*cough*

Ugh. . .

I'm sick and my body aches, but I have to go to school cuz I've used up all my absences.

Take care, y'all.

*Update*

I went to class and did some work, coating some paper for the gum print process. I was fighting a headache, and had/have a slight fever. Eventually, in passing my instructor asked me if I was ok. I told her I was sick and had a fever, and being the amazingly compassionate person she is, she let me go home and didn't give me and absence.

Home again, I think I'll pass out now.

24.

In about 14 hours I'll be 24-years-old.

In 8 days I'll be attending the final critique in Alternative Photography. It will be my last undergrad critique ever.

In 10 days I'll be graduating from the University of South Alabama with a BFA in Graphic Design (Photography minor).

I'm trying not to freak out at the thought of the whole new world that'll be opening up. I've been a student practically all my life, probably about 22 years, including pre-school. (I went to an awesome pre-school.) I will be completely out of my comfort zone of an academic environment. Must. Not. Freak. Out.

*Sigh* I'm ok. It's like getting a fresh start. I'm just most nervous about being in an unfamiliar environment. And I'm realizing that that's ok, as long as I'm willing to learn and adapt.

I picked up my graduation announcements yesterday. My cap & gown will be in next week. College graduation is kind of a big deal in my family, but I guess I haven't really considered the significance. All my life I've known I'd get to this point, or rather, it was understood in my family that that's what me and my sister's would eventually accomplish. That has a lot to do with my socio-cultural background, some generations feeling that a college degree is the only way to have an sort of status. I don't agree with it, but college is good for me personally.

I feel a ramble coming on. . . Anyway. Lots of changes all at once for me. All I can do is smile and embrace the braces.

cards & photos; busted again

Finally, some art.



I drew this for Kendall, since he's been feeling sick these last few days. I have commissions. I need to work on. But I need to draw small stuff from time to time. I'm surprised how quickly this came out. Only took me about 15-20 mintues to draw, but it's rather small. It's Rosario Dawson, because Ken <3s her for some reason.

I can't believe I have about 2 weeks of school left before I graduate. So surreal.

I went to the orthdontist yesterday, got my bracket fixed. Then about an hour later, while eating a double bacon cheddar melt from Wendy's, I spit out—whadaya think?—another bracket. Actually, it was the same one I had just gotten "fixed." So I call the orthodontist's office, and they tell me to come back in. The receptionist sounded really shocked. Apparently it's unusual for it to have come off again like that. So, I get it put back on, and it's stayed so far. I wasn't terribly upset about the situation, I was just slightly frustrated because I hadn't eaten all day, and I had to stop to go back to the orthdontist.



The awesomely bountiful dessert table at the luncheon at my older sister's work.



My lovely cousin, Ashley. She goes to Auburn University.

busted stuff

me, Laura, and Nicole

Yeah, so I busted a bracket last night, shortly after the above photo was taken. After only 2 months with my braces. I'm going in tomorrow to get it fixed. Stupid holidays. . . my appointment has to be during my class time.

So anyway, last night I went to the house of the Fuenmayor's with my sister. They were having a little get-together. I just finished a big project for Ellis, so I was in need for a little break. Also, I hadn't been out in a while, so I figured I'd attempt to socialize.


A out-of-focus photo of my friend, Dean, who gave us a ride to the Fuenmayor's.


Laura (on couch), Dean and Braxton about to play Spades.


Braxton, who fell in love with my camera.


A clear photo of Dean.






So we played this crazy game called "spoons", which is like musical chairs, but with cards and spoons.


Then we played another card game called "murder". Based on the rules of the game, it's kinda hard to do it with only candlelight, but it was still interesting.


Arianna. Look familiar?


Edgardo. His English is in-progress, and he's really nice. I danced with him at this party a few months ago. . . I just remembered.

As I said, I wasn't the only one who had fun with my camera last night. I let my friend Braxton play with it. After showing him the basic functions, he was good to go, and took some pretty nice photos.




See the rest here.

.

So school is winding down. Our last assignment involves gum printing. Very time consuming but a cool alternative process. I'm still not sure what I'm doing and contact sheets are do tomorrow. I'll just go with my original idea. I tend to overthink my concepts on every assignment.

. . .Goodness, I still have sketches to post. I'll get them up eventually. I need to draw more in general. I also need to practice drawing different things than people, like environments and perspective.

And then there's graduation, December 9th. Wonder what I'll do after that. . .

shots of November

What have I been doing so far this month. Not much, actually. Things kind of build up in culmination at the Soul Powered Show, and now I'm broke, trying to focus and finishing up the last few weeks of school and doing commissions to tide me over financially until then.

As always, I've been taking photos. My little sister said something to me a little while ago that I found so funny. I asked me to take a picture of something, and I guess I was taking to long with it, and she said finally,

"Sharon, you don't have to take a photograph. Just take a picture."

Laura's awesome like that.


Salt print in the fixer.


Tongs labeled to use for different alternative photographic processes.


The advanced darkroom.


I haven't been able to bite my nails since I got my braces. My nails grew out, so I painted them, which I hadn't done in a loooong time. The color is "Holly Days" a really dark green. I bought it from Bath & Body Works like 5 years ago and it's still good.


This is Martina. She's 10 months old and the cutest ball of fat ever.





My younger sister Nicole being glamorous.


Another late night or being bored into taking photos of myself.


Commissioned pages with which I will soon part. Done for Arson Entertainment.


Saturday - My sister's study, waiting to be baptized.


Playing with extended shutter speeds. It's the lights on the ceiling of the Mobile Civic Center.


We ate at a Chinese Restaurant I'd never been to. I really liked the lanterns hanging outside. I was having trouble with my AutoFocus, though, and this is one of the first shots. I liked how it came out, though.


Nicole, in the outfit she made for the Special Assembly Day.


My hair had grown out of the cut, but I can't afford to go to the stylist. Saturday night I resolved to trim it myself. I've done it before but it's been, like, years ago. I didn't cut off as much as I wanted in the back, mainly because I couldn't see it. I like it though. It looks really good tousled.


The aftermath.

Sorry for the lack of art. I have drawn a few things. I'll try to have them up in the next post.