Now that my figure drawing class has ended, these tendencies have arisen again. Irresistable and potent. MUST draw. And then my compulsion to finish whatever I start causes me to stay up at obscene hours. Weeee! If I don't become some sort of career artist, this is going to kill me. I think the only reason I draw after midnight is because I have no opportunity to during the day with work and school. When I had my figure drawing class, my wereartism was cured because I got out my artistry in class during the day. Now I work on homework or something instead, so I am deprived.
Yes indeed, I have to have to be an artist. It is my calling.
Bing and I went to a cheese and wine party Saturday. It was quite lovely. We had a hard time finding handicap access to the apartment complex - they didn't even have handicap parking. We had a few big strong guys carry Bing up and down the stairs to and from the second story apartment where the party was being held. It smelled of sweet incense upon our arrival and Robyn's brand new dual-screen computer glittered where everyone could see. She has a real eye for decoration as well. Microwaved CDs with crackle patterns lined the ceiling and zip disk cases were nailed to the wall for transparent miniature candle shelves. We feasted upon cheese, crackers, big fat green grapes and deviled eggs (thanks to Stacy). I didn't have any wine because I don't like wine, but vanilla coke was provided and all was groovy. We all sat around and discussed crawdads, bugs, bats, and war. It was a good time.
I got home before midnight and caught Fett and we had a nice chat as usual...though I must say, it was not comparable to our chat last Saturday. Mmm...19 hours of chatting goodness.
Gouging your foot on a piece of sharp metal jutting out of your carpet is a bad way to begin the day. I limped to work and found that two of the girls who were supposed to be there had called in sick. Under normal circumstance, this would have screwed us all over royally, but today just happened to be a slow day (Happy St. Patty!), so it was alright. I got through the day without actually wearing green (this is not a fact I am proud of. I really wanted to be Irish). The Shadow made me laugh when he came in. He seems to be growing a moustache for real now. It's very different. Kind of like when he stopped wearing all black at work and when he shaved his head. I found it humorous because when he wore a fake one last Halloween he told me he thought moustaches were dumb. I inquired of his feelings on the matter and he still claimed moustaches were dumb, and that he must have "missed a spot shaving". This of course put me into more fits of laughter because it is a perfectly trimmed moustache and most certainly not accidental. I think it's great. Not enough guys have moustaches. They all have little goatees - and that's just not creative. Now me - I want a guy who will just let loose and grow a big black shaggy beard all over. None of this trendy chin-accenting nonsense. That's right - a regular Hagrid - or Hamish. Yeah.
So I caught the bus to school and was completely drenched by rain. I was an unhappy camper. Like most cats, I hate getting wet - especially my feet. I despise wet socks. And having a cut on my foot did not make it any more pleasant. I got over it though as I dried off. I worked on modeling an ogre head in 3D Studio Max and helped walk Bing around. Communication with Fett was frustratingly minimal, but at least I broke through the 15 computer barrier in the end and found him. Then all was groovy (at least - for a short time).
I went home and watched M*A*S*H with french fries and lots of ketchup as well as pudding. It was a nice way to end the day.
Aye - a big shaggy-bearded Scotsman!
Today, in reply to "How was your day?" Jo said, "Average, with a hint of anxiety." She was anxious over her apartment lease running out, taxes, and school. During an even more average day at school, Jo worked on her decapitated ogre head and helped her friend Bing walk around as usual, commenting on the fact that there was only one ramp out of the commons area (where students gather to meld with computers). She stated rather morbidly, that if there were a fire in the library, he would not be able to escape in his chair. She quickly added, however, that she would not leave him behind and would either carry him or get someone else to carry him up the stairs instead. Bing thought she was being extraordinarily odd.
Having tried fruitlessly several times to log on to AOL Express, Jo griped over email to her good Roach friend, Fett, and they mutually agreed to give the president of AOL the fig. Truthfully, the problem likely laid with the university's IT and their predictable incompetence.
Jo, frustrated with the whole AOL thing, decided to go watch the presidential address. She was still unsure of how she felt about the war. She supposed that if Bush were not lying through his teeth, she supported the effort, but how far can one believe/trust a politician?
After a bit of a musing shock, Jo was driven home and she and Bing listened to a sarcastic ditty about how America should just drop the big one on everyone else in the world (except Australia because of the kangaroos), and call it peace-making.
She got home and started to draw because she must, and only when it was 2 late did she realize that she had a couple of different assignments due the next day, and had not yet completed them. Unfortunate. She always seems to have something to fret over, doesn't she?
Poppleton!!!
