My life is going in circles.

I get dumped, I go try out for the school play just to try and prove myself and get in, I make friends with people who could be the doppelgangers of previous classmates.
I just hope the chain of repetition ends at that, or I'll be facing seriously dreadful dental work and may have to put a pet to sleep.

Just going to collect some thoughts:

- So I got into Twelfth Night. I'm listed as Sailor, Servant, etc. So I'm the background noise, pretty much. I feel weird about the circumstances. I didn't have to go to callbacks, the director just cast me. That was the first audition I'd ever done at CSU too, and I got something. I probably ought not brag about that, won't make me any friends... anyway, I'll probably be a running crew person in costume. I'm actually rather excited about this. I won't have a ton of lines that I could screw up, I get to dress in Victorian era menswear (SCORE!) and I get to put this on my resume. This runs during June and through most of July. So I may or may not get any time off for a real vacation, but hey, life experiences, what are ya gonna do?

-Been working mostly on the set for the opera, The Gondoliers. Opening night was last Friday. I went Sunday. It is so cool to see a set you've been painting like mad in pieces for weeks come together into something awesome. I don't remember a whole lot of the show itself. I was too busy focussing on the arches that I marbled, the massive drop of a Venetian street scene that I'm amazed they let me paint and finally getting to see the bridge unfold and get reassembled into a Kings' throne.

-Dyed my hair black again. Have had no less than six classmates ask me if it's actually my natural hair color. I wish it was.

-Going to sign the lease for my apartment for another year. After comparison shopping around, I really do have a crazy nice place. The rent's gone up for no apparent reason, but I would miss my spiral staircase and storage loft if I moved. None of the cheap places are pet friendly either. F-bun stays, or I go!

-Oh my goodness, I love my Tech Theatre 1 class. Power tools! Aaagh! I could table saw things all day!

-Been catching myself recently making the ASL signs of random words during conversations with others, when I hear other people talking, while listening to the radio, while reading, anything text based. I probably look ridiculous. Learned my entire monologue for Acting in ASL. I'd rather do it that way....

-Acting class. I am not enthused. It's fairly easy stuff, but I'm about as hesitant as hesitant can get about all the stage kissing I have to do with my scene partner. In my mind, kissing boys only leads to trouble and I'd sooner avoid it at all costs right now.

-Been sewing a ton while watching mindless Netflix series, like Xena, SVU and Top Gear. Helps keep me motivated. Because when you've cut out forty tails in the same pattern, you need something to keep you motivated. Nevertheless, I am going to need two tables at RMFC this year, because there is going to be so much fluff.

I think Entomology is my new favorite thing. I've been identifying and collecting bugs left and right since the start of my BSPM 120 class. Bugs are cool. Bugs are generally harmless. And they are EVERYWHERE if you stop to look.

I asked nicely, and the department decided to lend me a spider for the semester.
This is Bowie, a (probably female, we just don't know) Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula
( Under Cut for the Arachnophobic )

Bowie has settled in quite well, and I look forward to observing her and getting a fat whopping A in this course for doing a ton of fun projects.

I've also taken to collecting specimens wherever I can. As it stands, I have:

-1 Funnel Weaver spider (common dark brown house spider)
-2 Grass spiders (Mom caught the bigger one, I'm so proud!)
-1 tan Mantis
-2 yellowjackets (deceased)

I'm going to ask to borrow a proper net so I can bag some butterflies and dragonflies from the UCA gardens.

Insects are Interesting!

Best first day of college ever!!!

Started at 10 am with "Insects, Science and Society", which I'm just going to refer to as "Entomology" or "Bugs Class" if I'm feeling lazy. Professor is hilarious and looks like Santa Claus. Co-professor is just as enthusiastic. The two of them bicker. I might be renting a pet tarantula or hissing cockroach to study and keep a journal about over the course of the semester for points. How cool does that sound?! (Mom, don't tell Dad.) I knew a butt-ton about bugs back in grade school, and now it's like it's all coming back to me.

There's a three hour break between my two MWF classes. Not wanting to come home, I parked myself under the gigantic Yggdrasil-ish tree between Engineering and Natural Resources and read "Inherit the Stars" for a while before it started to rain. Good book, that. Dad has just about every 1970's Sci-Fi book ever, so he's keeping me stocked with plenty of reading material. Plot is as such: Scientists from the near future discover a dead astronaut on the moon. Said dead body is dated at over 50,000 years old, older than cavemen. A mystery!

It began to downpour, so I ran off to Zoology, where my American Sign Language class is held. They had taxidermied birds in glass cases lining the walls. Owls, man, OWLS! Anywho, ASL professor is also friendly and enthusiastic about the subject. And today we learned the alphabet, yes and no, and some possessives. I feel like this will be a much easier language to pick up on. You need not worry about spelling or most grammar. It's five days a week, so there's no room for slacking.

Tomorrow is writing, which I hope will be slightly better and THEATRE!!! which I hope I won't be consistently late for, considering I have to run from Zoology, across College ave to the UCA in Ten minutes or less.

I'm having setbacks today, so I'm going to indulge in some nice blog therapy.

First, look at what Miss Monster made me! Were-Kite!


I sort of feel like that right now. I want to hulk-smash everything!
I have my final portfolio due tomorrow, and there was a piece I wanted to go in and put some finishing touches on. Of course, the room was locked. Even though our teacher has a note on the door saying "Leave it open this week, please!" I'm going back later in hopes that the janitor will have made the rounds and opened it.
Failing that, I'm just going to do a second pastel still life here at home and beg the teacher to take it instead.

Also my phone keeps crapping out. It was fully charged this morning. I called my Mom to tell her I was coming home this week and after about ten minutes of chatting, it died. Complete battery drain. Stupid cellular device!
Let's hope somewhere still carries new batteries for five year old Motorolas.

