Draw, Drew, Drawn!

I actually decided to write a post today - I was pretty thrilled today because of the snow that was falling! Even if I did have to walk around town today on an errand for work. I had no gloves, a hat, nor a scarf. My hands were numb by the time I got to the high school, my bangs dripping melted snow. But I was so happy! However, now the snow has stopped and I'm inside wearing two sweaters because the heat won't come on.

After midterms finished, my art teacher returned our portfolios and I was able to go through and recycle what I thought sucked. Out of about ten drawings I only kept two, which are now hanging in my suite (whether the others like them or not).

This first one was our project drawing, our final piece for the portfolio. We were supposed to take five objects from our room and make a composition piece out of them. Yes, there are five. Honestly, I was very proud of myself.

This drawing was one our first in-class drawings. We were working on gesture drawings and each of the students (though I escaped!) had to get up on the platform and pose while the others drew them. We were also timed for these drawings. This particular one - my absolute favorite - was done in one minute. I thought the girl's pose was beautiful.

Hero, Inspiring, Legendary, Super Vlogger

I am mega sore from the last two days: first ballet and then my environmental science lab class walked all over town just for our field trip (and no one brought water) yesterday, and today...I had a very interesting day at work. First, I don't think the office has ever been that busy and someone made a mess of my desk. Second, I met Walid (wah-leed') a student from Algeria who has been at the University for three years. Yes, I did have to look at the wall map behind my desk. He came into to talk to someone (apparently he is very well known and liked) and then left. I got up from my desk to go get a box and not five minutes after he left, I came back to my desk to find him holding a paper towel to his head and shaking. There was a lot of blood on the towel. Well, I was so shocked I almost dropped the heavy box on my foot. I asked him if he was alright but someone had already gone to get the first aid kit. After a while, one of head-hanchos of the office told him that he needed to go to the Student Health Center but Walid had no idea where that was, so I offered to walk him all the way up there - since I've been there plenty of times before. Needless to say, I stuck very close to him on our walk. I was so worried that he was going to pass out because the bleeding had not stopped at all and he was getting really pale. He told me that he was riding his bike and tried to go down a nearby wheelchair ramp when he fell. He then asked me if I thought he would be able to wear is helmet during the IPO bike trip tomorrow. Of course, I thought, "Well, why weren't you wearing your helmet back there?" We arrived at the Student Health Center and I made sure he got checked in, then went back to work. He didn't come back to the office to get his bike until over an hour later (chomping slowly on M&Ms) to get his bike. Thankfully, Walid didn't need stitches in his head, but his many other cuts and scrapes were covered with bandages and he did lose his glasses when he fell. But he could have lost a lot more. All in all, a pretty exciting three hours.

Anyway, the real point of my post tonight is not about me (I know, you're all so disappointed): everybody knows that people with cameras and computers usually upload video blogs - or 'vlogs' - on YouTube. Sometimes you get really weird people, but other times you find a vlogger with a gift for reaching out to people through their videos. The one vlogger that I've found that does that best is Myles Dyer (Blade376). By watching Myles' videos you can see that he has had some troubling times in his life, but has been able to reach past those troubles to other people going through similar situations and make them feel better or inspire them in some way. My favorite video of his can be found at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n44hl9J7xoM&feature=channel_page
Myles also has several talents which he gladly shares on his vlogs: he sings, he writes fantastic poetry and songs, he draws, and he has the amazing gift of being able to make people laugh!
Currently, Myles has an ongoing project called Sixty Second September. He's been doing a one-minute video on something everyday this month. Each vlog is different.
He really is an incredible person with amazing insight into the human condition; I hope you check out his videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/Blade376 and maybe subscribe to his channel.

...poets...are all named Four Horse

Today was a pretty good day, Wednesdays usually are. This day of the week is when I get to see all of my friends and chat with them. That one hour between our classes that we meet means so much to me. It's my me time for the day and my friends are certainly a part of me. Also, today I actually had a chance to catch up with Amanda Headtke and Amanda Shirts! I met up with Amanda S. a second time today when we ran into each other at the poetry reading for Denise Duhamel. We chatted and laughed (mostly at Duhamel's huge front teeth!). Duhamel wasn't bad at all, her topics can just be uncomfortable. But she read her poems like sentences - they weren't what most people would consider poems; they really are only prose in shorter lines and fewer punctuations. And to think, my poetry teacher told me not to be so wordy with my poems and here's a professional doing just that! Needless to say, my P.T. is seriously starting to get on my nerves. Tomorrow I'm going to set up an appointment with her as soon as I'm able to breathe again from ballet. We've started jumping, Xenia! What my instructor Nikky said: "Now some of you are tending to lean forward and I know that's because, duh, you can't breathe!" She's a great teacher, though.

