papa Jerry says,

"The way to eat a large elephant is one bite at a time."

I am sure someone else said this before my grandpa, and he more insightful thoughts of wisdom of social and Christian living, but for me, this week, I wanted to hear about the feat of eating an elephant.

So thank you to my grandpa.

How is that meal coming? I am progressing, only putting it in the fridge to sleep, eat, and work.

The good thing about this next month is, the work that is required of me is also exciting and the kind of challenge that pushes me to work, not ignore.

I am also learning that performing tasks that seem small, do infact help the result, or at least me in the process of achieving that result. Today I made a mini model of the construction for my art show and although by sight it serves as evidence as to why I am not a builder, it was very helpful for me to see dimension and the entire space. Making this model will better my work when I get to the permanent materials.

IF I knew where my camera battery was I would post a picture of the first real wall being made, but just imagine!

I am thankful for school. I am thankful for educated, passionate teachers. I am thankful that different people have different strengths and that mine is not science or math. I am thankful that some people are technical, like my friend Brad who is building part of the structure of the house for my show.
I am thankful that God made our bodies to require sleep.
I am thankful for the abundant meal of the elephant that will last me the next month or so, whether I grow tired of the taste or not.


(this is always the chair I want to sit in, while I am uncomfortable in my pretty wooden one, I thought I would share the dream)

this will be short

due to the plug of my laptop which will only charge if my hand is holding it in place.

i just spent hour 20 on this week's screen printing project. after many learnings and mistakes i was just kicked out of the art building at midnight. the potential outcome for this process is endless and desirable, but apparently hard to get to.
here goes hope for the final day of tries tomorrow!

i was half relieved to be kicked out = sleep!

today i will write

for beth. for kathy. for stacey. for karla. for cindy. for travis. and that is probably all who read.
but i have been craving writing to you again.
I plan to post updates and progress on the creating of my art show
(april 9)
(( i post the date, mostly as a constant ticking clock for added pressure))
(((and to invite you my friends)))

It's actually really nice, I don't feel forced to work on the show at all. I want to. I guess it pays to end by working with materials in a way that feels natural.

I am working on balance. An attempted healthy ammount of excitement for the future and enjoyment of every second of the closing now. An attempted healthy ammount of working on the portfolio until I fall over and being okay with imperfections.

and! the sun does still exist and is "brightening" more days.

off to modern european history textbook. yes, i saved classes like these for my last semester! I will be posting photos of work on the show soon.

May we all be filled with hunger as we continue through the lenten season.

finals

As this current finals week is about to close, with the anticipation of one long night ahead, i am going to make a pretty big statement. Here it goes. I choose to never acedemically procrastinate ever again.
(I will write more when I am done)
((hopefully about happy holidays and such))

sweet potato chowder

(that is my contribution to the meal today, we shall see how it goes!)

Last night at dinner, two of my friends from Scotland reminded me that Thanksgiving isn't celebrated everywhere. If I had looked back on my elementary education, I would have remembered the Native Americans kindly sharing with the new pilgrims.
So is Thanksgiving a day we are supposed to be thankful for our country? I am thankful for the US and most of it's intentions, but I think this year I will focus a little more on the many reasons to be thankful for every thing.

Since there are countless things for which I am grateful, I will focus on some recent:
heaters
a friend teaching me how to paint with oils
new music (beirut,midlake,band of horses, and the rediscovered white album)
a break from work to regroup
preparation for the Advent season of anticipation
grandma & co.'s cooking
friends to miss and love
candied walnuts
having options

-these are things I am thankful for today-
thank you Lord for blessings each day, even the first pilgrims.

Alive and Well

It's that time of year. The time of stress in the semester. Except why has the majority of the semester, if not all, felt like this? I guess I am attempting to take this semester as seriously as I am able to, everything I do or don't do right now will affect my portfolio and my portfolio affects my future. No pressure.
So I am living one task at a time and when I weigh my tasks, I couldn't put blog writing at the top, (not that I don't enjoy writing to my friends).

We are sure blessed with a pretty November here in Idaho. And a fun "Night of the Arts" is coming up next Monday, 8-10, hosted by the Communications, Music and Art departments at NNU. Readers Theatre, Jazz, Art, oh and food!

Friends who have been through this stage of deciding and praying about what is next, I would love to hear your stories.
I'm back to photoshop.
good night

peacock for a night

This weekend, NNU had their annual TWIRP (The Woman Is Required to Pay) date weekend. (Although I didn't have to pay because my friend Peter, who I asked, is on leadership, thanks peter)
The theme this year was Noah's Ark, and as tradition holds, the first evening of the two night date adventure, you are supposed to dress up in that theme. So, we were peacocks. Getting out of class an hour before the event started, we ran (figuratively)to walmart, the thrift store and to my parent's house to get some overgrown plants that were then assembled into feathers. I don't know if the blue eye-shadowed faces were worth it, but we needed to become the part!




Peter and I hung out with our friends Mike and Carly during the weekend, who were chameleons. Throughout the two nights we went to the Ringling Bros. Circus, parks, the corn maze, ice skating, dinner, coffee shops and to a rented out movie theatre, where I fell asleep. It was a fun way to delay homework. Here Carly and I are in Julia Davis Park.

Off to that delayed homework.