*Sigh* I'm tired..I guess I was supposed to bring in photos for the teacher to help me in class today..

I have had no time to shoot anything but crappy snapshots (a.k.a. "crapshots")..I hope to use my free time tomorrow and on Saturday to shoot still lifes or maybe street stuff if I can..

I might get my driver's license Friday morning or sometime next week..

I have a Student Ambassador interview on Wednesday (a week from now)..I talked to Jessica today and she told me it's going to be a panel and how to dress, so that's cool..I'm SO wearing my lucky shirt..

I just got done shooting "crapshots" of the SEM Presentation..I thought it was going to be one of those "here's a student, take a picture"..I didn't realize it was going to be an event..I should have brought my D100 and a tripod rather than my Kodak EasyShare point and shoot..

Soon, I'm going to go over to the music room in TL to take pictures of a Folk Musican Festival..and then I'll sleep on the way home since Mom said she'd drive..

Other than that, today..

There was a bomb threat/terrorist attack today in Nestor Hall..

First, I show up to help shoot our movie at Randy's house..Nate and Randy started rehearsing the kitchen scene and Jim (the student) (I think) got a call from his girlfriend who told him there was a terrorist attack at columbus state community college..we laughed it off, but I guess she said cops barged into the room and evacuated Nestor Hall (which is a decent sized building)..my mom didn't hear anything about it on the news..

I think it was Tom who told Jim (the teacher) about how CSCC gets bomb treats pretty often..I actually rememer being evacuated once or twice a week for about 3 or so weeks about a year and a half ago..

I get to school and this nice guy told me they were evacuated for 2 hours for a bomb threat..

You'll never see it in the news tho..and what terrorist would attack CSCC, anyway? If someone wanted to do damage, they'd bomb a home game of an OSU vs. Michigan football game..

Monday:

1st day of driving class at 8:30 in the frikkin' morning..just drove around a parking lot a lot..

Visited Bridgeview Golf Course, just to be told to wait until that night's meeting at the collab class..

Drove in the parking lot of the church across the street..

Went to class without script rewrites :o(

Wrote down locations..

Went to Kinkos to spend $8.50 on crap I could have printed for FREE..

Went to the collab class and was glad to see that it was an awesome group..

Tuesday

Made an online bulletin board for the collab class at 6:30 in the morning..

2nd day of driving class..drove around Upper Arlington for a while..

Typed my pre-lab as I talked to Clarissa..

Went to science..had a test I forgot to study for..thank God my friend/lab partner, Kristen made flashcards for herself that I looked over in about a minute or two..luckily most of it had concepts that are also used in the Occult and most things I remember from 7th Grade science..

Our lab didn't go to well, to say the least..

Wednesday:

3rd day of driving class..drove around Upper Arlington and down North High St..

I kept bumping into Student Ambassedors and they were all nice and like "Did you get your application in?" and "Did you pick a faculty referrence?"..

So I emailed Jon and later saw him in Eibling and he said he'd be my referrence if he could..he knows me, tho..I asked him about it saying, "Sorry for the late notice, but.." and he was like, "It's due tomorrow, isn't it?"..It's really due next Monday..

We scheduled what, where and when we were going to shoot the movie for Intermediate Video class..

Went to advanced digital photography class for a short time, just to learn how useless it was to spend at $8.50..

Thursday

4th day of driving class..did well on my menuverablity (sp?) training..but ended up later driving over 2 curbs in Columbus..

I went through a lot of hassle to get the student ambassador referral form to Jon..I made SURE I got a copy because I was afraid I'd have to have one for some reason..

I got a computer in the back of the Computer Commons and wrote my application up..although, it was WRONG on the employment history..gawd, I wrote it in reverse order and forgot my freelancing..

I was going to write up my post-lab work for science, but instead, wrote up my 300 word essay (I REALLY can't write)..

I did my post-lab work in class..I ended up getting a 94% on my test (2nd highest grade, tied with one othere 94% A) somehow..

I've got a B so far in Intermediate Video and an A in Advanced Digital Photography....I wonder if I'll get on the Dean's list again...

During a break, I turned in my application and scheduled an appointment for an interview..

My dad had me drive around Ashville that night for a couple of hours..it got dark by the time I had to go home..boy, was I sore..

Friday

I wanted to print out Jim (the student)'s final script and my dad had already put crap paper in his printer..so I wanted to use his printer..TOO BAD I FELL!!! I tripped on the stupid old carpet going into his room and tried to hold on to the metal bookcase inside the door..that fell, so I tried to hold on to the old printer and crap on the other side of the path..that didn't work, so I turned to to left and fell on my right arm, so I didn't hit my head..this all happened in less than a second..BAD THING IS that the metal bookcase fell on top of me and I think I fractured my right big toe and a small toe on my left foot..a large thrift store purchase (a painting in a metal frame) fell on me, protecting me from the books and CDs on the bookcase..it wasn't until I was getting dressed that I noticed I had large scratches across 2 places on my left arm from the picture frame..

5th day of driving class..drover around north Columbus and North High in the RAIN with a swollen fractured toe..it wasn't a problem tho..

Went to Randy's for the first day of filming..gawd, those guys (from class and Randy's friends) are cool..at least in another way, cool..They drank beer, smoked, and made me laugh almost non-stop..yeah, most people would look at me and wonder why I would think drinking and smoking is cool..I dunno..I just think it enhances the funny situation..

His appartment is cool! He has an awesome large TV with surround sound, large speakers and digital cable..Die Hard 3 was playing on HBO on Demand when I came in..his furniture is really soft, too..I think he made it messy for the scene (you know, clothes, food, and cigarettes out everywhere)..and I said, "Take it from a messy person, the floor is too clean"..there was maybe a chip or two on the floor..it needed to have cigarette packs or at least one beer can on the floor, but everyone kept cleaning up after themselves..