By the way, Leah, I'm sorry I haven't been able to email you. But I'm doing fine now since my flu seems to be gone. And I got a fish! It would be nice to know more about what you're doing. In other words: write on your blog more often, girl! And more pictures, too, please! It seems like so long since you've been gone...time does not fly.

Tuesdays and bananas

I hit the ground running this morning; better than yesterday morning when I hit a guy on the stairs and knocked him over. I went to bed after midnight when my roommate and her 'friend' finally shut up; up at 6; classes straight from 8:30 to 10:45 (ballet first); work from 12 to 5. And at 11:30 I realized there was banana in the juice I had just finished (lucky me, I just happen to be allergic to bananas). So I was pretty sick during work today. My boss even said, 'Leona, you look pale.' I lied, 'Really? I feel fine.' But even through being sick, I stuffed seven boxes of study abroad brochures today and I have paper cuts on my elbows to show for it! However, that means there's only just about 30 boxes left! Honestly, though, I do really like that kind of work.

I've got a truckload of homework that I won't get to do tomorrow night because of a poetry reading I have to attend, so below are the rest of the pictures from Xenia's birthday party.

My pumpkin cupcakes before they were solid.


Xenia eating a spaghetti cupcake.


Brittany and wonderfully cute Tirzah.


Elisabeth in her full-blown 'loli' dress. The shoes were cute, too.

Kim being silly and not holding still. And Caleb's legs and arm.

The birthday girl.

Salmon, Wolves, and Cupcakes!

(Beware: this post is long, but it's almost all pictures)
So, last Thursday my Environmental Science Lab class had an all day field trip! I was so excited. I love travelling, even if it's just for the day. We were to meet the bus at 8 a.m. so we all stood on the corner by the dormitories for the best view of where the bus might show up. Being me, I promptly introduced myself to Jessie, the girl standing next to me, and we chatted until the bus finally came.

Once on the bus, our teacher said that it would be about an hour and half drive (on a bus that means two and half hours) to our destination and that we could go back to sleep, which we all did. When we woke up and got off the bus, the question on everybody's mind was 'Where are we?' Our teacher never did actually tell us where we were going.
(This is Jessie)

It turns out that our first stop was in Orofino at the Dworshak National Fish Hatchery. The information was fairly interesting: the guide said some stuff about trout, lots about salmon, some gross stuff... All in all, pretty dull. Although, the hatchery itself was impressive.

Here's the surrounding area of Orofino. I especially love the first picture.
After over an hour at the hatchery, we finally got on the bus again and were allowed to dig into our lunches. After lunch, it was nap time:

Some girls a couple seats in front.

David, another new friend! And Jessie. Both are sound asleep.

Me, before I took a nap.

The highlight (for me) of our trip was going to the Wolf Research Center in Winchester. I was practically bouncing in my seat while we waited to be let into the park. We waited over an hour because they were closed for lunch time. See, the sign says Closed.

This part of the field trip was awesome! I learned so much that I never knew and the park was beautiful. Seriously, though, I practically memorized every word both of the guides said and my eyes never left them. They knew I was listening, even if no one else was. I love wolves, and one thing that I learned that really opened my eyes was that people who do not want any wolves at all in the Rocky Mountain area will never have their way, but neither will those people who want wolves to be left alone (not harrassed, hunted, etc.). I learned that even with the wolf hunts, the wolf population will hardly be affected, and I can be content with that.

We never saw any wolves since it was their napping time and I was sorely disappointed about that. But I have seen a wolf up close before and probably will again.

This is the only picture I took at the center. The entire park looked like this. I could have stayed there for several more hours. I had plenty of sunscreen.

We finally arrived home at about 5 p.m. After all the hiking we did in both Orofino and Winchester, I was exhausted and glad to be back in my dormitory room.

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Saturday, we celebrated Xenia's 21st birthday! We talked and laughed; shivered as it rained and ate Kim's delicious homemade peach icecream; played games and laughed at Tirzah. Also we all made really interesting cupcakes that tasted wonderful and sweet and so much like a cavity!

These were the cupcakes I made to look and taste like pumpkins.

Xenia's icecream cone cupcakes.

Brittany's hot cocoa cupcakes.

Elisabeth's spaghetti cupcakes. I have to say, these were difficult to eat because of how they looked!

Fluffy neighbors near the party.

Believe it or not, I still have more pictures...aw, forget it. I'll upload them tomorrow. I have to start on homework. Love you all!

Curtain tie backs

Okay, I fixed the post below this one. It now has pictures!

