Lay the real thing on me

I forgot to set my alarm for this morning? Get your head in the game, Royce.

More on that later.

Utah 1912

It's a new record, people: 3:30 p.m. I slept until 3:30 p.m. Although, I must admit, this was no un-interrupted sleep. Roommate called me at about 11:30 and told me that her parents were coming by to drop off food for her, so I needed to get up and un-lock the door. So I did, but then went back into my bed, and eventually fell back asleep after awhile. Then I woke up, looked across the room at roommate's clock thought it said 1:30, and I was like "oh well, I could have done worse" then looked at my phone which said 3:30, and realized I had indeed done worse. Granted, I went to bed around 3 a.m., I've never even slept this late when I go to bed at 5 a.m.

I digress. I just wanted to post mostly to take about my deep love for like 90% of my subject lines. If you haven't noticed, with the exception of once or twice, they have no relevance whatsoever to the posts themselves. I consider myself a collector of phrases-- whenever I hear or read something that I think has a certain interest to it, I like to save it for a later date when I post a blog. Or I take the opportunity to make an obscure pop culture reference. Or song titles, but those are less imaginative. The ones I don't like are ones where I just looked around and used whatever word or phrase I saw. I prefer reading my old subject lines more than my old entries. I am always surprised by how stupid I sound when I look back on myself just a year previous. Which through the powers of Livejournal, I have been able to do for some years now.

Anyways. I apologize, if like my father, you consider this all "self-obsessed commentary", but I will point out that this is a blog...that I write...so...

Also, I've managed to almost kill my plant again. Too much water. Yet still MORE proof I am not a care-giver.

Kick off your sunday shoes!

Holler, everybody, it's Wednesday. Which means for me it's Thursday, and tomorrow is Friday, and Friday is Saturday, pt. 1. I wish I could say I was going to be going home again and have an awesome time there, but I'll be at school this weekend, which is okay I guess because I haven't stayed for a weekend since I've been back, and I looove my weekend routine when roommate goes home.

As I said in my last post, I've been in an extreeemely good mood lately, and I'm scared I'll jinx it by talking about it so much, but I just want to point it out. I mean, sure, people have been getting on my nerves, and classes aren't the best thing to wake up to in the morning, but generally, my optimism is through the roof. I think it may be because ever since getting back to school, even though it's still really cold and snowy, and still is completely dark out by 6, it's like, Hey man, this is spring semester. Spring! I've never been one of those "longing for spring people", in fact I dread it if it means my precious winter must be over, but I always love it when it's here. I always forget how great it can be. Also as I said in my last post, I've been eating healthier, so maybe that's helping my mood, too. I really don't know. Whatevs, we'll see.

Anyways, I have a hidden agenda in posting, I just wanted to post all my drawings from this semester so far, just because...I feel like it I guess. Feel free to give an opinion, but don't feel like you have to.

This is my spoon drawing, which turned out decent. I don't think I'm a great reflective drawer, as the assignment was to draw 5 similar objects that are reflective in nature. Prof said I could have used more contrast, which I agree with.

The Black and White drawing on gray paper. We weren't supposed to blend the black and white, and I think I may have in some areas, but other than that I just used a lot of erasers and the gray of the paper. I'm also not really finished.

This assignment was "35 square inches" although, that could be represented however we wanted, definitely didn't have to be literal. I felt weird because I was the only one in class who didn't actually draw anything, and I took it quite literally, but my teacher said he liked the abstractness of it, and the pattern the squares makes leaves it open to interpretation as to what is really going on in the drawing.

I hated this still life, because there was a bunch of paper everywhere, and that stupid weird cylinder thing wasn't actually a cylinder so it looks like I drew it wrong, but that's what it looked like. Proportions are off, and it feels too light. But whatevs. Plus, that's a mirror in the background. Who would want to draw a mirror??

