long live the new flesh

Starting to feel the separation and sadness of moving.

Wasn't all that productive today. Got some of the kitchen remnants packed away and the bathroom stuff. Just need to do finishing things. It was a nice day today, well mostly. Doctor Who was good and sort of insane. They do a good job of having it turn out not at all like you expect it to.

So yeah, I packed up stuff and ate a scramble. At 3:50ish I rode off to Rollyn's place to watch some movies and eat some pizza. First we took a walk, as it was a really nice day. Walked down to the waterfront and sat at the fountain for a while. Then we returned, ordered some pizza, and watched Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Surprisingly, even though he owns the movie, my tattoo didn't make sense till the Don't Panic part came up. Ha. Then we watched Videodrome. Very weird. Good ol James Woods. I left earlier than usual and I'm blogging way earlier than usual.

Tomorrow I finalize the packing. Ma and Pa come into town. Hmm.

Todays Portrait Is: Richard Cheese.

miranda with terry and colin

My foot is itchy and I can see that it is just days away from peeling. Ohhh.

Got up at a bit after 11. Did the dishes and had a big breakfast. It was rainy so I waited for it to clear up before I set out on my errands.

My first errand was to take the remaining stuff off the computer at school. I just plopped it onto a thumbdrive instead of burning it. From there I rode down to Floating World Comics. I closed out my comics box, bought the new Mourning Star comic and also picked up a teeshirt so I can always represent FWC where ever I go. Such a great shop. I have a big pile of comics to catch up on.

From there I went to Buffalo Exchange to see if I could get a better pair of flats to wear while my tattoo heals. I only have one pair that works and they are flimsy and suck. After going through plenty of size 8, 9, and 10s I found one pair of size 7 and a halves that were perfect. A lovely tan and brown pair of Palladiums that were super comfy. I wore them out of the shop. Went home, got my stuff together, and went to catch the 77.

It started raining right as I got on the bus and it continued to pour and pour and pour. It was at least a warm rain, though a dismal amount of it. I disembarked from the bus at 74 and Halsey and was soaked in minutes and my poor new (though previously used) shoes were quite sodden. I found Terry and Colin's place and he gave me a towel and loaned me some pajama bottoms.

Dinner was chicken fried steak and rice followed with a dessert of this chocolate covered marshmallow with gum drops treat and then later s'mores. I got chocolate all over me and demanded several times "don't look at me!" I never realize how much of a sloppy eater I can be till I have company. Anyway, we spent the night watching the first season of Miranda. There were only six half hour episodes, so that wasn't THAT impressive of a watching feat. It was awkward but very funny. Had some good laughs. I lost terribly at a game of Bananagrams. Terry drove me home (with my now dry pants back on). I got his address, so I'll send him a card.

I'll finish packing tomorrow. Now I just want to go to sleep. OHH new Doctor Who tomorrow! Can't wait. Ha cha cha!

Todays Portrait Is: Eugene Hutz.

maddy's day

My tattoo is itching. Ahhhg. Just gotta moisturize it and that is the only touching allowed. It is so close to starting to peel.

Anyhoodles. Like I said, Robin stayed over. Had a tea breakfast. And then after she left, I had some rice and seaweed. The rice was basmati, so it wasn't quite sticky enough. Tasty, yeah, it just wasn't like sushi rice. Had a salad later. Drew the rest of May's portraits and watched stuff. Need to get super ahead on them, because I'll be motorhoming for two weeks.

Called Madeline to see what she was up to and she said she was up to nothing so she came and picked me up. We hung out and watched Life on Mars and talked and ate snacks (chocolate, licorice, popcorn). It was a good night. She and her mom Tina badgered me to watch Battlestar Galactica. I already watch too much! And I still feel behind. I'm sad to be parting from one of my numero uno nerd buddies, but we will call and text after every nerd thing and catch up. Nerds are for life!

I need to get back into packing. I stalled.

Todays Portrait Is: Leon Redbone.

surprised!

Ahhhh oh my god, Karen surprised me with a going away party! I thought it was happening Thursday night and it happened tonight instead. Anyway, I'll start at the start.

At 10 I got a call from Robin arranging a lunch time hang out. We agreed to meet at her place at 1pm, go to the East side by max, and then go to her parents house for Lunch. It was a gray sort of cold day, and cold days are ever so much amplified by not being able to wear socks due to a tattoo.

Robin looked adorable and we caught the max over. Her house is AMAZING. Like seriously spectacular. Her mother is a landscape designer so her outside is all designed with paths and plants and chickens and stuff. Really well articulated. Her mother collects and also makes doll furniture, so tucked away in different parts of the house are doll furniture set ups. Like a bathtub and toilet in the bathroom. There is even a doll house in the basement that is beyond well constructed, with little mini etchings decorating the wall. Robin gave me a lovely little tour of her house and her house within a house. She also made me a shrimp, tomato, lettuce, onion sandwich for lunch! Deeeelicious.

