Growing Up

These are the young women of my life.
I am so privileged to have so many wonderful friends and to have been in their lives for as long as i have.
This photo was taken at the first bridal shower for this group, and none of us could believe that we were already at this stage of our lives.
It's gone by so quickly.

As time passes I will continue to be flabbergasted at how far we have come.

Searching.

I need a job.

end of story.

relatedly...i miss You.

Things to look forward to:

The hilarity of my job comes in part from the weird emails we get.
Here are some things that my news room was notified of:

1.) 40th Anniversary of the moon landing! ("one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind!")
2.) National Lasagna Day! (no joke, this is happening on July 29. Get yourself some!)
3.) Tomorrow is National Junk food day. (grab yourself some Cheetos!)
4.) On July 23rd, the Ice Cream Cone was introduced in 1904
5.) July 23 is also Mosquito day! (yay malaria!)
6.) July 24th is my favorite Looney Toon's Character's B-day- Marvin the Martian 1948
7.) July 26th is a Happy Birthday to Bert from Sesame Street
8.) And July 27th is Ian's favorite Looney toon's Character's bday- Bugs Bunny 1940

So grab a friend and celebrate! Good luck finding a lasagna day hat to wear though.

Things that make me think of you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REbZO82tkgw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXN0BuCnErc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-pUaogoX5o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEU9Q8NlOiY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMGhrDS3Eps (my personal favorite!)


7 days.

Did I mention, I love you?

Poetry

Last night I was snooping through my room and stumbled upon a book of my poetry stuffed to the brim with loose leaf of poems waiting to be added.
I spent the later part of the evening putting the stragglers in and remembering where the poems came from.
Instead of a journal, the poems talked about the life I was leading rather than the activities from day to day.
I felt very nostalgic.

I found one that was just as applicable today as it was when i first wrote it in the back of my Math Notebook.... (Construction-insert here)
Though I feel more alive now then i have in two years, I'm just not inspired to write more poetry right now.

Just waiting for the creative spark...

10 Days until San Diego...I simply cannot wait. <3

Makin Movies

My friends are a rare breed.

For as long as I've known them, movies are what keep us occupied.

Ian got to be involved this time.

Yes, we were cops from the future.

I have a bazooka for an arm.

A new painting

He's going to be here on Saturday.
Can you tell i'm a little excited?
I love painting.

Cali-vania

Most Played: Ham and Cheese, the Soundtrack

While everything in my life is currently in transit, moving from stable just as quickly as it moves to unstable, there is one thing that I have been able to rely on other than close family.
Never in my life have I found so many smiles, so much laughter, so much music, poetry and a desire to travel as I do now.
I feel more free than ever, even if life continues to speed by all around me.

On Monday as i embark on yet another surgery to correct this painful wrist, someone will be traveling for me...and i wonder, how did i get so lucky?

Like peas and carrots...like ham and cheese.

thank you for completing the puzzle.

Life

A college graduate...
..Unbelieveable.

Whats even better is that in the time it has taken me to graduate, I have also found something new and exciting.

It's been there for a long time, only now am I able to embrace it, to invite it to stay.

Sometimes you just have to say what you need to say.

I love you.

The Last TU Painting

School is nearly over.

Finals begin late next week and graduation is two weeks away.

May is finally here and I am so excited for a new month!

Those who know me continually ask if I'll miss college.

I'll miss the process that college was...introducing me to the next thing, and supporting me as I achieved the honors that I did.

I'll miss some of the professors and some of the friends that I've made, but...its time for the next thing.

College is over...and life is beginning.

I'll definately miss my painting class...I've seen an incredible improvement in the few months of insturuction.

This is the last painting:

....It's been fun.

Home Stretch

My final project for painting was a self portrait.

Though I don't know that I completely achieved the part where it's supposed to look like you, I definitely nailed the shadowing. Baby steps.

 In other news, this is my last real week of classes...and then all of my energy gets to be with final exams. 

I need a job. 

Winding Down

So this is the last in-class painting that will be done in Intro to Painting. 

I'm a little sad that there isn't more time for this class, i really enjoyed it.

This one is still a work in progress, we have another week in class to work on it.

Next up...self portrait. But i don't want to post that one until it is complete. 

An incredible suprise!

Today was one of those days that make you want to stay wrapped up in your warm blankets.
In fact, it took everything I had to crawl out and go to class today.
But then when I got home I had an amazing surprise waiting for me.
A dozen beautiful long stemmed roses....You are truly incredible.
I only wish that the box held a certain Californian instead of the roses that he sent.
I just couldn't stop smiling.Thank you for being you, and for making my day worth getting up for.

"And in this crazy life,

and through these crazy times
it's you, it's you
You make me sing
You're every line
You're Every word
You're everything"

~Michael Buble

41st Student Art Exhibition: Tyler School of Art

So my work was featured in an art show here at Temple University for the spring semester. 

I'm thrilled because I never thought anything that I produced by doing this hobby was worth being featured anywhere but the confines of my bedroom or apartment walls. 