The character, Mike's name is now Nate because the guy playing him is named Nate and has his name on his arm..HE IS SO FUNNY! What was making me laugh was the fact that he drank like over 6 beers in 4 hours or so and didn't seem drunk, but he kept having to go to the bathroom every 15 min. or so..

Chris had done film projects with her brother, so she had an awesome 5-grand camera and hundreds of dollars worth of lights (my dream equipment..I'm still waiting for the lottery Gods to listen to my wishes)..so that helped us out a lot!

So far, everything is going well with our group..I'm glad it's not like the groups I've had in the past where either you have one person who takes over or everyone doesn't want to do anything..everyone in this video class is helping each other out in any way they can and it's cool..I have no complaints..

My locket didn't work out, but I did get to direct the locket scene!

Saturday:

2nd day of Shooting..same thing as Friday..too bad it started to snow bad..28 Days Later was playing when I got there..Jim (the teacher) who most of us are now calling "Higgi" or "Higgy" to differentiate between him and Jim (the student), showed up for a while and helped direct and got some awesome racking focus shots!

It's funny, in class, he (Higgi) dresses semi-professional and I have always thought he was in his early to mid-30s..he showed up at Randy's with more relaxed clothing and a green baseball cap on and looked like he was in his 20s..I found out later that he's really in his late 20s and Jim (the student) is actually older than him at 29-years-old (I thought he was 22 or 24)..I found out I wasn't the youngest because Danny turns 21 in October and I turn 21 in June..

Well, that's about it..

today, I was going to go to the ER for my foot, but ended up working on sites instead..

After that blah morning, our groups met for the collab class..

luckily that was cool! Sue (from my classes a year ago) is part of our group..so is Charlie and Chris (photographers I've heard good things about)..their ideas ROCK! Ginny already has been to the golf course and got some neat photos and Betty is a golfer so that's cool..

Otherwise, I drove on streets today! Dan (the teacher) gave me a different spinner knob, altho I plan to practice without one as well in case I need to drive someone else's car..He had me go through the Upper Arlington area..to bad I couldn't look around..I was too focused on the road, other cars, and whatever Dan was telling me to do..but oh well..

I hate feeling bad and I wish this depressed period would end ASAP..

I had another kinda crappy morning..

First of all, I usually do all my week behind stuff on Thursday night and all day Friday..that's when I did the portfolio updates and the other crap I needed to get done..I planned to work on script rewrites on Saturday and Sunday, but ended up having to work for clients all of the sudden and I got up late and went to bed earlier than normal on those days so I can have almost no sleep this week..

I was hoping the discussion board the teacher was putting up would be a way to see if we are all rewriting or are we picking the parts we wanna rewrite..BUT the school's computer server whatever screwed up and noone could see the discussion board..by then it was already 7 p.m. Sunday so I guessed Jim (the student)'s email to ask for a copy of what has been rewritten so I could help, if possible..

I had to go to bed at 10 p.m. so I could get up at 4 a.m. this morning..This morning I wrote a production journal because he told us Wednesday that we have to start writing them..aparently, that was a waste of time and I could have done some rewriting instead because today he told us "Starting with today, start keeping a production journal"..

at 4 a.m. today, I saw that Jim (the student) emailed me back at 2 a.m. saying I was the only one able to get ahold of him and that he was rewriting it this morning..

I end up getting ready and on the way to OSU for driving class, I kept thinking I forgot something..I DID!! I TOTALLY forgot to create and print my contact sheets..I thought I'd just get them done at Cord or something after I made them here at school..

The only thing good that happened today was arriving early to Driving class and doing better at my turns..the steering knob wasn't working, so Dan (the teacher) took it off and I drove with a "normal" steering wheel easier than with the modifications..He even made me drive around the perimeter of a full parking lot and had me change lanes and stuff, too..tomorrow, I guess I have to drive around cars and I'll be driving on a street on Wednesday..

After class, I got my mom to drive me "all the way" to Bridgeview (it was only a 10 min. drive)..I get there and the main guy running the place is REALLY nice and excited..he reminds me a lot of Jon Lundquist when he's in a good mood..I didn't get to take pictures, but I hope that the photography team I'm in will want to go together someday (maybe on a Friday, since most of the shooting for AVP will be on the weekend)..

Cool thing is..he said he was looking for something "outside the box" and I told them that Columbus State was a good place to go for that..I've seen some of the students' work that is really cool because it's different..PLUS the photos I've been thinking of and drawing up are from an ant's eye view and some odd conceptual stuff..plus, I hope I made a good impression on him for being one (or first) of the few that has shown up and excited..

After that short encounter, my mom made me drive around the parking lot of the Church accross the street..I suck at right turns..I turn too late and too slow..but I did park in side the lines from the left somewhat decent..

We went to McDonalds where I ruined any diet I had..

I got to school and thought to ask the Computer Commons or the Copy Center if they could print my contact sheets..first of all, the Computer Commons guy said, "photo printer, color printer...what's the difference?" and said they haven't had color ink for a long time..the Copy Center would only do copies and had no printers..

So I had to go to Kinkos after class because it's not like I can go to the photo lab or other computer lab to print because there are classes there and tonight, we are meeting in Nestor Hall with the rest of our team..

So with the time I had left, I went to the Bookstore, bought expensive CD-Rs and a 70-cent matte folder and made my contact sheets again at the Computer Commons..BUT the computer I was on wouldn't let me burn CDs..BUT luckily, I shrunk the amount of photos on the contact sheets so there was 4 instead of 5 and I just saved them on my flash drive..

