient with just about anything else, but I can't stand people that are lazy. I finally just told him, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to come off however you think I'm coming off. We'll try a new approach to us working together tomorrow night."<br /><br />My manager's response? "Maybe you just need to tell him, if he gets testy, that you're trying to be nice, but he needs to get stuff done."<br /><br />I would have fired him on the spot. Maybe that's a problem. I don't know how to treat people that have an obvious dislike for you, simply because you hold people to the same standards you hold yourself.<br /><br />How does a person learn patience? I wish I knew, because I need to have some by tomorrow night.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-605959760324728742009-01-01T20:01:00.002-06:002009-01-01T20:11:56.310-06:00New Year's Resolutions?The idea of making New Year's resolutions has always seemed kind of strange to me. I understand the idea of giving yourself a certain starting point, but why only at the beginning of the year? Maybe I overthink things too much. I don't really have a list of things that I need to change, but more of a list of things to accomplish.<br /><br /><ol><li>Read more books for enjoyment; if possible, 1 per week.</li><li>Cook more often and eat less junk food.</li><li>Save more, spend less. (I make this resolution at the beginning of every summer and semester. So far it hasn't happened.)</li><li>Begin to get things together for Turkey, since it's happening in 5 months!*</li><li>Spend more time reading the Bible and praying, instead of just going through the motions.**</li><li>Start looking for summer internships ASAP.<br /></li><li>Clean up my computer and get it working right (which requires more memory).</li><li>Organize all of my art supplies, perhaps even buy a chest to put them in, instead of a cardboard box.</li><li>Find an apartment for next year and determine who I'm living with exactly (Sam's a given, but who else?)</li></ol>If I accomplish these, that would be fantastic. Some of them I don't really have a choice but to do, but when I actually accomplish them, it'll be a major mental load off.<br /><br />*I'm going to Turkey in May! It hasn't actually dawned on me until just now that I'm <span style="font-style: italic;">actually going to Turkey</span>. I kind of think that it's a waste of $4,000, but we're going to Cappadocia and Ephesus while we're there, which will be awesome. Loans are paying for the trip, which will hurt later. I have my luggage bought, but as far as the rest of it goes, I still need shots, medication, and to get my visa in order.<br /><br />**My spiritual life in 2008 was pathetic. It's honestly something I need to "work" on, but I honestly don't have the energy sometimes. Is it possible to forget how to pray?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-6817465648589690282008-12-30T19:04:00.002-06:002008-12-30T19:25:09.704-06:00The Latest News from . . .So I'm still on Christmas break. I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas and has a great first day of the new year.<br /><br />When my grandmother (my dad's mom) comes to our house, it's tradition that she takes us shopping. She enjoys spending money. . .but only on other people, which, I guess, if you're going to spend it you should spend it on others, right? Anyway, she took me clothes shopping. Now, none of the people reading this have probably seen my wardrobe in the last couple of years, but it's become kind of pathetic. I basically wear jeans, and girly t-shirts every day, all day, and I've pretty much stopped dressing up for any occasion, even church (I figure God understands that I have to get up at 7:30 to go to church). I have three pairs of Keds that I wear all the time. That's pretty much it.<br /><br />We're in a store called Herberger's, which is basically a Minnesota version of Dillard's. My dad leans over and says "We're here, she's buying. Get yourself a couple of nice outfits." He then proceeds to walk away. When he comes back, I asked him if he was insulting my wardrobe. He said yes and that I need new clothes. :P<br /><br />I've proceeded to buy four sweaters, a pair of jeans, an insulated vest, a new coat, a fleece pullover, a new, black skirt slightly longer than knee length, a paisley blue hoodie, a new pair of snow boots, and a turtle neck shirt. I also got a new green long sleeve shirt, new pajamas, and a green fleece hoodie for Christmas. The nice thing is that some of these clothes will last me years (like the coat, boots, and vest, and a couple of the sweaters). I've been debating on whether or not to start a new wardrobe, and I think I've already answered yes. A lot of the clothes I've been wearing have reached the limit of their potential, and it's time to start afresh.<br /><br />In the meantime, I've been looking into Lomography. Specifically, the <a href="http://www.lomography.com/fisheye/">Fish Eye 2.</a> It's an investment, though, and I'm not sure I'm ready to spend that much money on a hobby. However, <a href="http://www.lomography.com">lomography </a>as a whole looks fantastic.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-29188998646593324792008-12-22T17:00:00.003-06:002008-12-22T17:08:58.484-06:00Twilight? Seriously?<blockquote style="font-style: italic;">"...I smiled hugely."</blockquote><span style="font-style: italic;">Who</span> says that? I finished reading the first one on Saturday night, and I have to say that, while I wasn't disappointed in the books really, I discovered I was disappointed with most of American teenagerdom as we know it, and anyone else who says that <span style="font-style: italic;">Twilight</span> is the greatest thing they've ever read.