Grarghr.
Hello world.
I kept wanting to update this thing in the past, oh, month and some change, but I just kept coming up with reasons why I shouldn't. Buuut last night I submitted my term paper for Bio 356 and this morning I turned in my term paper for Psy 382 and I finished my thesis abstract and powerpoint and I'm camped out at Starbucks until my 12:50 (sans the mood to write or my tablet) so I figure it's finally, finally time to update. Mentioning powerpoint reminds me of this ridiculous piece I just read -- "Some problems in the world are not bullet-izable", thank you! Powerpoint is the weapon of the lazy! /digression end
What first? I guess the coolest thing, in my opinion anyway, is that I finally got the camera I'd been wanting for ages (read: years). I'll be slowly trickling more photos into my photo blog as time goes on. You can see the newest ones by clicking here. If you're friends with me on facebook you can see pictures of real people with the camera as well. Hoo-flippin'-ray.
On the thesis front, things are considerably better than at the time of my last post. I gave my old chapters a much, much needed revision and started some new chapters. I think I have to go back to story mapping, as each character's eventual path is becoming more complicated than in the first third/half/whatever it is I've written of the book. The same "major problem omg" is lurking in the background, but I am playing around with order and such now. Constantly asking myself "why" is the best/worst part of writing. I'm sad to say the actual novel won't be finished by May 6th when it's technically "due", but I think as long as I hand in a solid "beginning chunk" as my official thesis, Professor Videbaek and I are both alright with that. The novel is intended to be split into "sections" with chapters therein, anyway.
A good portion of my time these last few weeks has been applied toward doing the illustrations I intended to do as part of the project. You can check some of them out here and here if you want (the first one is Roshana, the second Zohal). I believe I have learned more about Photoshop and digital coloring from the combined powers of deviantart and youtube in this fortnight than I have in the last two years. Couldn't be happier with what I've learned, though.
I am tempted to write more about graduation related stuff, but nothing much is happening yet. I didn't get picked to be Commencement speaker, but I think I'm going to speak at the Honors College ceremony, so I might pen an entirely new speech for that. A funny one, I think. Honors College Talent show was last Tuesday. I sang this song and it was glorious, ngl. Bill Miller was stuck in Brussels and could not emcee the event, so Nagler and I stepped in. He's finally returned after the wrath of the LOLcano, though.
I know I mentioned ICON in my last post; it was, on the whole, pretty decent. Sitting at David's table was a bit tedious, but I did get a commission, which was nice. I think the most surprising thing about the weekend was that I didn't buy anything - but considering neither David nor I made any profit, it's not really such a shock. I did meet a really friendly guy who was selling middle eastern instruments - I was so, so tempted to buy the Saz or a ton/donbak drum, but I honestly couldn't choose between them (especially in my heart of hearts I know I want to learn Oud more than either of the two, and that I want to start practicing the Daf drum and violin again). Maybe as a birthday gift to myself I'll buy a new instrument. We'll see.
Tonight I have to present my thesis progress in a 5 minute talk, and I'm so excited, especially to see the work of all my fellow seniors. Next week I have a long-form presentation in which I'll probably just read a section. I have to pick what I'll read and practice that, eep. I'm going to invite Really Cool People, so it'd better be good.
I think that's just about all the time I have to ramble endlessly about my Oh So Exciting Life, so I bid you all adieu.
I kept wanting to update this thing in the past, oh, month and some change, but I just kept coming up with reasons why I shouldn't. Buuut last night I submitted my term paper for Bio 356 and this morning I turned in my term paper for Psy 382 and I finished my thesis abstract and powerpoint and I'm camped out at Starbucks until my 12:50 (sans the mood to write or my tablet) so I figure it's finally, finally time to update. Mentioning powerpoint reminds me of this ridiculous piece I just read -- "Some problems in the world are not bullet-izable", thank you! Powerpoint is the weapon of the lazy! /digression end
What first? I guess the coolest thing, in my opinion anyway, is that I finally got the camera I'd been wanting for ages (read: years). I'll be slowly trickling more photos into my photo blog as time goes on. You can see the newest ones by clicking here. If you're friends with me on facebook you can see pictures of real people with the camera as well. Hoo-flippin'-ray.
On the thesis front, things are considerably better than at the time of my last post. I gave my old chapters a much, much needed revision and started some new chapters. I think I have to go back to story mapping, as each character's eventual path is becoming more complicated than in the first third/half/whatever it is I've written of the book. The same "major problem omg" is lurking in the background, but I am playing around with order and such now. Constantly asking myself "why" is the best/worst part of writing. I'm sad to say the actual novel won't be finished by May 6th when it's technically "due", but I think as long as I hand in a solid "beginning chunk" as my official thesis, Professor Videbaek and I are both alright with that. The novel is intended to be split into "sections" with chapters therein, anyway.
A good portion of my time these last few weeks has been applied toward doing the illustrations I intended to do as part of the project. You can check some of them out here and here if you want (the first one is Roshana, the second Zohal). I believe I have learned more about Photoshop and digital coloring from the combined powers of deviantart and youtube in this fortnight than I have in the last two years. Couldn't be happier with what I've learned, though.
I am tempted to write more about graduation related stuff, but nothing much is happening yet. I didn't get picked to be Commencement speaker, but I think I'm going to speak at the Honors College ceremony, so I might pen an entirely new speech for that. A funny one, I think. Honors College Talent show was last Tuesday. I sang this song and it was glorious, ngl. Bill Miller was stuck in Brussels and could not emcee the event, so Nagler and I stepped in. He's finally returned after the wrath of the LOLcano, though.
I know I mentioned ICON in my last post; it was, on the whole, pretty decent. Sitting at David's table was a bit tedious, but I did get a commission, which was nice. I think the most surprising thing about the weekend was that I didn't buy anything - but considering neither David nor I made any profit, it's not really such a shock. I did meet a really friendly guy who was selling middle eastern instruments - I was so, so tempted to buy the Saz or a ton/donbak drum, but I honestly couldn't choose between them (especially in my heart of hearts I know I want to learn Oud more than either of the two, and that I want to start practicing the Daf drum and violin again). Maybe as a birthday gift to myself I'll buy a new instrument. We'll see.
Tonight I have to present my thesis progress in a 5 minute talk, and I'm so excited, especially to see the work of all my fellow seniors. Next week I have a long-form presentation in which I'll probably just read a section. I have to pick what I'll read and practice that, eep. I'm going to invite Really Cool People, so it'd better be good.
I think that's just about all the time I have to ramble endlessly about my Oh So Exciting Life, so I bid you all adieu.