April, come she will

Remember how I said that I was going to try eating healthier when I got back to school? Well, I have been, and it hasn't really made much of a difference, except that I feel less guilty about what I eat. And when I said "healthier", I don't mean that I've done a 180; it technically means that I've just not filled my entire day with crap. On the other hand, this means that for lunches I have been going to the Pawn a lot (the convenience-type store) and getting wrap and pita type things and apples, but, you see it costs a lot more money than going and getting an actual lunch. So I've tried to cut back on that a little bit as well. I still have a lot of unhealthy food stowed away in my room. I've been scared to eat it, but I figure, I want to eat it up as soon as possible, right? So I can be more committed to this healthy eating regimen 100%? It's mostly Ramen. Actually, it's pretty much all Ramen. Because other than that I just have soup, fiber one bars, and my off-brand wheaties from the co-op. (A place that I am thoroughly obsessed with right now, even though it is a little high buck. It's not like the grocery store, though- I make sure I only buy a few items, so it usually ends up being less expensive that I assume it will be because of that.) Anyways....I've also been eating breakfast lately. Which, I don't know if I've mentioned before, I never ever did last semester. I literally still have a box of cereal that I bought before school started. But this is also due to the fact that I've been getting up at 6:30 for my 8 a.m. class on tuesdays and thursdays. As I have no break on those days, I don't get to go back to my room and shower or anything like I could last semester after drawing, so I have to be ready for the entire day. Which has acted as kind of an incentive. Case in point, I sleep in late before my wellness class on mondays and wednesdays, because I know that I can just come back an hour later, shower, eat, and still have about 2 hours before my next class. So I'm trying to retrain myself mentally to want to get up and get ready and give myself enough time, and eat breakfast and all that jazz, because It's just going to be healthier for me in the long run. As I keep saying to roommate, this entire country could stand to be healthier (to which she replies that I need to stop being so granola. More on that later)

So I'll be updating again later, but I felt like I just wanted to post my small accomplishments somewhere so maybe I'll stick to them. We'll see. Also, I've been in a generally good mood lately, like really good mood, and I think that usually correlates with me blogging regularly, so I'll try to keep going for that reason as well.

The Minneapolis Star and Tribune

I didn't forget about my blog, but I also don't feel like updating for realsies right this very minute. So, just sayin..Happy February errbody.

Also, what's the point of ravioli if more than half of the container is just sauce? At this rate, I may end up eating two lunches, because somehow I don't think half a thing of sauce is going to keep me going until 6:30.

I sing the body electric

I'm posting because I'm bored. Do not mistake me, I DO NOT WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL, but I can still be bored at home, right? And not have it be some subconscious wish to back at school? I hope so. The day I prefer Stout to home will be a sad day/will never happen.

I have nothing much to say, but that I wish I were at a dessert buffet right now. I don't know what it is, I've just been craving dessert so much lately. Unfortunately, we have no dessert in this house.

I've been having trouble feeling tired for sleep at night lately. I can fall asleep eventually, and sleep well (and rather late, I think it goes without saying) but I just sit in bed, and I'm really tired, but not sleepy. Maybe it has something to do with my horrible diet. It's not a stretch to say that I am probably one of the least healthy people I know. If I was bored enough I would actually exercise or something, but then I would still be eating all the worst (yet, best) foods. Don't take this for me putting off becoming healthier, but maybe I'll really work on it once I get back to school. I swear! I will...

I'm lonely and I'm too tired to talk

You know, I never pretended to be this great blogger, y'allz.

BUT, that being said, even I am surprised that I only updated once in December.

I usually update when I have something specific to say, but that urge hasn't really come over me this past month. And as this is the second day this winter break that I've woken up before 11, I'll give it a chance.

Well, end of the semester went well, I suppose. That last week was insanity in the form of two big final art projects due on the same day. Which, no surprise, resulted in an all nighter. Finished the drawing around midnight, then spent about 15 hours on the painting. And it does not show. But whatevs, I passed the class. And I watched 30 Rock on my laptop the entire night while painting, so it wasn't a complete waste of my time.