<br /><br />Disagree if you want to, but I found the books to be <span style="font-style: italic;">hard</span> to read simply because I kept tripping over the endless descriptions of facial reactions and displays of emotion. <span style="font-style: italic;">"I smiled hugely" </span>is one such example of the drivel that is Stephanie Meyer's writing.<br /><br />I find the story an incredibly interesting one. The idea of a vampire falling in love with a human and fighting it's primal instincts is interesting. It's a definite contrast to the ideas presented in the original vampire tale, <span style="font-style: italic;">Dracula</span>.<br /><br />As I said, I wasn't really disappointed with the books, though. I kind of expected them to be poorly written. What I am disappointed with is the fact that those books have received awards and acclaims such as "Best Book of the Decade" or "Best Book of 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008." Such awards may be a ploy by booksellers to sell more of the books. I'm surprised people keep saying things like that. I want to know why people think that the books are incredibly well written. Maybe the writing gets better as the series goes on, but I have the feeling it doesn't. I'll probably finish reading the books simply to see where the story line goes.<br /><br />If you haven't read the original <span style="font-style: italic;">Dracula</span> by Bram Stoker, you need to. It's a great vampire story, well written, and it can be called one of the best books of all time, and no one "smiles hugely" in that story.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-23274655291600136582008-12-18T20:31:00.003-06:002008-12-20T12:12:12.072-06:00Slowly Committing Musical Suicide?When Hot Fuss came out, it was a smashing success. The Killers has a lot going for them with <span style="font-style: italic;">Mr. Brightside</span>, <span style="font-style: italic;">Smile Like You Mean It, </span>and <span style="font-style: italic;">Somebody Told Me</span>. It seemed like they would be an amazing band for years to come.<br /><br />Their music got more "poppy." They started to sell out in the originality department for songs that sound remotely familiar. Why? Maybe because The Killers sound just like the band Interpol. Which came first? Interpol, and their music to this day still has the integrity that it had when their band first formed.<br /><br />I understand that a band's style can change, be updated, sound "newer." But when <span style="font-style: italic;">Human</span> came out, it took listening to the song twice before realizing it was actually The Killers. The fact that it was the band's first single made me suspicious. I downloaded it, listened to it, analyzed it, and wondered what was going on. Why the big change? Even the lyrics had a triteness to them I hadn't expected. Instead of being original and honest, with at least some sort of depth to them, they gave us these lyrics:<br /><blockquote><br />Are we human or are we dancer?<br />My sign is vital, my hands are cold<br />And I'm on my knees looking for the answer<br />Are we human or are we dancer?</blockquote>While the lyrics are "cute," and fun to listen to, after listening to the song over a period of a week, I was done with it.<br /><br />Just to give them a chance, when Amazon had their MP3 album up for download for $3.99 (because if you catch Amazon on a good week, they have new albums for download for $3.99 :) ), I downloaded it. I listened to the entire thing all the way through and nothing caught my attention.<br /><br />Granted, their album <span style="font-style: italic;">Sam's Town</span> had a few good songs on it. <span style="font-style: italic;">Sawdust</span> I didn't even bother with. However, I don't think they'll ever top <span style="font-style: italic;">Hot Fuss</span> again. Feel free to disagree, but I have the fear that The Killers are going to be the one album wonder I had always hoped they wouldn't be.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-10398560008134331722008-12-14T20:29:00.003-06:002008-12-14T20:46:03.774-06:00Books to Read Over BreakI don't get to read much for pure enjoyment when I'm at school simply because I'm so busy. So, I'm planning to, I hope, read over Christmas break. I've been reading Twilight (which, imnsho, is one of the most poorly written books I think I've ever read), and I want to finish that, but I'd also like to read:<br /><br />1. Man and His Symbols - Carl Jung<br /><br />I've been trying to get into more of the theory behind design aesthetics. There's so much more to design/composition than one would think. Anyone who says that "art is dead" or that "the best era of art has come and gone" needs to read and look at more.<br /><br />2. A Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde<br /><br />I love Oscar Wilde's writing. He's pretty fantastic. I started the book over the summer and forgot to bring it back with me, so I'll probably just start reading it over again.<br /><br />3. Ella Minnow Pea<br /><br />I've heard this book is absolutely amazing, so I've decided to find out for myself.<br /><br /> I wish there was more time, but I honestly think three books is ambitious in and of itself, especially since I'll be working near full-time over break. We'll see how that goes.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9253465.post-22056247523324305652008-12-14T19:00:00.002-06:002008-12-14T19:04:33.038-06:00Desktop WallpapersThere are some sweet desktop backgrounds out there. The above link (click on the title of this post) has a great list of them. Some of my other faves can be found at <a href="http://ideas.veer.com/wallpaper">Veer</a>.<br /><br />You should check them out. If you have any favorite places to find wallpapers, post them.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2