Home

So I've been home for about 5 days now. There's snow and it's cold and nothing has changed. mean that in the best possible way. It's almost like I never left. I suppose it's only been 6 months, but still. I've already done a lot of the things I wanted to do while back home - eat at Z'Mariks, catch up with some old friends, lay around and spend time with my family. You may have noticed from the pictures above that I've also had a haircut. What do you think? I love before and after pictures.

I hope all of you had a great Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or whatever you celebrate.) Mine was awesome. I'm really happy to be home with my family. Santa was especially good to me this year - I got a new camera. You guys will benefit from this as it is better quality than my old camera and small enough to go everywhere with me. I hope this will lead to nicer pictures and more frequent posts.

Finally finished

Remember that post long ago of the woodblock I was working on?  Here is the finished print.  Pretty spiffy, I must say.  Yeah, I hung them on my Christmas lights to dry - I kind of like the way that looks.  I thought about hanging some drawings or prints  permanently but I don't think I will, tall people wouldn't be able to walk underneath them.  

Anyways, I am heading home tomorrow morning and am very excited!  I really hope I don't get stuck in O'Hare and that everything goes smoothly.  I heard it's very cold in Iowa so I hope my Mom brings me a blankie for the car ride home.  I'll haven't forgotten what cold feels like, but that doesn't mean I won't still whine and complain about it.  I will try to post something while I'm home, but no guarantees.  

PS.  The cats suspect nothing.  They have seen the suitcase out, but they don't seem to understand what is going on.  Poor kitties!  They will miss me.  

Sorry!

Ok, I know it's been over a week since my last post, and for that I am sorry.  I have not been busy with school, but I am working full time.  I have been socializing a lot too, I must admit.  The picture is of the door me and my co-worker decorated for a contest at work.  Can you believe that we didn't win!!??  Yes, it's made of paper.  

I picked up another job shelving books at the main library.  They really run you ragged over there!  I forgot about how much of a workout shelving gives you - especially in the thighs and back.  Maybe I'm just getting old.  

I am very excited to come home to Iowa on Monday!  I plan to eat as much as I can, watch movies, spend lots and lots of time with my family, eat, visit old co-workers, play games, eat more - oh, and go to my friend's wedding reception.  It's going to be a nice, relaxing two weeks.  Then I'll be back to work.  

Annoyance

I did some laundry today and had to use the dryer on top.  Now, I guess it's just a law of physics, but something has to fall out of the top dryer every time you open it.  My question is: why does it have to be underwear?  It's always underwear.  Why can't it be a sock - I mean, they're going to touch the ground anyway, but underwear?  There is nothing I would want to touch the dirty, sticky laundry room floor (that I often go barefoot on) less than a pair of underwear.  

Ok, my rant is over.  Yeah, I can talk about my underwear.  It's my blog.

Other news:  I'm going to bake some cake mix cookies today and drink tea.  Yesterday I spent approximately six hours shopping with my friend.  My family had better get ready for some awesome Christmas presents!  Seriously.  Plus I got some presents for myself.  Anthropologie was having a sale and I got the cute bowl pictured above.  It was just begging for some after-dinner mints.  If my sister is reading this - yes, I did get you something from Anthropologie.  Are you excited?  I also watched "Bande a parte" with my neighbor.  Weird movie, but good.  Maybe my friend Phil will write about it in his new blog!  He writes movie reviews, you should read it:  http://www.filmreviewsbyphil.blogspot.com/

That's it for now.  I hope everyone had a good weekend.  I know I did!

I'm sick

Things of note that have happened recently:

1.  We had a holiday lunch thing at work - it was a super fancy buffet and I stuffed myself to maximum capacity.

2.  I finished my first semester of graduate school.  Yay!

3.  I got my first cold in Austin.  

4.  I had a burst of creative energy which included a short video idea.  More on that later, perhaps.  

Which looks more pathetic?  The first is me sick today, the second was me sick 5 or 6 years ago.  I think I look more pathetic now.  Don't worry, it's either a mini cold or some kind of crazy Austin allergies, but I'm fully functional.  I'm glad it didn't happening while I was in the midst of projects and papers.  That old picture was taken when my parents were away for a week.  I was either a freshman or sophomore in college and it was supposed to be a party week with no parents in the house.  It was one of the worst weeks of my life.  I got sick, rained on, my boyfriend broke up with me and I didn't get into any of the classes I wanted to.  Now which do you think is more pathetic?