Christmas was delightful. I think I'm literally in love with christmas. If I could marry it, I would. Got good presents, hung with the fam, did all the christmas stuff.

New Years Resolutions:

-To stop buying concessions at the movie theater

-To not spend so much money

-Quit eating at roughly 11:30/Midnight. Roommate and I have somewhat of a ritual of doing this.

-Don't watch any Real Housewives (unless it's New York)

-Get more sleep during the week (!!)

-No more school related all-nighters.

-Become a better recycler.

-Get a job p'haps?

I'll think of more, I'm sure/ not do the ones listed above. But we'll see.

Probably the biggest accomplishment of this break: Watching three seasons of CSI in roughly a week. That's the kind of show that I like to watch when I'm on a break from something i.e., school. It's a great show to watch marathon-style. And the original version, not stupid Miami. David Caruso's popularity is literally a crime.

knowledge comes with death's release

Well, sorry my friends, for being so absent these past couple of weeks. I wish I could say it was just because I was being so busy and popular, but my instant queue history will tell you otherwise.

I didn't update the monday after thanksgiving because I was busy working on my 2D design project, which, by the way, I did NOT stay up all night to finish. It was as done as it was going to get. (By the way, Thanksgiving was awesome. Too awesome, I think, I was depressed and had terrible anxiety my first night back. Ugh, coming back from Winter break is going to be murder.)

I didn't get the greatest critique on my painting (my 2D project), which I guess I was okay with. I wasn't completely satisfied with it. I think what we all agreed on was the craftsmanship wasn't the problem, the composition was wrong. Which I didn't feel good about in the first place, because I felt like my teacher made me do something I didn't really like that much, but she didn't really like the final project anyway. So I've reworked it for the final, because it's the sameexact project, we just have to do it using color harmonies.

It's supposed to be an abstract of a fruit or vegetable form, and mine was a squash. Which you can't really tell. It looks more like Watermelon, or like a Pepper or something. The composition for this project is better, at least I hope so.

Other than all that stuffs, not much else is new. I had a good weekend last weekend; I baked cookies with my floor (a.k.a., the, like, 7 people who showed up. But that just meant I got more for myself.) And then we went to Applebee's because it was my RA's birthday, and my neighbor Beth's as well. After that, Beth, Krista, Tegan, and I went to the Econo Lodge and paid them 4 dollars to let us use their pool and hot tub. Then we came back and watched Up, and I finished off the night with some Mighty Boosh.

This weekend I mostly stayed up late, and slept a bunch, and ate a lot of food, and watched the entire first season of 30 Rock on instant stream on saturday. That was productive. But I did get some good work on my drawing project done while watching Goblet of Fire. That is what we call multi-tasking.

I'm really only posting because I'm procrastinating writing my persuasive speech right now. My speech on the Office went pretty well. I don't know if I mentioned that at all. I didn't get to make my character map like I wanted to. But the topic I chose for my persuasive was recycling. I've been itching to give this speech for a while....I just haven't gotten around to writing it yet. And I have to give it tomorrow. But I have good ideas, and I already have info that I used for my design book. I'm thinking of doing some demonstrations, as well. I can't tell you how many people I've seen throw away plastic bottles in that room. I'd better not see anyone do it after my speech tomorrow.

And BY THE WAY, just incase people aren't aware, I got a snow day last wednesday. Holla! The last time I had a snow day was in elementary school. Although, I think that was considered a "cold day".

Have they been in love before?

New Poll!

Rhythm Mastrs

I'll keep this brief, because believe it or not, folks, I'm going to bed at 9:30!! It's only because I fell asleep at my desk watching Office UK on my laptop. Roommate and I decided it would be best if I called it a day.

