School Stressors

Note to Self: Registration begins December 19th. I'm planning to sign up for Fiction Writing II, Pattern Recognition, Advanced World Literature, American Literature, American Dream, and of course an Independent Study. 18 hours. I'm gonna get racked across the coals this Spring.

Scrambling to get all of my final papers finished; I've got two big ones due very soon. I'm more worried about my Calvino paper as I've not even started. Currently reading my fourth book by the author and I'm thinking about doing a comparison paper between his various novels. He's very much an author of place and setting - I adore his descriptions. I love the way he sets a mood through imagery. I'd like to make that the focus of my essay, but I'm not sure I can stretch that into ten pages.

Anyway, I'm reading Difficult Loves, which is a book of short stories. I feel like I may be reading it too quickly - I think there's a lot of deeper meaning that's getting skimmed over in my haste to get it read. There was a lovely story about a hidden garden, and I just know I missed something near the end. A lot of them are kinda like that. It's probably going to be one of those things I get a lot more of later on down the line when I'm not responsible for so many other things.

Success!

Minnink gave me the go-ahead on my Independent Study request and I really wish I could use some dA emoticons because words cannot accurately express how happy I am about this. I swear I thought he was going to turn me down.

I'll be taking a full 18 hours next semester, but this is what I'm looking forward to. I'll be helping with the radio project for a grade, doing research and editing scripts, and I'll also continue working on my postcards and reading lots of shorts and flash fic. Lots of contemporary stuff. Joe Mino, Sherwood Anderson, probably some poetry in there.

I'm going to try and follow it up this summer with a second independent study focuses solely on the writing part. And that will be nearly all of my hours. After Spring semester, I'll only have a few classes left and I think I can get the last of it during the summer. And I'll be done. I'll end up with an Associate's degree in General Studies and I'll have an English major and Creative Writing minor.

So yeah. Success!

Before the Year Ends

 School things:

• Annotation Project for History of the English Language
• Unknown Project for History of the English Language
• Study up for Algebra Final
• 10 page paper on Italo Calvino
• Make a resume
• Complete Self Assessment and Reflection for Career Perspectives.
• Will probably have to write a paper on Hitchcock for Film as Literature
• Probably won't have any other Finals though.
• Keep working on radio project with Minnick, don't forget about the 12th.

But the semester is nearly over, so I'm going to need some new projects to take on soon.

•  Make another hollow book. I think I could do much better on the second round. Though I doubt I'll be able to get the edges clean.
• Fill a bottle full of origami stars. I haven't folded any in quite a while, not since I filled up the last bottle. I even used up my entire backup stash.
• Flash fiction contest - I opted not to do one during NaNo because, you know, class and finals and holidays, but I really do new to come up with a decent prompt. I've been suggested "vintage," something taking place in a diner, a Catholic confessional, and instant and unspoken love.
• Write way too many postcards. I've been slacking on putting things in mailboxes. I'm going to need more flash fiction stories.
• Make a card for the deviantART Holiday Card Project. Make multiple if possible because I'm such a mail whore and hate hoarding stamps for very long.
• I really want to try that melted crayon thing. It looks pretty cool and super easy.
• I should really make use of that origami kit that I got for my birthday. I still suck at folding paper though - you have no idea how truly terrible I am at making anything more complicated than a Lucky Star.
• Collect some leaves. Find something to do with them.

Also, make more use of Netflix. Dad wants me to watch Once Upon A Time so he can have someone to talk about it with. I've got a bunch of anime to catch up on myself; I've got Serial Experiments Lain lined up and will be going for Kino No Tabi next. Maybe an action series after that.

I've even managed to read most of the books I've had lying around. I feel so accomplished.

Vertigo

I gave Minnick the book I hollowed out today (well, yesterday now). I fail at keeping things under wraps for very long. I think he liked it. He smiled a lot about it anyway =D Hopefully he'll make use of it. I'd like to try another one in the future, but I need a break from cutting pages for a while.

Meanwhile, I got watch my first Hitchcock film tonight. Vertigo. Probably my favorite movie of the semester. Not going on my favorite movies list or anything, but I did get more into it than I thought I would. I still don't care much for suspense, but I'd be willing to try out more Hitchcock films.

