I was doing so well with blog updates, and then I got a little lazy. Oh, well. Last weekend was really nice and probably one of the most well-balanced weekends I can remember. I got to spend time with my parents who took me out to eat at Fugi, a Japanese steakhouse where they do the crazy chopping stuff right in front of your table. My parents are getting really good at spoiling me.
Of course I spent a fair amount of time doing homework, but I also got to relax a bit and go with a friend to see Barjche, a modern dance performance by the ISU dance club. Some of the stuff was a little too "modern" for my taste, but I suppose that people really involved in the dance world want to see something new and refreshing. One of the scenes I am thinking about had one dancer moving around on a rolling chair, pretending to drink from a gauntlet, while the other crawled about trying to reach up for a sip. The piece was called "Thirst" which fit in pretty well with the title: "Dance, Nature, and Sustainability." There were other pieces called "Oil Spill" and "Fire" which I really liked. They had a little more "dancing," and the lighting and costuming were excellent. Oh, there was also another really interesting piece in which the three dancers pulled tons of plastic bags through the holes in their shirts as a giant fan blew more plastic bags onto the stage. By the end of the performance, the large amounts of sacks began to hinder their movements- I thought it was a cool social commentary.
Last weekend and this weekend, I have also been fairly busy with CPC (fund-raising for our spring break mission trip) and GIRLS Power. Today I went with my mentee to an ISU women's basketball game. It was my first college BB game and pretty fun. I think she enjoyed it, too. Sometimes it is hard to tell.
Anyway, throw in a game night with tapioca and friends, warmer weather, a new computer (my 7-year-old Compaq XP contracted a virus and I finally bought a beautiful Mac), some tests and lab practicals and you've basically got the gist of my life for the moment. I hope you're all doing well!
Oh, and I have attached one of my art projects I turned in last week. The project consisted of four different illustrations (3 in pen and ink and one in a color medium) and a compilation of the pieces into one black and white layout with some labels for the lateral (side) view of the dog cranium.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
Counting Sheep
Last week I turned in my first watercolor assignment. It was a set of three abstract paintings using complimentary colors to better understand the medium. Now we are working on a still life before transitioning to landscapes, people, and eventually illustrations/story-telling. So far the class is pretty fun. A lot of the work can be completed in class, and our professor is quite the character. One of my friends that took the class last semester wrote down some of her favorite quotes of his such as:
1. Those people I disagreed with... well, they're dead now, so it doesn't matter.
2. while discussing airplanes- I'm always next to the guy who's spilling over his seat, like porridge gone awry.
3. You could name this series "But I'm Okay Now!"
4. Being a social outcast doesn't make you an artist. You just have to be good.
5. If this were the solar system you'd definitely be Pluto.
6. I thought drug inspired music would be a good background for watercolor!
7. If God came down from Heaven and made the perfect city, it would not be Dallas.
The list goes on and on, but you get the idea. Something interesting (and challenging for me)in regards to water color is that it turns out better if you are relaxed about it. If you overwork it and try to control too much, it usually doesn't turn out as well. Maybe that is how I should try to approach life a little more.
Perhaps you are wondering why I named this post "Counting Sheep." This past week kicked my butt. I had an awful time sleeping, waking up every couple of hours and not being able to fall back asleep. Then I started to get sick- it just was not a fun time, and there was one night I resorted to the old, count-the-sheep-jumping-over-the-fence idea. It didn't work; I could not figure out if my sheep should look like the cartoony ones from those old mattress commercials or actual sheep. Anyway, I spent so much time trying to visualize what they would look like and how this scene would play out that I never actually got to the counting part. Luckily, I am sleeping better now so I hope I do not have to resort to sheep again. I still have a little bit of a cold, but it seems like that is the normal state of just about everyone on campus.
The photos posted are from Dance Marathon.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Dance Marathon, Ballet Class, and Other Stuff
This past Saturday, I participated in Dance Marathon. It is a charity event in which the volunteers, or dancers, stand on their feet for 15 hours to raise money for the University of Iowa Children's Hospital. I thought it was going to be like one of those crazy dance marathons from the 30s where people had to constantly dance until they were the last ones standing- literally standing. But there was actually a lot more than just dancing. Every hour, we would preform a morale dance that the leaders taught all of the dancers at the beginning of the event. For the rest of the hour, there were lots of games, inflatables, four-square, Wii, demonstrations by clubs like the Swing Society and Judo, and competitions like the classic passing-the-orange-neck-to-neck relay. If you have every seen Charade with Carey Grant and Audrey Hepburn, you know what I mean.