I get to class just in time.......just in time to feel bad about not getting any rewrites done..2 others didn't either, but they easily saved themselves from looking like slackers by volunteering their apartments and themselves as actors for the movie..I was going to volunteer to do the shooting schedule, but Chris spoke up before me (halfway through the sentence the teacher was saying about getting someone to volunteer)..

so, being from Ashville, almost broke, and not being able to drive has made me look even more of a slacker than I truely am..everyone knew places, had apartments in Columbus, worked in Columbus, and of course looked decent enough to be in a movie..I had NOTHING!! Even my memory made me look like a slacker by the teacher had to tell me to write notes (instead of my way of listening and remembering)..since I wrote it down, I can't remember what I wrote..

I don't think there is a way to redeem myself in that class..I think I'm totally going to screw up the scenes I shoot..I can't direct worth crap..and I'll probably inadvertantly screw up everyone else's scenes..I hope to at least shoot a "restaurant" scene or the "interogation" scene..you know, not much I can screw up and no standing in a high place with an expensive camera..I don't even think they realize I can walk some and go up and down stairs..all they have seen is me take two steps out of the wheelchair..

So until I can find a way to make people know that I am trying, I'll just be what I usually am: A person who gets in the way..

I'm a hardworking slacker..I'll wait 'till the last minute, but I'll work hard when I do work (even if I turn it in late)..

Apparently, I'm supposed to be one or the other..most people want me to work hard 24/7 with no breaks or something..I can't do that..

I said I might have a friend who might be able to come on Wednesday to try out for a junkie girl part..I'm not sure if she can act or be available, but I'll see..

After class, we went to Kinkos where I spent $8.50 on something I could have done at home for free..so I spent $23 dollars overall today on useless things because I forgot one stupid thing..

And here I am..

I'm thinking of getting something to eat and then work out, if they let me in this time..otherwise, I'll excersize going up and down stairs..

Other crappy things:

-) Up at 4 a.m. for this week and maybe the next
-) I get home at 9:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays
-) I have to write a stupid lab tomorrow morning at 4 a.m.
-) I'm going to be sore all this and next week
-) I have to have my mom take me everywhere we shoot until I get my license
-) I don't know my way around Columbus, but somehow can give directions
-) This space bar sticks
-) Why was I given a computer in the corner?
-) I've gotta lose weight..I hate looking like I'm pregnant when I'm no where near it
-) I saw someone today with the same double chin as me, but she looked as if she weighed 50-100 lbs more than me..so I must look 50-100 lbs bigger than I am
-) It's 4 p.m. and I know there could be better things I could be doing, but I can't remember them because I'm too tired
-) I still need to fill out the Student Ambassedor application and get a letter of reccomendation and write the essay for it
-) I need to find a way to shoot from an ant's eye and bird's eye view of this golf course
-) I made people feel bad :(
-) I feel useless and in the way

I hope a bad Monday means a better rest of the week..

I just found out that the tickets for Teays Valley's Cabaret are 25 bucks (up from 22 the year I last went)..and they stop selling them on the 29th..I'm only going if I can find a friend or so to go..so tell me if your going so I can meet ya there..I should be able to drive after Friday, so if you trust my driving, I might be able to give ya a ride (if you are within 20 mins of Ashville or something, I'm not going up to Cols. unless I have to shoot that day)..

I really wanna go 'cuz some of my friends I haven't seen in 3 years might be there and some of the Seniors are from the time I was in Drama Club..plus, I wanna check out the new school before I go take pictures/video at the graduation..

C'mon, yall! It'll be fun!!

The serendipity thing that happened the first week and a half of classes was unique in my life..so I looked up that biorhythm thing (I haven't looked at in about 3 years) and it was when all of the energies or whatever were at 100% and close together..

So my prediction: I'll have the serendipity thing again around August 23rd-31st..maybe a small occurence around September 18th-23rd..Mid April and mid May 2006 (even though it looks like you wouldn't wanna be around me at the end of April that year)..late September 2006 looks REALLY good..

lol I usually don't look at them unless for entertainment..but wouldn't it be weird if my predictions based on them came true?

Yesterday, I updated the blips to the right and added some items to the Web Design and Web Graphics sections..even though one of the web graphics should be in Print or Multimedia design, I just had no time to make a new category..I might do it today, tho..

Recently I was at school and it was cool! Instead of the mean preacher dude who preached that the Muslims and Jews on campus have to convert to Christianity or they will go to Hell, there were these cool older guys who nicely asked people if they would like a mini-New Testament and handed them out for free..I got 3 lol..I think that nice and subtle way is the best way to spread a religion because it gives people a choice to interpret the text however they want to..

But what am I gonna do with three?? I was thinking ART PROJECT!!! Like, rip them up into shreds or rip them so cool verses are on each shred and paste them into some kind of collage..but then, I don't think I can do it in my house..my dad's a Christian and he'd get offended..he gets offended when I talk about making a burnt US flag t-shirt or any other torn/burnt US flag art project..

I'll make these things someday tho!

I was playing around with this program I found the link to from Tay's Site where it takes your photos/graphics and blows them up really big with dots so you can print them out on your printer and make a mural/wallscape..I AM SO USING THIS for the final project where we have to make move posters for the movie we are making! I hope to put one right in front of the elevators on the 4th floor of Eibling, one probably in front of the Student Activities office, one in the Cafeteria, etc. I wanna try another 3D-ish wallscape-ish idea in the Cashier's department where there is a tall skinny wall..

Even if I'm not able to do it for the assignment, I'm gonna suggest it to the Student Ambassedors (if I get Hired) to do something like that all over the school for the first week or two of Fall Quarter..we are gonna kick CCAD's but when it comes to artsy-ness (if I was able to convince them to do this)..we already do with whoever desided to hire awesome architechs to design the buildings on campus..