It was yet another average day for Jo until a certain female customer came up to her register and ordered a club with swiss, listing off what she wanted on the sandwich and what she did not want on the sandwich and what she wanted besides the sandwich. Now the club sandwich does not come with swiss. It comes with provolone. Sometimes the boss will substitute one for the other (when he is in a generous mood), and sometimes he would rather tell them that the sandwich doesn't exist and not have to bother with digging out the provolone cheese. As soon as the words "with provolone" left the woman's mouth, Jo turned to inquire of Paul what she should do. Unfortunately Paul wasn't there. She asked Alfredo the sandwich maker if he would just make the darn thing and he nodded with his usual confidence. When she turned back to the customer, she asked her to repeat the remainder of the order, for she could not punch in the details of the rest of the order until the first part was settled. The woman stared at Jo with her mouth open then turned a haughty simper toward's Jo's coworker, as if she would confirm Jo's stupidity. "What, are you new or something?" she scoffed (as if Jo should remember every detail of her order listed only once when her back was turned).
"NO." Jo said, pursing her lips and glaring, internally furious at the insult. With an exagerrated sigh the [lady] repeated herself. Jo asked if that was "for here or to go" in a near-threatening voice and the woman said, "to go." Jo nearly said, "GOOD." but caught herself, remembering that she had to be a good example and probably shouldn't pick fights with the customers. She smoldered for the next few minutes until it was time for her to leave.
She ordered a sandwich and as she was moving to get her soda pop, she ran into sober Jason. She greeted him politely and did her best to stay distanced. He asked if he could drive her home, but it was not likely that Jo would ever ride anywhere with Jason, drunken or sober, after his waking her up in the middle of the night several times to talk about things such as putting his arm around her, alcoholism, and his past petty crimes. "Oh - no, I rode my bike." she stated simply, grabbed her sandwich and left.
Outside the sub shop, she unlocked her bike and heard an awful noise. She turned and saw a semi truck trying to pull out onto the road. It's back wheels were not turning, however, and every time the truck moved forward, they would shake and drag violently. Jo pulled up to the cab because she figured the man would stop trying to pull out if he knew his back tires were locked up. He stepped out and Jo peddaled over to mention the obvious problem. The trucker nodded. He knew the air breaks weren't released, but he said they would if he waited a bit longer. Jo felt he knew what he was doing better than she did so she said "Good luck." and rode off.
She reached the stoplight and waited for it to turn green. When it did, cars started turning left because she had not immediately ridden into the street at the green. After she let the first car by, she started to go, because she knew that if she waited on all the cars to turn left, the light would likely change before she finally got across. She made eye contact with the next driver, pausing to be sure she was seen, then when she was confident that the woman behind the wheel knew she was crossing, continued. The woman driver also continued, however - despite seeing Jo. Jo put on her brakes and the woman roared mere feet in front of her, as if to say, "I see you, but I'm bigger so you'd better not get in my way." Jo was alarmed at the near accident, and appalled at the carelessness of the driver. As she rode away she muttered aloud, "Good thing I don't trust [Phoenix] drivers..."
At home she found Fett online and they talked a little as Jo furiously typed her final plot paper, due in less than 30 minutes. Bing came and drove her to school and they got there with enough time for Jo to finish her story AND actually print it out. Wooo! Jo leads such an exciting life. Bet you were on the edge of your seats there wondering whether she'd finish her homework on time or not. You can let out that breath of air now.
The rest of the day was not unusual for Jo. She simply attended her classes and perused her favorite comics in between (see "links" below). She also doodled dinosaurs in her notebook.
Bing picked her up at night and took her home where her growly stomach demanded she make a big delicious hamburger that ruptured with bloody broth when she poked it in its later cooking stage. Mmmmm. Bloody broth. She talked to Fett again until she stopped, and all was well.
THE END
What? I have lettuce and oranges?
Jo is happy because she accomplished much today. She took a shower (a thorough scrub), vacumed her carpet, and baked peanut butter cookies with M&Ms. They certainly would have gone a lot faster if she'd had more than one cookie sheet and hadn't made a double batch. Oh well, she had fun, and she was able to share.
She ran around her apartments taking pictures of birds and trees, trying to use up film, and was actually social with her neighbors for once. Then at night after a long phone call to a certain somebody (take a wild guess), she went to a party with a lot of people from her church. They played poker, Nertz, and another game that was like Taboo. It was great fun - except that she left her keys there by accident and was locked out of her apartment. She did get in though - after she borrowed Jeanie's phone to call maintenance. She sat on her porch, waiting and playing an electronic game of Yahtzee Jeanie lent her while she waited. She got a yahtzee and a total of 280 points! Not bad, eh? Knew you'd be amazed.
Oh yeah - there's a war going on...
Jo woke up late because she set her alarm wrong. She thinks she bombed her essay exam, but she is glad it is finally over with. She neglects to comment further on the day because she is too tired. This is her ogre head that has been tormenting her for weeks. A sorry product for as much time as it took, but then again, it is her first head ever in 3D Studio Max.
Montana or bust!