Every hour after the morale dance, families also shared their stories, and each team had an adopted family with whom we were able to spend time and do activities. My team's adopted family had two kids with Hirschsprung Disease which meant they were born without nerves in their lower digestive tracts. Nate, who is 11, receives the majority of his caloric and water intake via an IV through his chest every night. This has kept him alive even though the doctors thought he wouldn't make it past three months old. The problem is that he might have to get a liver transplant since it doesn't get used very much, and he is very prone to infections with the IV. He was a really cool kid, and beat me mercilessly at Wii boxing.
My legs held up pretty well until the last couple of hours. During Power Hour, all of the games were put away and everyone was in the dance room jumping up and down, fist pumping, swirling glowsticks, etc. That was the hardest part. Then, for the final hour, the total amount raised was released to the crowd- $260,000! Thank you so much to all who donated.
Speaking of dancing, I am taking an intro. to ballet class at ISU. I have always wanted to take a dance class, and it is a good break between three hours of lecture and three hours of art studio twice a week. Most of the people have not taken ballet, but there are a few that definitely know what they are doing. It's really fun but fast-paced, and I need to review the terms in our textbook. Yes, we had to buy a text book, and we will be tested on the terms at mid-term and finals. I'm hoping the class will make me more graceful and give me better posture- we'll see. Sometimes I think my movements resemble a chicken more than a swan.
This last paragraph is just a bunch of random stuff. I am still a GIRLS Power mentor until the end of the semester, and today we had one of our large group meetings where we learned self defense moves from the the judo club. You do not want to mess with me now. I also found out that one of my short stories I wrote for Creative Fiction Writing last fall was accepted into Sketch, a literary magazine produced once a semester at ISU with short stories, poems, and some photography. I was pretty pumped.
Have a great rest of the week- hopefully it gets warmer. My memories of Spain are becoming fonder with each layer I add before heading to another class.
Every hour after the morale dance, families also shared their stories, and each team had an adopted family with whom we were able to spend time and do activities. My team's adopted family had two kids with Hirschsprung Disease which meant they were born without nerves in their lower digestive tracts. Nate, who is 11, receives the majority of his caloric and water intake via an IV through his chest every night. This has kept him alive even though the doctors thought he wouldn't make it past three months old. The problem is that he might have to get a liver transplant since it doesn't get used very much, and he is very prone to infections with the IV. He was a really cool kid, and beat me mercilessly at Wii boxing.
My legs held up pretty well until the last couple of hours. During Power Hour, all of the games were put away and everyone was in the dance room jumping up and down, fist pumping, swirling glowsticks, etc. That was the hardest part. Then, for the final hour, the total amount raised was released to the crowd- $260,000! Thank you so much to all who donated.
Speaking of dancing, I am taking an intro. to ballet class at ISU. I have always wanted to take a dance class, and it is a good break between three hours of lecture and three hours of art studio twice a week. Most of the people have not taken ballet, but there are a few that definitely know what they are doing. It's really fun but fast-paced, and I need to review the terms in our textbook. Yes, we had to buy a text book, and we will be tested on the terms at mid-term and finals. I'm hoping the class will make me more graceful and give me better posture- we'll see. Sometimes I think my movements resemble a chicken more than a swan.
This last paragraph is just a bunch of random stuff. I am still a GIRLS Power mentor until the end of the semester, and today we had one of our large group meetings where we learned self defense moves from the the judo club. You do not want to mess with me now. I also found out that one of my short stories I wrote for Creative Fiction Writing last fall was accepted into Sketch, a literary magazine produced once a semester at ISU with short stories, poems, and some photography. I was pretty pumped.
Have a great rest of the week- hopefully it gets warmer. My memories of Spain are becoming fonder with each layer I add before heading to another class.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
A Surfer in a Washing Maching
Hey, everyone-
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with loved ones. I certainly enjoyed my time at home with my parents and sister, playing games and cooking and sewing and etc. We also got to see a lot of relatives and some family friends.
But break is over, and a new semester has begun. With 18 credits once again, I decided not to do the archeology artifact illustration work. Part of me realizes I am missing out on a great opportunity to make some good money and add something to my resume, but those are the only reasons why I would be doing it and right now in my life, I don't want to add extra commitments unless they are something I really want to do.
My classes this semester include: Intro. to Watercolor, Comparative Chordate Anatomy and the lab (5 credits), an anthropology course called Globalization and the Human Condition, an Honors seminar called Robin Hood from Ballad to Book to Movie, Scientific Illustration, and Intro. to Ballet (for a fun break between classes.)I'm also in a non-credit fitness class with two friends. It is called piloxing (pilates and boxing) which we are going to try to make into a regular thing since it is too cold to bike or walk to campus anymore. This semester, I am still a mentor for GIRLS Power, an Honors Ambassador for potential students on college visits, a BPMI Club member, a tutor if any students need help with fiction writing or the bio. class I took last spring called Plants and People, and I still want to stay involved in CPC (Collegiate Presbyterian Church.)