Never Google Medical Problems

Been getting a very brief, sharp pain around my shoulder blade whenever I breathe deeply. This is a symptom of everything from bronchitis to a heart attack.

....

So, yeah. I don't think I'm dying, but I'd be lying if I said that didn't make me anxious. I can still feel my pulse, so I'm guessing it's not a heart attack XD Hopefully I'll manage to sleep tonight anyway. I usually feel better about things in the morning.

It's only in one place and only when I take a deep breath, kinda like a pricking feel. It doesn't really hurt, it's just kind of annoying. I noticed it a while ago at night when I was trying to get to sleep. I thought it was in my chest, but I'm pretty sure now it's something in my back. I think I was confused then because I was always lying down, so I misjudged where the feeling was coming from.

Trey tells me he had the same symptom when he got bronchitis, so I'm leaning towards that explanation. If it keeps up I'll have to mention it to someone, but for now I want to wait and see what happens. I don't want to panic over nothing, but if it gets at all worse I'll go ahead and jump the gun.

I'm really cold now because my hair is still wet from the shower and Mimi won't turn the heat on, so my constant shivering isn't exactly helping me feel better. It just makes me feel like I have hypothermia on top of everything else.

I just realized bronchitis would explain why I've been congested the last few days. I already went through my allergy phase this season, so needing an Allegra earlier was kinda baffling me. It might not have been a generic cold like I thought. I dunno. Just feeling off lately I guess. It's too late in the semester to be worrying about this crap.

But hey, better than a heart attack, right? XD

I Hate You All

I don't start blogs to hear myself talk. I start them to interact with people. I can talk to myself in my physical notebooks. If no one has any interest, then stop letting me waste my time.

Hollowed Out

It's messy, but I'm proud of myself. I had to glue things, measure things, cut things, draw things, paint things, buy things - probably the most complex project I've ever taken on.

The cutting was the most difficult part, especially around the corners. I can't make a straight line to save my life. I'm happy enough though. I likely would have made it worse if I tried to smooth out the edges too much. Best to quit while you're ahead and all XD

I went with blue and gold because it IS a present for Minnick - his school colors were blue and gold. I don't know if he'll pick up on that when I give it to him, but it seemed like a good choice. I haven't decided if I'll do anything to the back or not yet.

It's not super big or anything, but it will hold the postcards I've been writing for him. Much better than a folder.

Walking in Hail

I went for a walk in a hailstorm today.

It wasn't hailing when I went out - I just wanted a picture of the sunset. There's a decent place to take photos a little ways down my street. After I snapped a few, I went a bit further to another area for some different shots.

Crappy picture taken with a phone because I no longer have a camera.

Anyway, it started hailing about the time I began to head back. Fairly small, pea-sized at first and got bigger about halfway back. The largest nugget I found was about half the size of a ping pong ball. I was thoroughly soaked by the rain, it looked like it snowed in my yard, I'm not sure my shoes are going to be dry tomorrow morning, and the hail left welts all over my chest.

Still, it really was a gorgeous afternoon. The autumn yellows looked stunning against the blue-grey of the sky. I really wish I had a camera.

I'm Still Here, Even if No One Else Is

Maybe I should make this a weekly update instead?

I spent my Halloween watching American Beauty in Film class. I liked it well enough I guess, but I don't care to ever see it again. I felt awkward watching it; everyone is dysfunctional in that flick. At least I managed to sit through it though - last week, I got up and left halfway through There Will Be Blood. I don't make it any secret that I can't stomach horror movies, but the other thing that really gets to me is tension. And I don't mean regular run-of-the-mill tension need to make a good story, I mean where they're obviously winding you up for something to happen. That was the feeling I got last week, and why I finally had to leave; that sort of suspense just crawls up my spine. (Honestly, I think I would have handled it better if not for that freaking soundtrack).

Got a translation project due on Tuesday - not too worried about it, just need to get it done. No math homework this weekend makes me a happy panda. Been chatting with Dr. Minnick about his radio project and my postcards. Need to set up an advising appointment soon, playing with recording technology, going to play some PSP this weekend. Life's pretty okay lately.