Weekend was good, Friday night was the Gay 90's. Mia, Marty and I drove down at around 9, had a lot of fun, saw the drag show, I met up with Krista and met her gays, and we all danced till about 1:30, and we got back here to Stout at around 3:00. Marty and I both got McDonald's and we parked and ate it. Then, as I was sleeping over in Mia's room, we went back there, and we had had plans to make brownies, so we did that, but since they were the Ghirardelli, they took an hour to make. So I sat by the TV in the basement, and I kept falling asleep. But then they were done, and we both had literally one bite, and we went to sleep at 5:00.

That made my sleep schedule all wonkish for the next night. I stayed up until 5:00 then too. I was all disoriented. I also took a nap that evening at around 6- on and off until-8, so I ate at 10, and missed SNL, because midnight was feeling like 8 at night for me.

So then I couldn't get to sleep last night, so I stayed up until 3 doing homework, and finally went to bed, woke up at seven, and THAT is probably why I fell asleep at my desk watching UK Office at 8:30 on a monday evening.

Are you afraid of the dark?????? episode of the WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!:

I loved this one, but I think we can all agree that Johnny needs a haircut.

Good Day, Sunshine.

This is a long entry with little pay-off. Make use of that precursor as you will.

My hectic week got a little less hectic. My 2D design project that was supposed to be due tomorrow, is now not due until december 1st. She had been talking about maybe making it due this tuesday, the 24th, which I would have been fine with, but let's be honest, hearing that yesterday, and knowing that I had a full two weeks to work on it, and not just two days, made me considerably less stressed out. And as soon as I knew it wasn't due thursday, I wondered how I would have ever gotten it done. Before that I was confident that I could make it work, but in all honesty, I would have had so much work to do still. I guess I instill a certain confidence in myself when I know that I have to get it done within such a short period of time. I guess this means I get a lot more time to work on my speech, which is good because for informative you have to have sources and visual aids. If my speech ends up going anywhere near as good as I imagine it will in my head, I'll do great. My speech is on The Office, so let's hope.

I stayed up until a little after 2:30 last night working on my Drawing project that was due today. And then I took a shower. It was a very wise choice, I felt so much better afterwards. (And I tried out the No More Tangles- still can't say whether the scent is the same) But then I got up into bed, and I couldn't fall asleep for the longest time, for some reason. So I'm running on little sleep right now, but at least I don't have to pull and all-nighter again tonight, so I can get to bed at a reasonable hour. The project turned out okay. If I had been willing to stay up all night for it, I would have, and it probably would have been quite satisfactory. I don't know what it is, but I'm not willing to stay up all night for that class. I was just so sick of working on it. I had to do two 20x22 drawings, and two 10x9 drawings, and the two bigger ones had to be identical to the smaller ones, so there were two sets. My first set I had to draw a painted striped flag of sorts, and a box in the background, and a cylinder in the foreground. Then for the second one we just had to do 4-6 objects. I (stupidly) chose to use the inclass still-life of the large cardboard animals. So I was doing the large cardboard horse, the snail and the cats legs. Even though I've done the horse a million times, I still had trouble with it, and I think it ended up looking really bad. We had to use our Sumi brush, Reed pens, and ink washes to do it, so a lot of it all bled together, and got really water-logged. Again, if I would have stayed up all night, I could have made it look a lot better.

Man I was mean but I'm changing my scene.

I'm so so so so so excited for Thanksgiving. Like for the break, and the day. I can't wait to just be able to be home for more than a weekend, and if I think about it this way, I only have like 2 weeks of classes after that, and then finals week (for which I have to stay the whole week. ugh.) Then I get to come home for a month! It will literally be the worlds greatest.

Much like a couple of weeks ago, I have a lot of things going on this week. Pretty much the exact same. Drawing project due wednesday, 2D Design project due thursday, Speech thursday. I am really determined not to pull an all-nighter. Krista predicts that she won't have to, so it would be a lonely all-nighter if I did end up doing that again, too. Let's just hope that I can budget my time wisely.

I found No More Tangles at the store today!! I was so excited. I was talking about it, and how I loved using it as a child, and how I've been looking for it for a long time, and I literally turnedaround and there it was. Cosmic, and stellar, yes.