Instead of writing about all of my classes at once, I will try to just focus on one a week. First up: Comparative Chordate Anatomy. The professor for this class and lab is very interested in her subject matter and about teaching it to her students (always a plus.) I feel like she could be a character in a Woody Allen film, but maybe its just because she has a New York accent which is pretty uncommon here. Anyway, for those of us who have not taken evolutionary biology or vertebrate biology, we feel a little overwhelmed. We fly through material very quickly- we are already in chapter 3! I understand the concepts, but I have trouble remembering and remembering how to spell all of the phylums and subphlyums and classes and yada-yada. At least a lot of BPMI students, Jake (one of my UA coworkers last year), and a few other people I know are also taking the class. This gives me some options for study buddies later in the semester or at least people with whom I can commiserate.
Last night a BPMI friend hosted a little party, and several of us BPMI-ers came early to help her make potato pancakes, or latkes, for one of the hors d'oeuvres. We never got around to playing games or watching movies that people brought, but it was perfectly fine, and we had a really nice time. Today I leave for a CPC retreat. It was scheduled for this weekend because we do not have classes on Monday due to MLK Day. I am looking forward to the games, sledding, good food, and good talks.
Things are going well for me now- I'm on top of my surf board enjoying the ride, but I know I'm in a washing machine that could suck me down very quickly into dark oblivion where all the lost socks go and never return. OK- that was a little dramatic. But anyway I feel like this semester will be fine as long as I stay with my board. I might fall off now and again, but that is why I wear a safety ankle strap (my family, my friends, and my faith.)
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with loved ones. I certainly enjoyed my time at home with my parents and sister, playing games and cooking and sewing and etc. We also got to see a lot of relatives and some family friends.
But break is over, and a new semester has begun. With 18 credits once again, I decided not to do the archeology artifact illustration work. Part of me realizes I am missing out on a great opportunity to make some good money and add something to my resume, but those are the only reasons why I would be doing it and right now in my life, I don't want to add extra commitments unless they are something I really want to do.
My classes this semester include: Intro. to Watercolor, Comparative Chordate Anatomy and the lab (5 credits), an anthropology course called Globalization and the Human Condition, an Honors seminar called Robin Hood from Ballad to Book to Movie, Scientific Illustration, and Intro. to Ballet (for a fun break between classes.)I'm also in a non-credit fitness class with two friends. It is called piloxing (pilates and boxing) which we are going to try to make into a regular thing since it is too cold to bike or walk to campus anymore. This semester, I am still a mentor for GIRLS Power, an Honors Ambassador for potential students on college visits, a BPMI Club member, a tutor if any students need help with fiction writing or the bio. class I took last spring called Plants and People, and I still want to stay involved in CPC (Collegiate Presbyterian Church.)
Instead of writing about all of my classes at once, I will try to just focus on one a week. First up: Comparative Chordate Anatomy. The professor for this class and lab is very interested in her subject matter and about teaching it to her students (always a plus.) I feel like she could be a character in a Woody Allen film, but maybe its just because she has a New York accent which is pretty uncommon here. Anyway, for those of us who have not taken evolutionary biology or vertebrate biology, we feel a little overwhelmed. We fly through material very quickly- we are already in chapter 3! I understand the concepts, but I have trouble remembering and remembering how to spell all of the phylums and subphlyums and classes and yada-yada. At least a lot of BPMI students, Jake (one of my UA coworkers last year), and a few other people I know are also taking the class. This gives me some options for study buddies later in the semester or at least people with whom I can commiserate.
Last night a BPMI friend hosted a little party, and several of us BPMI-ers came early to help her make potato pancakes, or latkes, for one of the hors d'oeuvres. We never got around to playing games or watching movies that people brought, but it was perfectly fine, and we had a really nice time. Today I leave for a CPC retreat. It was scheduled for this weekend because we do not have classes on Monday due to MLK Day. I am looking forward to the games, sledding, good food, and good talks.
Things are going well for me now- I'm on top of my surf board enjoying the ride, but I know I'm in a washing machine that could suck me down very quickly into dark oblivion where all the lost socks go and never return. OK- that was a little dramatic. But anyway I feel like this semester will be fine as long as I stay with my board. I might fall off now and again, but that is why I wear a safety ankle strap (my family, my friends, and my faith.)