The ironic thing is that I think art isn't as a big thing at CSCC as say, liberal arts or their nifty Fire Science or Public Safety or Medical Degree/Certificate programs..

I'm having a blah day..

I don't know if it's because I wasted an hour trying to recreate THIS for my first advanced digital project..since I took that photo, it has been a YEAR and the house has been remodeled (so the dingy walls the needle was reflecting are now pure white), I took the original photo around 3pm with a sunny sky, yet today I was trying it at 9am with an overcast sky..the table I originally used is now gone and I used a wooden tray that was 6 inches lower this morning..

My biggest problem is that the weight on my camera was moving it down on the tripod so slowly, that I didn't catch it or maybe my weight on the floor made the table move, etc. that all of my photos have motion blur XoP So I ended up printing one of my "drive by shootings" of those silos that looked similar to THIS, but with green grass and different shadows..it's closer, too, so I don't know how much of a "landscape" it is when to me, it looks more like architecture than landscape..by my dad said he thought it looked like a landscape..

Too bad points will be taken off because I only used "auto" exposure and white balance" and all the pictures on my contact sheet will have the same composition..I totally messed up this project..

The photos I DID print (yes, I figured out how to change my own print cartridge!!!) came out kind of blah, so I increased the saturation by 7-10 in Photoshop and now I think they look like what I see in my head when I take pictures, but the silo one is maybe TOO saturated..I can't help it! I like cyanish-blue skies that are overly saturated..

Luckily, Norm, my teacher, said that I can just turn the contact sheets in on Monday showing only the relevant ones, so in a way that gives me time during this break, but now I have to do it Sunday night (because I have to leave for dirving lessons at 7am on Monday) and the non-relevant ones show a little more experimentation..

....or it might be a blah day because the first issue of the Cougar News to come out that I actually had a hand in choosing and adjusting photos, there were only one set to choose from (Matt's Talent Show photos) and they were 2.1 MP..they would print at about 1.5 inches at 300 dpi..so I thought I'd make it 300 dpi and 5 inches and hope the quality wouldn't be as bad as if they printed the photos at 72 dpi..I'm surprized the first interior page photo was recognizable as it was..I lighted the photos to work with the paper, only to find someone else lighted them up EVEN MORE for the cover..so the cover was a little blown out and there were unadjusted photos that I never received on there..

HEY I volunteered to take pictures, but the one dude said someone else would and send it to us..I never received any except for Matt's..

The pot hole and flat screen TV article was held off for another week, so the photos I DO have couldn't be used, yet..

I'm the new photo editor, by the way..

......or it could be because my friends were taking bad about other friends behind their backs (what's new, right?)..I always think that's happening to me..I leave the room or don't show up and they make fun of me or something..yeah, I'm paranoid..but what do you expect when I have friends that are like that?

......or it could be because I stupidly wore pants, so I can't tan..

......or it could be because I had a dream inside a dream inside a dream, this morning, leaving me in a dream-like state, wondering if i'm just going to wake up and go through it again..

but would that be so bad? I could get better photos, print different versions, wouldn't have wasted so much paper, got my contact sheets done, ate breakfast, drank a whole can of soda, listen to music, had more to say in class, chose a better lunch (instead of cookies), would have time to go to the museum (I probably still will, today), finished some stuff that I need to finish, etc.

but it is unnerving to keep waking up and finding out none of what happened in the last 5 hours actually happened..no, my friends from science didn't come to my house..no, my friends are not dating and breaking up..no, I do have the ability to turn on a light in my house..no, I did not drive to Teays Valley so early in the morning that it was still really dark out..no, there is no pretty house infront of the high school..no, I did not have an OCD causing me to walk to, enter, and go back to the car 3 times..no, there was no large cat and/or doberman/beagle mixed dog on the couch in the non-exsistant house..

.......or it could be because the whole serendipity thing that was going on for the first week and a half of school dissappeared last week and now it's just normal, rather than fast and happy..

I hope it comes back next week *fingers crossed*..

other than that..

My diet sucks..and hasn't actually begun..maybe I'll eat and actually excersize today..but I doubt it because I only like excersizing when I'm in a good mood so I associate the good mood with the healthy activity..all I've done since school started is walk up and down some stairs..i'm getting much better at it!

Yesterday, some idiot parked his car on a hashed out (illegal) area between the van and someone elses car and dared my mom to call the cops because she was illegal for sitting in a legal space for more than 30 min (even though it will be there for maybe 9 hours next quarter)..I got a cop to come over and I waited for 45 min to an hour for the tow truck to come and tow the old dude's car away so I could get into the van..

I'm one of these mean people who would have opened my door as hard as possible, making a dent in his car and be like, "Oh, I'm sorry, was your car parked illegally next to mine? Ooops, I guess I didn't (bang) expect (bang) a car (bang) there (bang)"..I mean, he would be at fault because he's parking illegally..

In class, Jim's script was picked (which is cool, cuz that was my pick, too)..so we get to make a pretty cool movie and it will (supposedly) premier at the Nestor Auditorium or something..

Luckilly shooting (I don't think) begins until the week after I *hopefully* get my license..so I'm going to use the money from one of my clients to look around Columbus so I know the streets..or maybe I'll just take pictures in Ashville..I dunno..

*Yawn* I'm tired..

1. What religion are you? Eclectic leaning towards Philosophical Agnostic

2. Do you practice it regularily? Practice? There are no set rituals..it's more of a belief system..I guess the only thing I do related to it is reading religious material of different religions and listening to different religion's meeting thingies..