In the following pictures you'll see the gallery space as well as the two paintings that were selected to be a part of the show!

This is the wall that the two are featured on, if you can see them, they are centered!

These are the selected paintings. Both were color studies that were inspired by a typical bouquet of flowers. 

This one just makes it feel very official.

Just some more of the gallery space. Some of the student work was incredible. 

And this is the final version of the painting that I was working on last week of the African American model. Unfortunately my camera doesn't fully capture the colors and the shadows created, but it turned out very well. 

 I'm so grateful that I had such a positive experience with the art school at Temple. I'm just sad that I didn't explore it sooner. 

It's the Littlest things

The littelest things can make you smile in the morning.

Sometimes it's a message left from someone you really care about...

Other times it's just having the knowledge that they care.

I'm passionate about a lot of things, but i forgot about Sinatra, Art, music and travel.

These things were lost for a while...but recently, I've found reason to let them come out again.

My paintings reveal that I've been inspired. Below is a painting I'm still working on, a portrait of our African American model. I just love the warmer colors that come with creating a convincing dark skin tone.

As graduation approaches I am confident and optimistic about the future. Even though I am aware of how hard the world can be, I'm very ready to embrace the changes and all of the wonderful things that may be waiting once school is over.

"I've got you under my skin.

I've got you deep in the heart of me.

So deep in my heart that you're really a part of me.

I've got you under my skin.

I tried so not to give in.

I said to myself: "This affair never will go so well."

But why should I try to resist when, baby, I know so well,

I've got you under my skin."

~Frank Sinatra

*Edit: I just found out that some of my artwork will be featured in Temple Univerity's art show on April 15-April 18 in Tyler School of Art!

Beautiful Weekend

Sometimes its wonderful to wake up to yellow roses.
This weekend...i did just that.
I'm quite lucky and very grateful. ;)

The second image is of the painting I did as an outside assignment. It is supposed to convey the
word "Doubt"...what do you think?

More work

Thanks for the comments guys!

Here's some more stuff I worked on yesterday...

Artist

Some days i forget why I like painting. Today I remembered, and My work made it show.

News

Sitting at the newsdesk at 4 am i had some awesome news:

Celebrate All Things Scrapple at Reading Terminal Market's ScrappleFest!
Saturday, March 21, 2009, 10am-4pm
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (March 12, 2009) - Love it or hate it, Scrapple is the quintessential Pennsylvania breakfast treat. Celebrate all things Scrapple at ScrappleFest! Local Scrapple brands will sample their products, chefs will prepare an assortment of Scrapple dishes, and a panel of local celebrities will judge the best Scrapple dish created by Reading Terminal Market merchants.

The festivities will include:
· Scrapple samplings by Dietz & Watson, Parks, Hatfield Quality Meats, Godshall's (Turkey Scrapple), Fair Food Farmstand (Vrapple, Vegan Scrapple), and Pennsylvania General Store (Chocolate Scrapple)
· Scrapple Recipe Contest with judges Drew Lazor of the Philadelphia City Paper, Chef and Cookbook Author Aliza Green, Chef Greg Salisbury of Rx, and Laura Burkhardt of Where Magazine
· Live music by the John Breslin Dixieland Band
· Scrapple souvenirs and other merchandise
· Much, much more!
Stop by the Market on March 21st and experience the many facets of this unique Pennsylvanian specialty

what?!?

Then I got a page over the news pager with the following:

*Unusual Incident*
Cell phone caller stated he was stuck in a hole . After 20 mins of searching he was found by the fire department. The victim has now been removed from the hole with a possible broken hip.

Get Away

Vacations are awesome.
What I think dampens that fact is that inevitably, you need to come home.
I'm so glad I had the opportunity to travel during my college years, i saw a lot and met people who will be in my life for many years to come.
You don't meet people like this every day.

Missing L.A.

L.A.

Ive been to a lot of cities over the last few years.

Ive looked into their people, places, and the things that make them notable.

But L.A. is different, with a quality i can't get my finger on...its a feel like I can't describe.

Levels, there are lots of levels to this city.

When one can't build out, build up!

The hills are filled with little square houses and bright lights.

The city it like New York, it never sleeps.

There is no real defined center of the city either, it always feels like you are driving around someone's neighborhood.

The weather is beautiful...in the 60s, clear and with a slight breeze.

Today we are going to Disneyland...it doesnt get better than this.

It Lives.

Today the cast came off.

I can't even express to you how happy that makes me.

Or maybe...I can...



yeah...happy.

sleepy.

Sleep is overrated.
Today I had work at 4am and I will be here until 12 in the afternoon.

Its a typical saturday morning for me.

But today is different...last night instead of vital zzz's I went and saw Terminator 2 in an insane theater in new Jersey.

Totally worth it.

To give you an idea, here is the bathroom:

And Again:

And again:

Time

Eerie isn't it.
I correlate this to the most empty feeling in the world.
Imagine feeling nothing when there is so much love in your heart.
Imagine wanting to dance but not remembering why it's supposed to feel free.
Imagine being trapped in your own head.