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
FHP
As a going away present for our First-year Honors Program supervisor, we bought a three-photo frame and went to Jake's sister and bother-in-law's photography studio to take these photos.
Slacking on Blogging
I didn't realize it had been so long since I put up my last post. Don't worry- I am alive. Since I don't want to cover everything that has happened the past two months and you probably are not that interested, I will just touch on some of the highlights as I sit on my love seat, wrapped up in blankets while Bing Cosby singing, "I'll Be Home For Christmas." Most people know I hate the cold, but I sure am soaking up the holidays this year.
1. The End of a Job and the Start of Another (or two)
2. Internships
3. Finals Week
4. Fun Stuff
1. The End of a Job and the Start of Another (or two)
This past Saturday, the two other UAs and I had lunch with the three new undergraduate assistants to provide an opportunity for them to ask us questions and for us to dump a load of advice on them. As I have told people before, I am really glad I was selected for the position. It really challenged me and provided me with professional experience very unique to undergraduates. However, I am also looking forward to a semester without planning and leading classes, organizing retreats and project presentations, contacting leaders to contact their students because an assignment was not turned in on time, etc.
With 18 credits next semester, I was debating whether or not I should seek a part time job. I applied at a cafe downtown, but I have decided the food industry is simply not interested in me. It's interesting how sometimes things just seem to work out for the best. Last week, I talked to my archeology professor, Dr. Matt Hill, to see if he knew of any internship opportunities with museums or sites over the summer. He did not, but he said he was interested in hiring me to render pen and ink illustrations of artifacts for his research next semester. Half an hour after entering his office on a whim, I had a job which I hope to be a valuable experience and a chance to get my artwork published in scientific journals. The artifacts will be on loan from the Dewulf Site in Illinois and the Deadman Slough Site in Wisconsin.
I have also applied and been accepted to be a Spanish and Plants and People (biology class) tutor. Although, I've been informed that I may not have any tutees since most tutoring services are needed for large lecture classes like chemistry and physics. If it works out, it works out, and if not, I'll have more time to illustrate projectile points that have been ceremoniously broken and fire-fractured at burial sites (an indication of increasing social complexity and possibly religion or idea of an after life.)
2. Internships
I have been in contact with a good number of museums and museum exhibit fabrication companies this past semester. Unfortunately, most of them do not know if projects will be available for me in the summer. They tend to work on projects for 4 to 6 months, and I was informed to check back in April. I have to admit this has been stressing me out quite a bit, but as people have been reminding me, I need to be patient and open to opportunities like the random illustration position for next semester.
3. Finals Week
Unlike most college students, I have found my finals week to be very relaxing. Most of my projects, tests, and papers were due before finals. I also worked ahead during Thanksgiving break which freed up a lot of my time for the last weeks of the semester. I am officially done on Thursday, and I am excited for Christmas break- especially to see my sister and spend Christmas with my family which we were unable to do last year.
4. Fun Stuff
Over Thanksgiving Break, I ran in the Living History Farms Race with Katherine Frels, Brian Joyce, Chelsea Moran, and Katherine's siblings and mom. There were over 8000 runners from all over the U.S. and tons of crazy costumes (Wizard of Oz characters, a Wheaties box, bananas, Santa and his reindeer, an American Indian in a loin cloth, hospital patients, mimes, etc.) It was 7 miles, but we were so packed that there were times when you could run even if you wanted to. There were also quite a few creek crossings and muddy banks. Ahh, it was quite the experience.
Like I mentioned in the opening, I hate the cold. With my low blood pressure, it seems like I suffer more than normal people. However, I am glad that we have snow to get into the Christmas mood, and I love seeing all the lights and Christmas trees peeking glowing behind frosty windows. A few weeks ago, a few of my friends joined me for Winterfest on campus. We drank hot chocolate at the knoll, sang carols as we rode in a trailer pulled by two draft horses, drank more hot chocolate, and made some crafts.
The Collegiate Presbyterian Church has had a lot of events and more to come this week, too- caroling at the nursing home, decorating cookies with international students, etc. This past Sunday was the college group Christmas party, and we were so spoiled. Some of the church members made us appetizers of goat cheese and puff pastry with mushrooms, roasted vegetables, ham, spinach salad with mandarin oranges and nuts and craisons, and cheesecake for desert. Then we had a white elephant exchange, and I have to say I was pretty impressed with some of the creativity. One student brought a fishing pole, beta fish, and fish food. I gave away all of my archeology notes and note cards along with some chocolate, and I received hand sanitizer, cards, and an ornament. But I ended up trading my cards and ornament for toilet paper and pepper- two things I was getting low on.