We rode out on bikes to Lodekka, but it was closed. So we went to Pix and got a dessert. An amazing chocolatey dessert named Shazaam. It was a caramel chocolate almond cake wrapped up in a soft sheet of chocolate. Mmmm. Yum.

After that we returned to the West side. I thought the plan was for me, Robin, Kristen, Tabitha (who was picking up Cidney) to go enjoy some minigolf later. So Karen rolled up and was all "I accidentally left my ID at Roadside Attraction, we need to swing by and pick it up". I was totally in belief that we were doing minigolf. Karen parked and into Roadside Attraction we went and BAM THERE WAS JON AND DOM AND MELISSA AND MEL AND JIM AND CIDNEY AND BT AND TABITHA AND MADELINE ALL THERE!!! And there to see me and wish me goodbye. I almost cried there, but I kept it together. Lots of hugs! But no minigolf. STILL! OH MY GOD! How amazing. Karen bought me a tea vodka and lemonade drink and I settled in and I got some cards and Jim had a comic to give to me and Melissa made me a drawing and I got some more drawings and cards. Daniel and Heather came and they had a gift of watercolor postcards (with five of them already filled out with their address) and stamps and a travel watercolor set. Ahhhh so cool. I had everyone there fill out their addresses on the remaining cards. I plan to draw during my motorhoming adventures and send it out to my wonderful friends. Wonderful lovely awesome perfect irreplaceable friends who I will miss sorely. Serenity and Beth and Sivonna came. Serenity bought be a drink and that was lovely.

Oh what a great night. Lots of company, lots of good company. Friends for life, no doubt.

Tabitha gave Robin (because her stuff was at my place), Cidney, Kristen and I a lift back. Robin and I snuggled up in bed and watched Doctor Who and then, deciding we were warm and comfortable, promptly went to sleep after.

Todays Portrait Is: Bruno Mars.

bringing another into the fold

Slept in a bit: 10:30am. Weird how my sleep schedule has changed so much since the Rock n Roll Girls Camp Exercisearama.

Today it was sunny and lovely. There is this Fiero outside that hasn't moved in weeks, so I drew some eyes on pieces of paper and put them under its windshield, because it looked silly. They were gone by the end of the day. That person is just letting their crappy car disintegrate unused. If you are not going to drive it, sell it!

Anyway, I made three trips to William Temple House. Comics, clothes, shoes. The last two trips I had Kristen for company. And then after the third I went to Trader Joe's for what might be my final shopping trip. Salad, meat, rice, seaweed, chips, dip. Returned home and went to Beth's potluck.

It was also a sort of going away shindig for Nell and Nick. They are leaving for Saint Louis. Chips and dip were had. As well as bratwursts and cake. Robin brought steak tartar. Fancy. The celebration ended at 5, as there was a meet and greet at school for the thesis show. I opted out of it.

Relaxed at home. At 8ish, Karen picked me up and we went back to their place and I set her on her way to watching Doctor Who. HUZZAH! We watched four episodes of the 9th Doctor; the first two and the Empty Child/Doctor Dances two parter. I think she gets the appeal now. Back at home I watched Glee. Tomorrow I am having lunch with Robin and mini golf with Karen and probably Tabitha. Packing has stalled but I'll pick up on it again.

Also turns out the meet and greet kinda sucked.

Todays Portrait Is: Travie McCoy.

packing it away, almost out of Portland

I just love looking down at my feet. So lovely.

Alarm went off at 8. Hauled myself out of bed without much struggle at 8:40. Showered. Mother and father arrived shortly after to help with packing. I had some tea and made a list of things to do. Sorting out dishes. Sorting out boxes. All that stuff. Ma helped with the dishes. Dad helped haul my stuff up from the basement storage. Got to getting stuff together. So many boxes started assembling. I didn't think I had that much stuff, but it always ends up looking that way when it is all assembled. At least the only furniture I am moving is my bed, and the frame is very minimal. The box spring went down with todays load, and the mattress will go down with next weeks, as well as with me. Disassembled my bed and then it was time to pack. Did a layer of boxes and bins with shelves on either side.

I have such a big haul of stuff to take to William Temple House. Clothes, shoes, cheap comics I can't be bothered to take the time to pass off onto someone else. Part of me wants to part with much more of what I have been holding on to. I like having my magazines on hand, for reference. But do I really need these around? How valuable is the reference and inspiration they provide? I'll hang onto them for now, but...I dunno.

Where ever I move to next, I'll take a lot less with me.

Apparently Mom and Dad have Nathan's Wii now. JEALOUS.

It started to rain right as we draped the tarp. Ma and Pa left and I had lunch. Chili! Put a few more things away. Chilled out.

Lacey came over at 6pm to pick up this piece of hers that I had been holding onto for her. She stuck around and watched the new episode of Doctor Who with me. She left to get some dinner. I packed some more. Slowly, but surely, everything is going into boxes. All my clothes to wear are in a suitcase. It's just getting the tidbits into boxes now. Cleaning the gunk.

