In the home stretch. Tonight is my last night at Marymount this semester, then next week I only go in Wednesday, and give my last two finals at NVCC. Swine flu has me giving out some incompletes, and I have a few students in my morning class who are failing due to skipping.

So after I get all my paperwork submitted and my new syllabi written, I get almost a month off, which I really need for job applications, exhibition submissions, and making some major headway in the studio. Also wedding planning, though I think we're in pretty good shape on that front.

I've been having trouble getting back into the studio, so have been hiding in paperwork and school correspondence. This week I've been making a new kind of root doll. It's been good just to make something after a dry spell of over 2 weeks. I have some commission work to do, and I think once I've knocked it out I'll be ready to get back to more serious work.

There was a shooting at one of the schools I teach at today. I wasn't there, and no one was hurt. I'm there all day tomorrow, but not worried.

News4 details here

Perhaps because I've had issues getting into the studio this week...

I really want to pick up needle felting. I've been attracted to it for a few years, and lately I've been jonesing to try.

Also, this video for it is FTW, and SFW.

Today has been made of suck, literally from when I woke up this morning. I'm not going into detail, but feel like I've been attacked on several fronts. Hopefully tomorrow will bring better news. At the very least our vacation has been postponed a day, to see what happens when the dust clears.

So, I had been planning on making a wedding dress. I like making clothing, but making your wedding dress is pretty stressful. This past weekend Roberto and I went to a local wedding dress boutique to look at different silhouettes and lengths, make sure I knew what I wanted before I started to make it. We inadvertently found a dress, that other that a little altering, is just what I wanted, probably lovelier than what I would have made, and cheaper than probably I could have made it for. Crazy relieved, and very excited.

New painting up on the web site, here

Robin and I met our sophomore year of high school, and have been best friends since. She has been an unwavering source of love and support in my life. She's never taken the easy course in life, and has come out all the stronger for it. She works hard for her family, and never wavers from exhaustion. She handles so many roles with grace: artist, mother, and soldier, and has never forgotten her sense of joy.  She is lovely and mighty, and I am proud to call her sister. Much love, Robin.

A year from today, it'll be my wedding day.

We're spending the day celebrating our -1 anniversary :)

So, I entered a fancy contest for artists, to have my work be part of this famous collection of art called the West Collection. It's a total long shot.

If you have the urge, it would help me out if you went to this link and gave me lots of stars (if you think the art merits them).

It's a good one if you're qualified (I am definitely not)

Web Developer at the Smithsonian

labrynthos ?

On the Website, here (I also changed the images to be in reverse chronological order for the series)

My home page should now be internet explorer friendly.

the front page of my website just got a face lift, I'm hoping it'll look better on explorer now (but haven't don't have explorer, so will have to track it down on someone else's computer).

Because we will be dealing with car stuff, we won't be able to make it to Feast this year. Sigh, I really need a camp out.

So, I was just informed that my 1990 Volvo Station Wagon needs a new transmission and radiator.

Getting 2nd opinions and estimates from other car places I know, but right now the car won't drive faster than 20 mph. (I would probably have to tow it to one of these places, but that should be free with my AAA).

Probably 3 grand to fix it, which I don't have. Neither do I have the money for a new used car or new car. I could probably scrape together enough for payments, possibly on any of the above (depending), assuming no down payment. Auto Loan? Auto Repair Loan?

Need to get to work tomorrow. EDIT: I have a car I can borrow for the next few days, because my mom rocks.

Advice?

There's a sculpture I have been working on (extremely off and on) for 8 months...I came to a point tonight where it was supposed to be complete (This sculpture should have been done 5 months ago at least), and I find myself again at a point where I want to change it, or add to it, or destroy it. I need a critique group, badly.

Roberto rocks my socks, and documented some of my work yesterday. More left to document (a series of drawings that need to be scanned, and a sculpture that I decided needs a frame/case so I want to build that before documented it), hopefully in the next 2 weeks. But today I updated my web site with what we got done:

a new painting

and a re-shoot of work we only had blurry images of

Started the 100 push-ups/ 200 squats/ 200 sit-ups challenge today (here) with Jeff. Did pretty well with squats (excellent category), but shameful with the other two (poor category, with considerably better hope in sit-ups).

I've been getting by body into a much better rhythm, going to bed between midnight and 2-3 on most nights and waking up between 9-10 (except for Wednesdays, when I wake up at 7:30 for my only morning class). This is as opposed to having to compromise with Roberto that I would try to come to bed by 4 am (it had been 6 am) on nights I was in the studio, then sleeping in.

I get home late Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays (around or a bit after 10pm), but that still gives me time to decompress and studio, while my mornings before class are spent prepping for classes, and my days off are spent between prepping for classes, studio-ing, and chor-ing (with occasional socializing).

I really love having 6 people in the house, I think the happiest incarnations of Lauren have many roommates (it doesn't hurt that I love all my roommies so much). I only cook once a week for the house, (Roberto cooks one brunch, though often we cook both meals together) but I also cook for my class (potluck style) Wednesday nights. Cooking rocks.

Looking forward to game on Sunday, haven't seen that crowd in far too long. Maybe I should do some actual prep for it...