3. Are your parents strict about your religion? They don't seem to care..they'll let me be non-Christian..not sure if my dad realizes I'm not Christian..but overall, I don't think he cares..

4. What's one thing you hate about it? That people think I am Christian or Agnostic and not multiple religions, just because I know a lot about Christianity..

5. What's one thing you love about it? I get to learn a lot about other belief systems from an objective view..

What would your answers be?

I went to the informational meeting yesterday afternoon..it sounds like it'll be fun! I just have to find references, get a letter of recomendation, and write a page essay..for some reason, it seems like it'll be harder to apply for the job than what the job will be itself..I have to take 5 cedit hours next quarter and I know my financial aid is paying for this one class (which is 4 credit hours) meaning I have to pay for this Music Video Production class (3 credits)..so that would be around *gets out calculator* $228 I don't have..so I guess I'll do it on my credit card and see if I can't work 20 hours a week and pay the amount off in 1 1/2 weeks pay..

If I do get the job, it's $9.94 an hour!! Talk about paying off my DSLR and having money for clothes!..I probably start paying off the SLR with $200/month rather than the $100 I'm doing now..that means it should be paid ofin 6 mo. since my parents aren't charging me interest..

My schedule for Summer Quarter would probably be like (if I could work at the times I'd want to work):

Monday:

Work from 10-4

Tuesday:

Work from 10-12
Advanced Video Production 12-2
Work from 2-4

Wednesday:

Work from 11-3
Meeting 3-5
Music Video Production 6-8:25

Thursday:

Work from 9-12
Advanced Video Production 12-2
Work from 2-5

Friday:

NOTHING!!

Again, that is only if I'm hired and I'm allowed to choose my hours..Thursday would be a long day, but I'd have fridays off and I would work 20 hours a week (the limit you can work)..and it would be nice to have this kind of job..it's basically a dream job for me because I've been wanting to attend events, help people out (I already do), and work in a school invironment where I have to talk to people and be active (not 9-5 sitting and staring at a computer)..the sitting at the computer job, will always be my "side" job or "freelance/small business" because I can't stand not getting out of the house and talking to people in person..I think that's why I like school invironments..you meet new people a lot and there's always some kind of event coming up..

Even after I graduate again, I'll probably volunteer at Teays Valley or something just to be in that kind of environment..

Matt called me up at 4:30 or so saying he was trying to get some judges for the talent show..I was hoping to have an excuse to go! My mom gave me ride there, so that was good..

He mentioned he was going to get some pot hole photos for an article about the parking lot in front of Nestor..Since I got to the school 25 minutes early, I went to take some for back up and I was picturing in my mind a lot of small pot holes or a couple of big ones..well, I went and all around the parking lot were these GIGANTIC pot holes (I'll post the photos soon)..they were 2-4 inches deep..they closed off two areas because they were so bad..if wasn't until I got home that I noticed I got a photo of a pot hole with a car in it and on the car had a license plate with the letters "DIP" in it..I thought it was funny..

Well, I went to the talent show and they gave me an assistant! She was a nice person from the Student Ambassedor Program..She was majoring in mental health or something like that and planned to eventually get a law degree and minor in Psychology so she could councel her clients..how cool is that?

They let me in free, but I paid them for a ticket anyway and told them it was a donation since it was going toward the American Cancer Society (I think that's the right name) and Phi Theta Kappa (and Honors Society for 2-year colleges I wish I could join, but have a GPA thats .15 below what's required)..my friend, Marideth's in it, so that's cool..

I didn't know many people there, except Nick who came a little late (but at least he finnally got some sleep!)..

Him, I, and two others were the judges..and here's what went on:

1) Jack Gurio, Paul LaPrise, Bernadette Frye, and Rick Leach were a band-like set up..they did a artsy jazz club thing for the first song, then did a song reminding me of Sheryl Crow or Alanis Morrisette and then they did a cool blue grass thing..they were great!

2) Kendra Husband was cool! She came out without a mic and was able to sing "Killing Me Softly" a cappella! It was pretty!

3) Rickey Baldwin (from my high school) was supposed to perform (I actually thought he would before I knew who was going to perform because he's very talented :oD ) BUT they said he was just called to duty for the marines..I think I was the only happy person in the auditorium..most of them are from Columbus and some of them probably against the Iraq war and crap and were sad and were wishing he a safe return and all..Yeah, I hope he makes it back, but I remember him a year ago telling me he wanted to be in the Marines SO BAD, but his dad didn't approve and said that he'd pay for Rickey going to a New York music college if he would go to college instead..so that's why he went to CSCC..I honestly thought he should go to the Marines and use that money because it's something he wants..so I'm extremely happy to hear he's getting to do what he wants (and probably meant) to do and I wish him FUN!! (You can tell I grew up in a family with relatives in the armed forces and I've always hear that it was fun at the same time challenging)..

4) Kyle McMurray did a neat hip hopish song and did some neat little dances and then his next song was really cool because he just danced and he did it well!

5) Frances Kies and Keith Neibarger actually wrote and composed their own song! The guy could pay guitar well and the girl had a good voice!

6) Toni Davis (I think) was the one who sang Whitney Huston's "I Will Always Love You"..OMG!!! She sounded like Whitney to the point I thought she was lip-syncing, but she missed one syllable (but that was hard to catch, I don't know if anyone else caught it) so I know it was her beautiful voice!!

7) Ivan White (I think) was the AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME dancer dude!!! He did this robot dance and this thing were he looked like fluid and he did it perfectly! It was so interesting looking!! I have no clue how someone could get their body to move like that! He kept it going for exactly 5 mins and each move was a little different than the rest..he even bowed as part of his dance! One point he was so into it, his glasses fell off and he (in the dance) tried to catch them, but they bounced off and fell to the ground..he shook it off (as part of the dance) and continued dancing..it was amazing!