Todays Portrait Is: Ricky Wilson.

graduation!

I have a degree! I'm a certified college educated woman!

Got up at 8, showered. Had a small breakfast. Got my clothes on. I went back and forth between pants and a skirt but settled on the pants. The skirt just threw the ensemble off. Put my hair up into heidi braids. Did my makeup. Kristen was looking adorable too. At PNCA, we don't wear cap and gowns. It is as formal as you wish. Some wear tee shirts, others take it as the chance to go all out.

There was a pre-Grad shindig at Mel's, so Kristen and I swung by Fred Meyers and got a bottle of Champagne and some scones and chilled out there with Mel, her family, Melissa, Leah, Leah, Tabitha, BT, Karen, Karen's family... Mel lives a few blocks from the Tiffany Center, where our graduation is being held, so it was convenient. And then 3pm rolled around and the grads strutted their way over to the center.

We all met on the 2nd floor. Damn everyone looked so good! So much fabulous in one room. A few went all out and had on gowns. Many guys were in various suits. Time passed by so quick. Before we knew it, it was time to struggle to get into alphabetical order. 4pm came. And then 4:15. And THEN the line moved and we slowly progressed up to the 4th floor. The Tiffany Center is a great place to graduate. There are seats close in and all around. It isn't a stadium by a long shot. And since my class is like, 120 people strong, with the MFA's, it doesn't need to be big. I got my seat and then the commencement...commenced.

Tom Manly spoke pausingly. The first MFA speech was good and memorable. She talked briefly about her 12 classmates and told the school that it was a fine relationship but they were breaking up. The second MFA speech...I can't even remember it. Some MFA awards were handed out as well. Then the BFA speech. Sohkun had some lovely sentiments about art making and how we seek it. Some BFA awards were handed out. Dominic got the Illustration prize and Liberal Arts prize, Robin GFA, Mel Design. Well deserved. Then came the alumni speech from hell. It was long and rambling and she just read from her artist diary and it went on and on and on and was so pretentious sounding. I mumbled some jokes to Will and Chloe, because there was nothing else to do! Her speech took more time than it did for us to get our diplomas.

One by one we crossed the stage. About 10 names were mispronounced. Which sucks. It just wizzed by. Before I knew it, I was waiting to get my college degree. And then Will went. And then I walked. I waved to the audience a bit and got my degree from Tom Manly. "shake and take" shake his hand and get your degree. When I came off the stage, Dad came out of nowhere and handed me some flowers. Fantastic!

Four years. So much work. And it is over so fast. There have been so many monumental projects that the weight of any one event becomes minimized.

I sat and then the ceremony was over. Several people on drums played us out. The teachers left and slowly but surely, we filed out. High fived Daniel Duford. Hugged Christy, Yoshi, Martin, Annie, Kristin, Morgan. And headed to the second floor. Pa and Ma and Nathan showed up pretty soon. Got pictures and all was good.

We didn't stick around long. First up we went to their hotel room, because it was small and stylish but it had no bathroom and..well it was pretty much just a sink, bed, and lamp. Small, but painted. Then we headed to the Thesis Show, which was having its opening. Walked around and looked at all the wonderful art. So much art. Such great variety. Dad took lots of pictures. We lost Mom for a bit in the studio gallery set ups. Afterwards we walked back to my place, I dropped some stuff off, and we went to Muu Muu for dinner. I got the chicken and brie sandwich, mom got the thai soup, dad and Nate got the Muu Muu burger. And a good time was had.

At 9pm we parted ways. At 10ish Rollyn came over and we hung out and watched the new Game of Thrones episode (he hadn't watched any prior). It was a nice little mini hang out. Just relaxing after a long day with good company.

And now I sleep. For I get up and spend the morning and afternoon packing.

You know that secret errand that I ran yesterday? It was to get a tattoo! Using my Rock n Roll Girls Camp money, I commissioned Olivia Britz of Fortune Tattoo to produce a little "don't panic" tattoo for my footsies. I emailed her late Thursday, and within five total emails I got a time slot at 1pm Saturday. I hopped on the bus over to 17th and Burnside and she presented me several FABULOUS text mock ups. I picked the less flourished one and picked out a filler color. And off we went! She made a little stencil and positioned them on my feet. It hurt, but it felt exactly like what tattooing is: needles stabbing your flesh repeatedly. But it happens so fast you don't have time to say "ouch". The shading hurt the worst. I made sure to keep my flinches in the body parts that were not being inked. And before I knew it, I had something permanent on my body! And man do I love it. In so many ways it is perfect and it represents this brilliant culmination. It was wrapped up, as tattoos have to be for a half day, and off I went. I kept it a bit of a secret because I wanted to show it to the parents in person. They seemed to dig it, as it is nerdy and not, like, on my neck or something. And it is, of course, extremely well done. Olivia, can't sing high enough praises of her.

Todays Portrait Is: Alex Kapranos.