Mom Needs To Post More Often, Doesn't She

I'm "commandeering" (as Jack Sparrow would say) mom's blog for the time being. >:-)  <----------- evil face

I thought I'd give an update on what's been going on with me since the move to CA. 

For the first two months, I didn't think that it would EVER get below 98 degrees (fluctuated between 98 and 105 every day)... it's THAT hot.  But it's a "dry heat", so I shouldn't complain, right?  Well, when you're taking a glass-blowing course and the facility for it is outside... then yes, yes I can complain ;) ("pobrecita".... mom would say :-P)
The weather's perfect now, and the leaves are changing like back home, something I didn't even think about ("Do they have deciduous trees that change nicely in the fall?" Duh, yes... why wouldn't they?).  It's nice to have them, I thought I was going to miss out Autumn in all its glory, for some reason.  I thought it was more palm trees/plants that don't "shed".

The campus is huge, and all about Frats/Sororities (I'd say about 20-30 of them). That was new to me.  UW-Eau Claire has 3 sororities and a fraternity (but I thought it got shut down due to lack of members), which goes to show how unpopular it is to JOIN one at UWEC (pretty much if you're desperate for friends, join one of those).  The all-female/all-male choirs on campus were the closest things to a real sorority/frat (the cool, popular thing to be in).  But, Fresno State is over double the population of UW-Eau Claire, so....

The campus is also really beautiful, and really ugly at the same time.  The buildings that are newer look nice, as well as the landscaping on the campus grounds... but the older buildings, dang, they look like some sort of catacombs in the underbelly of a prison somewhere.  Pretty sketchy, and realllly creepy at night.

To say the least, it's been the most challenging and rewarding semester ever.  I'll break it down:

Challenges:

• No sleep
• No money (kinda)
• Food keeps going bad (a.k.a. - no food)
• Never-ending slew of projects
• No sleep
• Battling homesickness
• The heat, at first
• No sleep
• Professors pushing my buttons
• My manager at Jamba Juice........ 'nough said.
• No sleep (to the point my mom thought I WAS ON DRUGS... I was that incoherent... ask her about it)

Rewards:

• Pulling off some pretty fantastic work for projects that I didn't think I had the capabilities (or the self-confidence) to do
• Professors telling me I have "real potential"
• Confidence in my skills increasing
• Quality time with Hippie (that's for you, Dawn) unlike we've ever had (it'll be 4.5 years Thanksgiving weekend :) )
• Making some really cool friends that save my butt a lot for class, and being inspired by them every day
• More determined to be better than ever before
• Being inspired. Period. (I wasn't feeling inspired in Eau Claire, but I am here)
• Oh, and I guess being in a club that can get a world-reknown graphic designer to come to the "Armpit of California" to speak to graphic design students... AND hanging out with her all day, counts too ;)
• http://www.chasedesigngroup.com/ to check out her work (Please do... and believe me, you know of a lot of her work... or have seen it)

Don't get me wrong for the following statement. Those are pretty cool rewards, right?  However, all that's on my mind is Thanksgiving break and having NO CLASS for 5 days (glorious).  I'll still have to work on projects, but my groove won't be interrupted with attending class ;)

Anyway, that's about it.  You can look at what I've been working on (and past work) on my webpage: http://playwithmyheart.deviantart.com/.  I'll update images after posting this blog.

And if you want my apartment address for any reason (letters, cards, food, fancy gifts, a check for $1 million), mom can get that to you.

Hope everyone's doing great.  I love California, but nothing beats Minnesota :)

- "Goose"