8) Heather Cupp ...OH MY GAWD! IT ROCKED!! He did this expressive dance by using sign language to a Christian song about hearing Jesus..she did it in such a way, a non-hearing person could get the beat and understand the length of the notes..she mouthed the words and got into it very emotionally! That was so NEAT!!

9) Erin Warman (I think) was a girl who sang a beautiful song!

10) Edward Phipps and Timothy Sweatte did a rap song..I couldn't understand the first guy who sang, but didn't take off points for it because maybe that's the way it was supposed to sound..I thought it was "I'm a wife beata" or "I'm gonna beat ya up" but then I think it was "I'm wipin' ya up" or something weird like that..I think they did a good job overall..

11) John Tyus did this AWESOME AWESOME Michael Jackon dance to "Bad" and he was dressed like him and did it PERFECTLY!

(I hope I'm not skipping one)

12) Casey Lewis did "Anything Goes" and she had a beautiful voice..the thing that hurt her score was that I've seen the musical performed when I was in 10th Grade in the high school, directed by Mr. Crandall (my HS choir teacher) so they performed more (and GREAT) in the musical..the girl tried to perform a little and was original, but I was hoping for a little more..maybe an attempt at tapping..but I didn't take off more than a point because she at least tried to do more than stand and sing..and she brought props!

Between acts, they had a fashion show showing the clothes offered at the Bookstore (I got a coupon for 25% off clothing bought in April!)..the first girl acted like she was a real model with attitude, but walked off stage before they said all the things she was wearing..the second lady (who was older) modeled well, too, she stayed by got lost on stage..the third person was a cute guy with nice arm muscles (wrestler arms) but he walked like an uncomfortable robot or if he just excersized too much and couldn't move his arms..they came out again and walked the same ways as they did before! It was funny!

At the end, a father and son team, Paul and Steven Boaz did a neat comedy/magic show..the son did a neat card trick..he supposedly had a plant in the audience, but Nick ended up sitting there, so he gave them to him and Nick didn't know what do to..so the son ended up getting another guy and he did the whole thing where he picked a card and signed his name on the card..the son had the guy from the audience rub "the oils of his hand" on the card..the son shuffled the cards, but some cards started flying out..he started picking them up and just shrugged it off..he said he was going to find the card behind his back..while trying to find it, he said it might be on the ground and it made him worry..he didn't find the the right card with the sense of touch, so he said he'd try to do it by smell..the guy from the office smelled his hands lol..the son picked the wrong card and then started guessing the wrong suit..he said he'd pick it by taste lol and he spit some out and had the right suit, but the wrong card..then he started gagging..and he spit out the correct crumpled up card with the signature and everything!

Then he said he had a another card trick, but he couldn't do it because he did it in the wrong order and didn't feel like picking up his cards..so he went into the audience and found a discarded Pepsi can..it was empty and moderately crushed..he moved it around and somehow it turned into a new can..he opened it and poured it and gave it to an audience member..

His father was trying to find an article in a pile of articles..he said his wife cut them out to show that Columbus State students are smart and he argued that they weren't because he worked there lol! so she cut out the articles..he'd look at them and put them down one by one and said he'd rather have the newspaper, then he could just open it up and see it..so the audience yelled, "Then get a paper!" and so he put he clippings together and was able to turn it into a full newspaper page intact!

WELL, the winners were:

1st Place: Ivan White
2nd Place: John Tyus
3rd Place: Heather Cupp

Those were my favorites, too! Heather might have tied with 2nd, but we had to rate 1-5 on staying within 5 minutes and she (as well as a couple of other good ones) went to 6 mintues..

Afterwards, there was a reception in the Rec room and Matt introduced me to cool Student Ambassedor people! Some might be at my informational meeting at 4pm tomorrow..I got to talk to Merideth and Nick..

So bacially it was a fun night!

I know Bunny said I shouldn't care if I complain in my blogs, but know I'm over whatever it was so on to happier things..

Over Spring Break, my dad fixed my desktop computer, which I haven't used since November '04..

Yesterday, I got my scanner workin' and after I install FrontPage 2003, scan sketches for a client, and set up the rest of the bulletin board for the Cougar News Photograhers, I think I'm going to scan my old storyboards before I start on the new ones..

So you'll soon see a script to storyboard comparison of the script I wrote in the First AVP class (based on Jim's treatment)! I'd also show video clips, but even if I asked to have a copy from the teacher, they followed another script, so there wouldn't really be a comparison..

once I get my new storyboards done, I'll scan those, too..

I might need a new section of writing so that it's more organized..

Also, maybe in the summer or when I find some free time, I hope to someday post pictures of my friends up at Icantcomeupwithaname.com and hope to make it so people can see how people change from year to year..

I got my Camcorder 2 days after I ordered it online..it's neat! It even has wide screen and manual focus, as well as all those other things I memtioned in a previous post!!!! The only problem is that you can hear the hum of the tape, but at least the mics pick up sound so well, the hum is quiet compared..plus..if I got a 1GB or so memory card, I supposedly wouldn't need a tape because it looks like it can record to cards..it also seems to have internal memory..

Oh, some plugs to Jessie for linking me on Arron's new flash site (made by her)..I'm the 4th down and called a friend :oD ..which I am! Or at least think I am, since we used to talk in high school and he invited my friends and I up to his dinner party last August..lol..that was fun! It's cool to see him become so sucessful :o)

And another plug to Annie and Michelle for signing my Guestbook!

I deleted my last post because it was too complainy..

