4 Months Later...
Sunday, August 1, 2010
It’s been… a long while. Last journal, I mentioned how busy I must have been. Well, surprise. I didn’t know the half of it. But isn’t that always the case?
Back in high school I pulled a similar stunt on myself - thinking I had it hard. But I look back longingly on those days where I got lunch, college credits, and manageable homework assignments - for free. And still had time to play video games, on top of a part time job. Bah. Now I understand why everyone calls high school “the best time of your life” and I loathe that understanding.
Fast-forward, though. The biggest thing to establish, I suppose, is that I’m finally out of student housing. I’ve got a lease in my (and some friends’) name(s), and plenty of utility bills under my name as an accessory. I get to play the bad guy, since I’m in charge of all the bills, but oh well. Someone has to do it. Being out of housing is nice. Particularly, I like having control again. I’m not on the end of some bastard’s strings, dancing against my will and paying off some bills that I never even get to see. The biggest challenge is household chemistry, but I’ll admit we’re doing pretty well working things out with all our schedules crazy as they are. We hit some nasty snags with the apartment itself when we first moved in (the place wasn’t cleaned on time, the electric was turned on late, we ended up having several leaks that took entirely too long to get repaired - one of which caused nearly a $100 raise in our electric bill; some clogged plumbing, and an inexplicably foul-smelling refrigerator), but most of those things are at the very least in the stages of being resolved, if not fixed entirely.
We ended up moving in prematurely, though. We were aiming for that “92 days” mark, from my last journal, which would have been June 21st. We got the lease signed a full month before then. It locked us in at a lowered monthly rate, though, and gave us a good cushion to make sure the place was in order for summer break.
Pfft, summer break. I worked all break, taking 2 whole days out of 3 weeks to actually relax - something that I desperately needed to do. Largely due to the fact that, after Spring 2010 quarter, I was a senior. But I was prematurely taking grad classes… which I am woefully unprepared for.
Oh, that’s right. Over the course of these four journal-less months, that’s when Spring 2010 quarter took place. None of you faithful readers (all… what, three of you?) have any clue what sort of course load it was for me. You’re in luck! My fried brain certainly doesn’t remember the classes (actually, it does… but that’s because I’ve established on many occasions that I’m a god), but I also have everything handily documented in my sexy green leather agenda book. My classes?
Texture I, with Ellen Ault. The only Ault class I’ve taken where I didn’t positively hate every moment (with the exception of its sequel - Texturing II - in which I’m currently enrolled). Having been thrust into texturing assignments for many quarters past, this class was largely a breeze. Even the final assignment, where I had to model a scene (well, I didn’t have to. I could have used found models from the internet. But, that would have been lame), I managed to knock out and do fantastically on. I made an A in this class. (You can see my work in my deviantart gallery)
Graphics Programming, with Krishna Sadasivam. Pretty cool dude. Harsh grader. But, if you just stick to the rubrics he gives, and make sure to talk to him about anything you’re unclear on, it’s pretty hard to fail. The biggest bummer? This class was MAYA ONLY. And I’m NOT a Maya fan by any stretch of any psychopath’s imagination. But, I pulled through and learned to hate the program a little less. Got an A!
History of Popular Culture, with Steven Beverage. Largely a waste of time, but also therein an easy A. Got to go on my one and only college field trip - to the mall that I always visit anyway. LOL. Had a pretty nice time in the class regardless, did some goofy projects that let me unwind and vent a bit. Probably the only reason I didn’t kill myself last quarter, to be frank.
And, finally, Team Production I. This class is a grad class. You’re supposed to take this in your last 3 quarters or so. I took it in my last FIVE. EPIC GRR. But, I had no other choice. The way classes are offered, it was either that I took it early, or that I push my graduation date back by 3 months (or more). So, despite my inadequacy, I made my very best efforts and flailed around in incompetence and emerged with a great glowing C. Hooray. Could have had a fucking 4.0 quarter again, at long last, if it weren’t for this class. EPIC GRR AGAIN.
Anyway, I still managed to get my ass back on the honor list. Certainly a step in the right direction after my initial Ault-hault my GPA encountered back in Fall 2009.
Had a BLAST at Metrocon this year, too. I made sure not to worry about pretty much ANYTHING and it was 98% drama-free. Set me back a bit in homework, but I’m at least 50% caught up on absolutely everything.
I’ve still been having a hugely difficult time getting myself to draw again. And start any video games (despite having bought myself several - mostly used nostalgic items).
On a completely trivial note, my wristwatch broke. And I’m going crazy because of it. I don’t have a decent phone any more, either, so I can’t just use my cell. I’ve got a plastic government-issued tracfone brick. It’s about as useful as it sounds. At Metro there was a vender for AIR sports watches, and goddammit I am TEMPTED AS SHIT to buy one (or 3)… but that requires $20 (or $50…) that I don’t really feel like investing in a single watch that I’m just going to wear to death anyway. AUGH.
SOME HIGHLIGHTS, HOWEVER, SO MY EMO DOESN’T DISSUADE YOU FROM READING ANY MORE:
I got a rather sizeable tax return. Almost twice what I was expecting. And I made about 75% extra moneys over summer break due to my ability to work full time hours for those three weeks. So, I spoiled myself a bit. I bought a piece of my childhood (Pokémon Monopoly), purchased a re-made piece of my childhood (Pokémon Soul Silver - fancy Walmart edition with figurine and Pokéwalker cover), AND I HAVE A SEXY SEXY DESKTOP. And a sexy sexy desk for it. And a bookshelf for my room. And a fancy reversible black and grey comforter for my FULL SIZE BED. Yes, for the first time in my life, I do not sleep on a twin. And I don’t sleep alone every night, either. Another marvelous improvement. Luke and I live together in this marvelous apartment, and it’s marvelously marvelous.
MARVELOUS, I TELL YOU!
Alas… I think I have to return to my homework. But, I’m glad I got to spew my guts all over the internet again at long last. Until my intestines wish to visit again, fare well!