Still sewing things for the con. I have 46 keychains done. *cracks fingers* Finished up a huge red panda costume tail yesterday. Probably the most complex thing I've ever sewn. I hope people like it as much as I do. I want to charge $50 for it, but chances of me getting that are slim since it's handsewn and I'm not a big name maker yet.

Back to work then!

I managed to call and set up a doctor's appointment and then call Dick Blick to find out where the heck my print bags are. And I did it all within ten minutes and without having any hardcore panic attacks!
We're getting somewhere!
Next I'll try ordering barbecue from the place down the road.

Got the fanciest haircut I've ever gotten in my life today. Scalp massages, steam towel, you get to pick the shampoo they use on you off a menu, they give you free drinks, it's madness! But I look hella cute. It is dyed dark red. Won't ever be going back because I feel guilty about the expense.

Parents came to visit over the fourth and helped me with (late) spring cleaning. What a world of difference some windex, a dust rag, and some rubbermaid bins makes. Played Bioshock while Dad watched. I told him it was Fallout meets Jules Verne meets Myst and his eyes lit up.

Stood in the rain on the sidewalk and watched the top half of the fireworks show over the city park pond. There was a treeline in the way.

Got some inks finished for the RMFC conbook. A bit rushed, but still a good piece. Still plugging away at artshow stuff. I know there are going to be other costume makers in the dealer's room, so I hope my crafts won't look too inferior in comparison. I just wish I could get my sewing machine to work.

Noticed I don't like adding "I" or "My" to the start of my sentences. Guess it sounds narcissistic to me if there's a bunch of "I"s littered about. This also may be a Yooper thing. Will research this.

I started Art 135 on Tuesday. I'm glad to finally be breaking into art major classes, though I'm finding myself being very frustrated. Art 135 is a basics class. We're being taught simple techniques and to take it slow. Still lives, static objects and all that. I'm weird, I sketch incredibly fast. I think this lays with the figure drawing I like to do. But contour drawings, especially blind ones, just irk me. I feel nervous and tense, like I have to let the drawing escape or I'm going to explode! I'm also a messy sketcher who likes to clean things up later. I'm basically re-training myself from the ground up.

Also, charcoal. HISSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.....

But in any case, the class is going to be awesome. It's small, the professor is nice and gives helpful critique (which is a godsend!). The other students are friendly. Anyone who brings in an iPod gets control of that session's music and we go outside a lot. I'm looking forward to starting the chalk pastel portion, as well as the pen and ink.
We drew some skulls yesterday. Our homework is to draw seashells. This will be a lovingly rendered mollusk carcass!

Now, the things I am sorta decent at drawing, i.e. the furries and dragons, have been neglected since finals were done and I'm starting to get worried. I have one art show panel at Rocky Mountain Fur Con, but I don't know if I'll be able to fill it in time. Most of the illustrated stuff at my table will be from past years. Prints don't seem to move well, so I'm not making any new ones unless folks ask and am pricing the old ones at one or two bucks each. The two portfolio's I've been planning are not coming along well at all. Might have to save those for next year. I'll be okay in the crafts and costumes department, as I have about a dozen fox tail keychains sewn and ready to go, and another dozen feline tails cut up and ready to be sewn and stuffed. I'm bringing the rest of the hats from last year with slight alterations and lower price tags.

So I guess I just have to bust my bum for the art show. But what to make? Cute sells. Sexy sells, but I'm not sure how far I want to tread the line. Dragons are good, so I'll make a nice dragon. But other than that? Help!
Lemurs are the new fox, right?

Ladies and Gentlemales. I am a nerd.

I have short hair and thick glasses. My favorite shows are, in order, Doctor Who, Star Trek: TNG, and Firefly. I sell artwork at an annual furry convention. My online persona resembles a deer on its hind legs. Someday I plan to attend sci-fi and comic cons. I spent most of my formative years hiding backstage in a theater. I dress up as a Steampunk when I feel adventurous. I have a large tattoo of a 19th century Art Noveau piece. I think Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Captain Jack Harkness having a boxing match (not a euphemism) would be the hottest thing ever. I swipe sci-fi paperbacks from my Dad. I own a sonic screwdriver. I asked my Mom to make me a Jayne hat and she did. I am knitting a 16 foot long scarf so I can dress up like Tom Baker. I knit! Knitting occurs and it's fun! I'm asking for an iPad, socks, soap and dishes for my 21st birthday. I own 27 different kinds of tea. The My Little Ponies watch me as I sleep. I read Neil Gaiman stories to my pet rabbit. Said pet rabbit is named after the six foot tall demonic bunny from cult classic, Donnie Darko. Knee high socks are the best kind of sock. My favorite hoodie is one I got in my freshman year of high school and I will not let it die. I name my technology. I just downgraded from mountain bike to vintage single speed (wait, that's not nerd, that's bloody hipster.) There are plastic dinosaurs glued to my Jeep's dashboard. Thumpy electronic music with no words is my favorite. I enjoy shooting mutants and zombies in video games. There is no doubt in my mind that if I do get married, he's going to be an engineer.

And above all...

I'm totally okay with all of this.

I think animal rights activists need to spend less time worrying about petty terminology and more time focussing on things like setting up low cost spay and neuter programs and getting more funding for animal shelters.

Though my rabbit really does have the run of this place.
I should start charging him rent.

Goodness, what a mad trip it's been.

( Jeep Fail, Fibrous Acrylic String, Paternal Grandparents and Theatrical Shenanigans )

I'd want to hang with the Doctor. Because a whole day could stretch into years of time traveling fun if he managed to not muck it up. He inevitably would though, and I'd probably get lost and time locked in the 1980's or some other terrible place.