Daily Dirt:

1. Are you Catholic? Nope, I'm eclectic leaning toward philosophical agnostic.

2. How do you feel about the Catholic religion? It's ok when it focuses on the positive teachings of the catholic version of the bible.

3. Do you believe priests should be allowed to marry? Hell, yeah!

4. Do you believe women should be allowed to be priests? Yup! Why not?

5. What do you think about The Pope's death? It's sad, but he's been sick forever. However, from what I'm hearing, I should be REALLY sad, even though I'm not catholic. I'm sorry, but I didn't know the guy and I haven't met him. So I think of his death almost as if a celebrity or scientist died..it's sad to hear, but I'm not gonna cry over it.

In Other News:

Basically, I went to Walmart on Monday, looking for a digital camcorder (handycam, not those awesome nice ones I'd have to take a loan out for)..I found the PERFECT HANDYCAM!! It was $300 and had 20x optical zoom, 990x Digital zoom, stereo recording, lithium battery, firewire ready, etc. ..........Then I found out that it only took digital 8 tapes and not MiniDV tapes that I have..Grr..

So that night, I bought a BETTER HANDYCAM that has 25x optical zoom, 800x digital zoom, stereo recording, firewire ready, USB, still photos up to 1024 x 768, 520(?) resolution, memory card feature, etc. ..it takes MiniDV tapes! Only problem is that the battery only lasts 90 minutes..meaning I need to buy another one and it didn't come with a firewire cord..grr..

But I plan to take my dad's DV tapes from the last 5-7 years and can save them to DVD now! Before hand, his camera was only able to take still photos because it is an older model..

I love technology! His cost $700 a long time ago and now, I have a smaller, better one at $315 from Best Buy!

Editing wise, I would like to aquire Final Cut Pro or Premier Pro (or whatever that's called)..I currently have Premier 6 or 7 or something..

There's a "movie editing" program on my desktop computer, but I'm always afraid "movie editing" on the package means "make a slideshow of snapshots with cheesy wipes in between and then tell others you make movies!"..

Premier isn't TOO bad, but I liked using Avid Xpress Fall Quarter (and that was just the audio/video control, I didn't get around to messing with the effects because of errors)..but I would need a much more powerful (and expensive) system to run the who Avid system thingy..

I saw Pennicle on Best Buy for $80..it's the crap program Teays Valley uses (I only call it crap because I expect decent programs to be over $100 and the demo doesn't show the audio/video track control that I like)..I won't know until I get it if I can edit the audio tracks and the video track seperately or can adjust the levels with markers/key frames/whatever those red boxes on the line is called..I wanna work more with masking and try effects in my head..

I looked at the high school's technology class board post (Mrs. Core) and I'm not sure if I'm understanding it right..AGAIN it sounds like they shoot the video(s) then maybe take stills from it and add effects, sound, etc and saves as an AVI file..because she talks about not using offensive effects, sounds, titles, and voice overs..I'm thinking if it's a REAL video, she would have also said "gestures" like flippng off the cinematographer..

The other Technology class (Mr. Lester) has this: "Students are to use pictures from the internet, pictures provided by the teacher, pictures they have taken, and clipart to make a 40 second video. They will add sound effects and background music tracks also. Titling, transitions, and general editing will be graded also. The purpose is to learn how to use the Pinnacle Studio 8 program and learn more about file management. (use of various drives)"

Again...as I have complained about before, this, to me, is NOT a video it's a slideshow presentation.

At least on Core's there's an assignment: "Create a storyboard 'Getting Ready for school'. If not done, finish at home and return monday"..so at least they're using a pencil and paper..........but it must be a short film..

or I just draw slow or too detailed because it took me 9+ hours to make storyboards for a 7 minute film..I heard another classmate of mine say it takes him forever, too..The crappy thing is that I need storyboards for my 30 min. movie I just wrote by Monday XoP

A fear I have is that kids will come out of 7th-12th grade making claims they make "films" or "movies" and get my potential clients..that my college training (with teachers that have worked in the multimedia/A/V field) will mean nothing..I think it's a little different if I ever taught something like that and a student ended up taking my clients because that means they might have learned something..

I just don't know how to react when I say, "I'm taking Audio/Video classes where we get to make movies" and I hear, "Oh, cool, do you take your own photos or do you get them off the internet?" or "So do I! I really like that page turning effect" or "Cool, I've made a lot" (this one from a 10th grader) (of course not counting Arron or that Matt guy who recently made "3-R" or whatever because they actually DID make movies in high school..and pretty cool ones, too!)..

I don't think it helps that I'm in a wheelchair because some people out there can't understand why or how I can be anything other than a teacher's aid or psychologist so when I say what my occupation is, I get (in a higher pictched and slower voice): "Oh, how nice. That sounds like a fun hobby." Where a walking person would get the response: (normal voice) "Oh, great! I'd love to see your work! I was hoping to get some photos of my kids and a website for my business."...

Other than just because I want to, can you see why I'm starting to walk more? I notice I get a totally different reaction..

Every once in a while, friends and classmates of mine will call someone handicapped a bad name or talk bad about them and automatically appologize to me about it and beat themselves up about it..I have to keep telling them that it doesn't offend me..especially when they are talking about someone else..plus, I don't know why, but I don't seen to have the mind set that many handicapped people have where their handicap is the biggest thing in their lives and everything revolves around it..I'm the opposite..in my mind, my handicap is just a huge nusence (sp?) and often get: "You have to make sure they have a ramp and an elevator" when I'm thinking, if they don't I'll just walk..I might wear myself out, but I'm not going to not do something just because the world wasn't accomodated to me..

I'm getting used to walking so much, now, it would suck to get opperations and have to be bed ridden and have to REstrengthen my legs..