I can't relate to that...but I can relate to the most empty feeling in the world.
It's called alone and I wish it on nobody.
There is so much love in my heart, and I feel every bit of the distance.
which is worse?

Livin Life

Yes...just like that. Oddly symbolic no?

Look at me, Look at me

I am changing

Trying every way I can

I am changing

I'll be better than I am

I'm trying to find a way to understand

But I need you, I need you

I need a hand

I am changing

Seeing everything so clear

I am changingI'm gonna start right now, right here

I'm hoping to work it out

And I know that I can

But I need you, I need a hand

~~~~~~~~

All of my life I've been a fool

Who said I can do it all alone?

How many good friends have I already lost?

How many dark nights have I known?

Walking down that wrong road

There was nothing I could find

All those years of darkness

Could make a person blind

But now I can see

~~~~~~~~

I am changing

Trying every way I can

I am changing

I'll be better than I am

But I need a friend

To help me start all over again,Oh

That would be just fine

I know it's gonna work out this time

'Cause this time I am

This time I amI am changing

I'll get my life together now

I am changing

Yes I know how

I'm gonna start again

I'm gonna leave my past behind

I'll change my life

I'll make a vow and nothings gonna stop me now

~ "Changing" Dreamgirls

False hopes aside, I'm enjoying this new outlook I have on everything...I am changing.

For a explanation of this...see the end of the post.

Life is funny.
I think someone up there is having fun messing with me.
But I'll ride along with it...who am I to fight the powers that be?
In other News...here are the latest from my painting class. These are color studies and the three that are a little abstract are supposed to be that way. We were not allowed to "paint the figure" only the colors around it. But i think I'm coming along...slowly but surely.








This is the first of my color studies...just making as many different shades as possible.
















This is the second...a little more deconstructed. ------->















In this one more of the figure is apparent



















This is the only black and white one from this week that i actually liked, another light study.












.




This is my favorite of the group because for one sitting we were simply given room to paint what we saw. The model is Bill, oil on gesso brown paper.












And one last comment to make...I was reading someone else's blog today and the picture posted up top of this entry was posted. I miss that time too...because it was the beginning and it was fun. I miss that a lot...almost as much as I miss how those cards would fall and leave holes.

The Last Lecture

As I prepare to graduate in the spring I have been making different preparations. One of these many plan making activities includes applying to become the Student Commencement Speaker, a great honor at Temple University. In so many ways it is my "Last lecture" in that it will be my last opportunity to address my class as a whole.

For no other reason other than my love of creative non-fiction I picked up a copy of Randy Pausch's "The Last Lecture". This was his final testament to his children as he was slowly dying of Pancreatic Cancer. The book outlines his process of coming to terms with life, and really how life should be lived, to the fullest. It was incredibly helpful as it really helped me craft my own lecture...now i simply have to write it.

Randy was an inspiration, and has done what he set out to do, leave a mark. I just want to leave a mark on this place...on these people.

"Somehow with the passage of time, and the deadlines that life imposes, surrendering became the right thing to do." ~Randy Pausch

I hope I am chosen.

Oil Paints

I've always said that painting and drawing was theraputic.

Something about putting paint or charcoal to a page that is freeing, and calming.

I've started using a new medium that is challenging and beautiful...oil paints.

These are the first attempts at catching light as it hits our model, Bill.

I thought it would be interesting to post the first as comparisons to where i will end up.

We aren't learning to "paint" we are learning how to "see".

Welcome President Obama

The speech was one of the most memorable ones in history...its even better when you are able to re-read it:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090120/ap_on_go_pr_wh/inauguration_obama_text

I only hope he is able to fix this mess.

I am 22

Birthdays....Kinda Blaze after a few years.

Happy Birthday to me!

Thoughts

The Search

The moments dark and quiet
Pile fast into the mind
Drifting eyes and gestures
On a personal quest to find...the center.

The middle of a sentence
a riddle on a page
the letters make bold statements
you think you're at the age...to chose.

What ends up making music
Falling into step
Are pieces of the puzzle
I feel so inept at building

Paging through the memories
Things linger in the past
Moving toward the future
They're things that need to rest...but when?

22

In less than 10 days I will be 22.
Typically age is just another number, and really it's starting to become that for me.
21 is the age that we wait to be legally liberated.
18 is that magical year of pseudo-independence.
16 was the year I got my license...

But 22 is something different.
22 is the year I become someone else, or rather, embrace the new someone I have become.
It's taken me a few months to get comfortable again, but I think I have it down pat.
I laugh more, I'm goofy again, I shrug off the things I can't control...I found the me that I thought I had lost...
Thank God for Best friends and amazing family

You saved me.

Diary

Have you ever found yourself with someone with whom you can really tell everything to?
I don't mean those people you whine and complain to, but those who you fully open up to so that you understand that their opinion truly matters.
I have one of those someones.
And sometimes I forget how valuable that someone really is.

Tonight was all about re centering and remembering who I am to others.
It was also about really listening and catching up on the life of another.
I missed this someone.
It's the people in your past that help shape the future.

Happy First day of 2009!