Do I Get a Fattened Calf?

I cried as I drove home tonight from the shop because of one simple phrase that I have heard over and over in my life time... The Prodigal Son. Lately I've been listening to the Christian station here in Flagstaff, mostly because of the songs lately. But tonight, I get in, and there's a this British guy (last name Parson?) talking about his life in relation to being a prodigal son or carrying the prodigal burden of others. When he said the "Prodigal Son" I thought about what I know from the Bible about that parable, and what it's about... I realized that I was the "son" turning home... I'm ready to come back to God and do his work. I haven't been going to church since August I believe, my excuse is my show, so I go to the shop early and don't leave until the evening. I'm going Sunday, not because I'm almost done with my show (i wish), but because I want to be in the presence of God, and worship. I'm grateful for His little hints to me, though I don't always see them like I should... That will change.

I, along with Jason, have been stressed out so much this semester, more him than me. I'm not good about my stress, and just want people to take care of it for me in some cases. Lately, I have decided to take care of it on my own. Already I feel better by writing in my personal journal and talking to God more. I've tried readying my Bible, but I'm not even sure where to start. I started reading verses from emails I get from Belief Net, but still feel a bit empty or lost with those. I'm going to start my Experiencing God book again, even though I probably need a small group to discuss it. Oh well.

This helped me a bit just now - Jesus Christ actually affirmed that your life would be burdened by stress; not exactly an encouraging word. But His statement was also punctuated with a promise of hope in John 16:33. “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I miss home, but I'll see everyone soon. I love you all and miss you so much!

WHA?

Who would have known...

Why do announcements have to be so confusing and expensive!?! According to the list Rhonda gave me, there are 60 people alone on that list, and I have at least 20 other people just from work and my social life that I want to announce to. So how many is too many.... I'm trying to think about how many I ordered when I was in high school, and I still have left overs from then. And do I really need the fancy thank you cards with the seal on them? I'm really sweating this right now, but I don't know what else to do. I can spend $300 and get 50 Announcements, Thank You Notes, Envelope Seals and Tissue Inserts, plus 60 address labels, and one Announcement Cover(which I'm not even sure what it's for). But is it worth that much, and I would have to order more just to get 60. Maybe I should just ask one of the Advertisers to Design it for me, but that makes me feel guilty about using up their free time to do me a favor... PLEASE HELP! I added 25 of each on to the order and now it's $450!

So my show is barely getting started right now, or appears that way. My first image got messed up, all because I forgot one step, so it got dark on me. Then my second image's registration got goofy, so I trashed it too. Now I'm starting to print the third color of my third image, the 2nd of my 4th, and hopefully the first of my 5th. By next week I should have three done, if not more. I'm going to do at least 6 images total, unless I go overboard with the colors. I'm trying really hard to keep it simple, but less isn't always more...

Drum roll please...

So my show is November 21, 2008 at Beasley Gallery, and will hang for 4 weeks! I'm so excited to finally find out! I made my calendar schedule so I stay on track, and I should have a minium of 8 images by November 1st! Just giving a heads up....

Still Not Finalized

So today I finally had that meeting I've been waiting for two weeks now, only to still be left hanging. I finally met about my Show Date only to find out that my department sucks major balls. Not only does the "Advisor" for the Capstone class come almost 30 minutes late to his own meeting, he tells us (being only 3 people) that he doesn't know if there are more people from two other emphasis. So I'm on the back burner still it seems. It would be nice to have my show only with two other people, one being a painter and the other a jeweler, but it also means one show for the semester and that it would be left up for about a month. At least I know there will be a high possibility that my show will be on November 21, 2008, unless more people join the mix then there is the chance it will be on December 5th, 2008. Either way, I want it done and I feel ready, even after hearing how behind the two others are in obtaining their committee members and show theme. I've had a whole semester to think about mine and have already been talking to my three members since the end of last semester as well. I guess I'm just more prepared than those around me.

One week gone, and I'm already behind...

Or at least that's how I feel right now. I have only met for my classes twice thus far, and I feel so behind... I think I'm stressing too much about my show, or who will be there, or if I'm the only one graduating in the whole department. Many people are saying "that would be cool to show by yourself, and have the whole gallery to yourself," but that's more pressure on me, or at least feels like it at this point. I want my degree really, really bad right now, but it almost looks like I should wait until the Spring. But family has already gotten days off, or plans are in the process of being settled... I feel like I'm going to make myself so sick I won't get anything done.

I've begun, or at least tried to, looking at announcements and rings. I'm not sure I want a ring, but I didn't get one in high school for whatever reason, but is it worth it to get one for NAU? Yes, I've been attending NAU for 4.5 years now, and could get two degrees if I really wanted to, but would I wear it or be proud of it?

I just got back from California, for my brother's wedding... It went by so fast, and I was so exhausted from getting off the train just hours before the start. But it was good to see family, even the extended ones. Made me miss home even more. It was also good to hear that my family really does like Jason, including my parents, and just talking with Rhonda and Brian as we pigged the apartment.

Jason and I went through El Cajon on our little adventure through California a few weeks back, even though he didn't want to have to drive back to PHX on the boring ol' I-8. Just spending the equivalent of 2 days there with Rhonda and Brian hooked Jason on moving there. I have never thought about living South of Long Beach, only North closer to the Lusters and Eberhardts. But if Jason got a job in LA, even if it was getting coffee for dudes at KROQ (joking), he could just take the train from SD to LA and back. He's already been looking at houses in Lemon Grove, which is like 15 minutes from my Bennett family. And trying to get me to apply at SDSU, which does have an MFA program, but I haven't researched further. I keep telling him to talk to God about it, cause I don't have the answers, and to realize that he has a year and no job when he gets to CA right now. Yeah, a $1200 a month mortgage is great, but where's it gonna come from? Plus my research process in Grad Schools has declined with work and now school. I guess that's gonna have to be my weekend job.