Wow, that was a long post..

I wrote most of the first act last night..you know I'm sleep deprived when I start putting in this kinda dialogue:

[making fun of a person that was interviewed] "Oh, I have to read Mr. Fluffy a book every night or he gets indigestion"..

and

[after co-worker/friend Russ tells him to experiment with his "Power"]: "...or at least make Mr. Wilson a better boss. (BEAT) Heck, turn him into a hot girl."

Yeah, I don't even know if that sounds right..I have trouble with male dialogue because I'm a girl..I tried to think what my male friends would say or my dad making jokes..but usually, I'm wrong..

Kitty wrote an awesome post HERE..

Now.......where did those cat's go...

The stupid negative patterns in my life..

I have learned early on that EVERYTHING, ok, well most things, of mine will be taken away..they will be broken or thrown away..or I'll be forced to give them up..I have no control over anything but my life..and hell, I have no control over that..I'm gaining control, but everytime I get close to it, it's taken away, too..

I have learned that things will constantly placed out of my reach so that I have to fight or work harder to get it, while I get yelled at for fighting and yelled at for not being able to reach it easily..

I have learned that no matter how much progress has been made, I will be yelled at for not acheiving the goal instantly..

I have learned that I have to fight to gain a sense of normalcy..

I have learned that this "rent" I pay to live in my house is not "rent" for a space or belongings..it's to have a roof over my head and food..otherwise, my room can be taken over and my stuff thrown away and I have no privacy..if I wanted to have privacy, sleep my own hours, and not have my stuff thrown away, then I would have to move out..which isn't an option because not only can't I afford it, I physically unable to live on my own at this minute, but I'm working toward my independence..but as you have read in the previous paragraphs, that's not good enough..I should have been able to move out when I was 18 or 16 or something..

Hey, when I move out, I can finally show my emotions..I hopefully won't be yelling at myself in my head, "IS THAT A TEAR??? hide, hide, hide ..ARE YOU WIPING YOUR EYES? You know crying is stupid..especially when it's over stuff or when you're just being emotional..CRY BABY! selfish.." ..ever since I can remember, I have always been made to feel bad about crying and feeling sad by numerous people..heck, when I was 6-years-old, my babysitter would put me in the corner for up to 2 hours for crying..is this what you teach kids? That it is bad to be emotional? I'm a Cancer..I can't even remember why I used to cry back then..probably for the same stupid reason I do now..mostly because if people around me are in a bad mood, I will automatically feel bad..the problem is that I can't get the bad mood out, so it just eats way at me..when I was 6, I remember once falling out of a chair on purpose to have an excuse to cry..I have been no where near that in control of my body or have that much guts since then..stupid fear of falling, I guess..now I'm getting over that fear..

I have learned that I have always been dependant on others to "push me off the cliff", so to speak..I have always relied on friends to get me to go places and do new things that I would have never have had enough want or guts to go or do..but recenlty, it's changed, I've lately been "jumping off the cliff with my eyes open"..opportunities are being presented (ironically in a serendipitous (sp?) way) and I'm trying my best to take them and enjoy every minute of the ride..

Out of all that ranting, I guess some good things have happened..

Things feel like their falling into place and recently instead of knowing a negative thing was coming, I knew that a POSITIVE thing is coming..it felt good to know that, but then, it could just be because my emotions become positive before they be come negative (like today)..I expect another 3-4 days of depressing days because last week was so great!

But yeah, for some reason I was just sitting there and I felt that something good was gonna come from all these "falling into place" things..I'm being vague on purpose..I don't wanna jinx it by typing what I saw...or knew...or felt...or whatever..

It would be nice..I've been waiting for quite a while and I still have to wait 3-6 months I think..

The only problem is that it could be leading up to this other disturbing "prediction" or delusion that I have..

But yeah, I am crazy..

I should have started on my homework yesterday..but oh, well...

I have a 20-50 page script due by Wednesday..luckily, I think in some ways it will be easier to write because it takes place in the ordinary world, but I made it hard on myself because I have to write parts of stories within the script..and I'm not a writer..at least not in the novel sense..

I think I'd be better at writing scripts and stories if I was able to sit down and watch a movie more often..most of the time I'm busy doing homework or design work and then when my family and I DO get to watch a movie (like we are watching "Secret Window", right now) someone has to call Dad and we have to pause the movie and wait 15-45 minutes because he cannot tell the caller that he's watching a movie..The only reason I'm blogging right now is because someone called him and I'm not going to just sit here and listen to one side of the conversation..

He said he was getting bored with the movie already and it's only a couple of minutes in..

Oh, not to sound mean, but my mom and I were laughing at the fact some church in Columbus had a cap that the Pope once wore on some display..she was like, "Next you'll hear about a sock being on display"..I said, "a toe ring"..she said, "This is a cup"..and I was like, "I thought you meant drug test! That that's why you see a crowd follow him...even to the bathroom..'Don't flush!' and they rush into the stall with their mini aquarium fish net-catcher thingies and fish out his poop and put it in a little baggy"..my mom then said, "That's what you call 'Holy Shit'"..and later, when she went to the bathroom, she said, "I made holy water"..

BRB..

I'm back, and feeling down a little..watching that movie wasn't the best idea..my dad didn't like it because "evil pevailed"..I don't mind those type of stories because I believe good and evil lives in everything and where else but our stories and movies can let let evil prevail and get away with it without hurting anyone?

Basically, my dad will never watch any movie I write..basically because I have people die in them and just like the one I'm writing now, certain powers only exsist if it is used for evil..

Maybe it comes from me being too nice and trying to be fair..

Poor dog..

Now where am I going to get a dog whimper?