I'm putting the finishing touches on an art project this afternoon and then carpooling to my English professor's house for our "final." She is cooking us dinner, and we are turning in our final paper and showing everyone one of our visual assignments that was due last week.
I think all finals should be like this.
If I do not update the blog anymore before Christmas, I wish you all a merry holiday season with friends and family!
1. The End of a Job and the Start of Another (or two)
2. Internships
3. Finals Week
4. Fun Stuff
1. The End of a Job and the Start of Another (or two)
This past Saturday, the two other UAs and I had lunch with the three new undergraduate assistants to provide an opportunity for them to ask us questions and for us to dump a load of advice on them. As I have told people before, I am really glad I was selected for the position. It really challenged me and provided me with professional experience very unique to undergraduates. However, I am also looking forward to a semester without planning and leading classes, organizing retreats and project presentations, contacting leaders to contact their students because an assignment was not turned in on time, etc.
With 18 credits next semester, I was debating whether or not I should seek a part time job. I applied at a cafe downtown, but I have decided the food industry is simply not interested in me. It's interesting how sometimes things just seem to work out for the best. Last week, I talked to my archeology professor, Dr. Matt Hill, to see if he knew of any internship opportunities with museums or sites over the summer. He did not, but he said he was interested in hiring me to render pen and ink illustrations of artifacts for his research next semester. Half an hour after entering his office on a whim, I had a job which I hope to be a valuable experience and a chance to get my artwork published in scientific journals. The artifacts will be on loan from the Dewulf Site in Illinois and the Deadman Slough Site in Wisconsin.
I have also applied and been accepted to be a Spanish and Plants and People (biology class) tutor. Although, I've been informed that I may not have any tutees since most tutoring services are needed for large lecture classes like chemistry and physics. If it works out, it works out, and if not, I'll have more time to illustrate projectile points that have been ceremoniously broken and fire-fractured at burial sites (an indication of increasing social complexity and possibly religion or idea of an after life.)
2. Internships
I have been in contact with a good number of museums and museum exhibit fabrication companies this past semester. Unfortunately, most of them do not know if projects will be available for me in the summer. They tend to work on projects for 4 to 6 months, and I was informed to check back in April. I have to admit this has been stressing me out quite a bit, but as people have been reminding me, I need to be patient and open to opportunities like the random illustration position for next semester.
3. Finals Week
Unlike most college students, I have found my finals week to be very relaxing. Most of my projects, tests, and papers were due before finals. I also worked ahead during Thanksgiving break which freed up a lot of my time for the last weeks of the semester. I am officially done on Thursday, and I am excited for Christmas break- especially to see my sister and spend Christmas with my family which we were unable to do last year.
4. Fun Stuff
Over Thanksgiving Break, I ran in the Living History Farms Race with Katherine Frels, Brian Joyce, Chelsea Moran, and Katherine's siblings and mom. There were over 8000 runners from all over the U.S. and tons of crazy costumes (Wizard of Oz characters, a Wheaties box, bananas, Santa and his reindeer, an American Indian in a loin cloth, hospital patients, mimes, etc.) It was 7 miles, but we were so packed that there were times when you could run even if you wanted to. There were also quite a few creek crossings and muddy banks. Ahh, it was quite the experience.
Like I mentioned in the opening, I hate the cold. With my low blood pressure, it seems like I suffer more than normal people. However, I am glad that we have snow to get into the Christmas mood, and I love seeing all the lights and Christmas trees peeking glowing behind frosty windows. A few weeks ago, a few of my friends joined me for Winterfest on campus. We drank hot chocolate at the knoll, sang carols as we rode in a trailer pulled by two draft horses, drank more hot chocolate, and made some crafts.
The Collegiate Presbyterian Church has had a lot of events and more to come this week, too- caroling at the nursing home, decorating cookies with international students, etc. This past Sunday was the college group Christmas party, and we were so spoiled. Some of the church members made us appetizers of goat cheese and puff pastry with mushrooms, roasted vegetables, ham, spinach salad with mandarin oranges and nuts and craisons, and cheesecake for desert. Then we had a white elephant exchange, and I have to say I was pretty impressed with some of the creativity. One student brought a fishing pole, beta fish, and fish food. I gave away all of my archeology notes and note cards along with some chocolate, and I received hand sanitizer, cards, and an ornament. But I ended up trading my cards and ornament for toilet paper and pepper- two things I was getting low on.
I'm putting the finishing touches on an art project this afternoon and then carpooling to my English professor's house for our "final." She is cooking us dinner, and we are turning in our final paper and showing everyone one of our visual assignments that was due last week.
I think all finals should be like this.
If I do not update the blog anymore before Christmas, I wish you all a merry holiday season with friends and family!
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