But I did forget to mention two things: I also sewed velcro strips onto the bibs to make it easy for my grandma to put them on by herself (though, I don't know if she actually does do it herself). Also, I forgot to mention the best part of my trip: playing with Charlie! Charlie is my aunt's really big dog, he's half yellow lab and half chow. He's pretty darn adorable. As soon as I get a good picture of him, I'll post it. We played fetch most of the time, but one day we just frolicked in the back yard. We ran and jumped and he barked and I laughed - I love that dog! It's too bad that he wouldn't fit in my suitcase. I want a doggy so badly. When I put it into perspective, I'd really rather have a dog than a boyfriend.

Anyway, I said in my first post that I wanted to make curtain tie-backs (my mom told me the proper name) for the living room curtains. I actually finished them the week before we flew off to California. They came out wonderfully and look a lot better than alligator clips!



Sorry, but this is the best close-up picture I could get. Apparently the lighting in the living room isn't that good. All the more reason for the tie-backs! I used a diamond stitch and made sure to make a button-hole at the end. That was pretty easy once I made sense of the instructions I had found online. Then, I chose two pearl buttons from my huge tub of buttons and sewed them on. Thank goodness I already knew how to do that. Here's how they looked on the curtains:



I really like them and my mom thinks they're handy, too. But they do look better on the curtains when I'm the one to put them on. It probably would have been better if I had done two buttons on each, but oh well.

Now, I really must get on to my poetry homework. I am really trying to keep the procrastination monster at bay this year.

It's been too long!

Whoo, I have not written in quite some time. Oops. But with school now and my work study job just started, and having to eat and bathe, I've been busy. I know - my mom said just tonight that the point of blog is to write and I am going to try to do better. So!

Two weeks before school started - the week of August 10th, my mom and I flew down to Sacramento to visit some family. It wasn't really a visit as in a vacation: my grandma fell and broke her hip a while back and for the meantime is living with my aunt in her house until the stupid "Medi-Cal" comes through. Let's just say I never want to live in California, especially with the way the government is right now. My grandma has become more than a handful and we basically went down to help my aunt with that and with household chores. It would seem that Grandma has gone a bit senile, but honestly there is nothing wrong, she's perfectly fine now. She just refuses to do anything herself, which made my aunt, my mom, and me feel like the maids. I hate feeling like that, unless I'm being paid for it. The only thing that really is wrong with my grandma is the fact that her hands shake and occasionally she spills food on her front. So my mom decided to ask a friend of ours to make some bibs to take to Sacremento with us. But being jobless, slightly bored, and trying to pick up more girly hobbies, I practically begged my mom to let me try to make the bibs. She just smiled and handed me a pink poka-dotted towel from Macy's for the material.

Now to be able to make the bibs I pretty much had to teach myself how to sew. Our sewing machine is fairly old, but easy to work so it's a nice machine for beginners. I took the sewing machine out of the room that is currently holding all of my mom's craft supplies and put in on the kitchen table; I put on a CD and created my own little sweat-shop! It took me a while but it was fun! Thank God my mom was patient in showing me how to thread the bobbin.

After I had the bibs sewn, I actually embroidered them! I took pictures from the internet and copied them with a marker onto the bibs. All in all, I think it took me about a week to finish the three bibs.

I sewed together two pieces of material that I had cut into a bib shape then turned it inside-out and hand-sewed the hole shut. So this is how the bibs looked: one had blue backing, the other yellow plaid, and the third pale green with white poka-dots. (Sorry that the pictures are sideways, and I'm only showing the blue one)

On each one I embroidered something special!

My grandma's name is Maxine, so I embroidered a little 'M'.

And a four-leaf clover. I did this one first, and it was difficult - as you can see.

Anyway, the week wasn't great but it did have its really fun moments: my aunt and I talked a lot and since she's a professor our conversations were really stimulating. Although, we talked for about an hour over breakfast about the latest Harry Potter movie! One night, my Aunt's friend Bill (I miss his long ponytail) came over and cooked pork ribs coated with a delicious raspberry sauce. They were so good I ate five! I really want my mom to remake the recipe. Then for one day, my mom and I took ourselves and went out shopping. Of course, we went to Barnes and Nobles and my mom kindly let me happily wander around (more like float) by myself. After a while, though, she came up to me really angry - I seriously thought that I had done something wrong and was in serious trouble. That wasn't the case. My uncle and his wife had come down to visit and were watching Grandma while we were out, but we had apparently taken too long (45 minutes) and they had to eat before six and wanted us to get our butts back there so they could go out. Real nice, I know. So my mom said that she was going to go back and would sit with Grandma until she was free to come get me. That's right! I was left by myself at Barnes and Nobles for two and half hours!!!! I was in HEAVEN. When my mom did come back, she then took me out for some fantastic sushi. We ordered three platters and ate the equivalent of two (we took the rest home for Grandma). Again, HEAVEN!! And the mochi ice cream balls I had there were delicious. Actually, the same ones are sold at Trader Joe's!

So visiting Grandma wasn't great, but I will remember the best parts.
I will write again tomorrow. I promise.