It doesn't look like this anymore. They literally just changed their packaging, apparently. I can't tell you guys how excited I am to shower tomorrow morning.

Are you afraid of the dark?????? episode of the week!!!!!!!!:

I LOVE this episode. Such a classic.

I just want to walk away

Edit!

I checked, and Stout takes their garbage to a composting facility. You're safe this time, Stout. You're safe this time.

Citing artistic differences the band broke up in May, and in June re-formed without me

I wish Stout would read this article.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/09/compostable-and-biodegradable-plastics-false-security.php

I was at the Pawn last night, and Mia got a bag for all of her things. I was offended that she got a plastic bag, but she needed it to carry everything. I said "well at least it's biodegradable." Then the guy behind the counter started to say stuff like "oh yeah, well all of our cups and utensils and stuff is biodegradable, too, so it's great, and you have nothing to worry about." I didn't want to get into a whole thing, because I really wanted to get my pint of Ben and Jerry's home and eat it, but doesn't he realize that effectively Stout's "green" initiatives aren't really doing anything at least in the dorms? I mean sure, they encourage people to use less energy, and turn off the lights and stuff, but when it comes down to it, they haven't made things like composting campus wide. If they're gonna be all into composting, they could at least do it right. If they were smart, they'd get a compost pile, and provide the dorms with biodegradable bags.

And then I woke up.

I got an A+ on my Art History Midterm! Holla! I was worried that I had gotten too cocky, and didn't do as well as I assumed I did. 103%, that's the highest score I've probably ever gotten on anything, and good thing I put it towards good use. People fail Art History all the time.

I don't usually brag, but this is epic.

She was into the Stones when I was into the Roses

I had a highly productive weekend. In my opinion. Highly productive=watching 6 movies with the aid of Netflix, AND doing all my homework. This unfortunately meant that I had little social life to speak of this weekend, apart from hanging out with Pang at acoustic cafe. Psh, whatevs, I don't even care. It was worth it. Of course, this did entail me staying up until 5 on saturday night/sunday morning. I don't know why I do that to myself. I wish I could afford to do that every weekend. I'm such a homebody when it comes down to it.

Nothing much else of note right now, other than I can't wait to be home for Thanksgiving. I mostly really want to be home for winter break, but I'll settle for Thanksgiving for now. I am so suffocated in Menomonie. It's not a place I can see myself thriving in.

Are you afraid of the dark? episode of the week:

My favorite episode ever.

Everything is Vanity

Oh weekend. You will be far too short, I'm afraid.

Last night was both enjoyable and ridiculously long. Mia wanted to watch Milk, so she came over and we watched in my room with Krista before Project Runway. Then since we all (sans Mia, but plus one other girl) had so much art project stuff we moved down to the basement where we watched in one of the TV rooms. Such comfy chairs down there. But I did have to still work on my homework. We went back upstairs eventually, but then Krista and I moved back down to the basement, because we were cramped in my room, and we worked down there until about 1:30. All the while we watched "Because I Said So" on my laptop. Eh, it was alright, completely predictable, but had attractive faces to look at. I was not aware that Tom Everett Scott was in that movie, so that was a pleasant surprise. Still convinced that Mandy Moore will never be a decent actress. But after getting to bed at 2, I was so tired waking up. I will probably end up going to bed early tonight, like a lame-o, but I'll have nothing else to do. Roommate and roommate's boyfriend will be on the futon, so no staying up late for me.

Spoiler Alert!!

SO glad they finally were able to shake off Christopher last night from Project Runway. He really does suck. I hate to say it, too, because he's from Minnesota, but my goodness, I haven't seen someone cry so much since Ricky from season 4. And I'm glad that Carol Hannah made it through, as well, she's my favorite. Since I can't have Logan anymore as a favorite.

Currently obsessed with Netflix. I must have added like 20 titles to my queue in the past three days. I'm gonna burn through my instant queue this weekend.

I'm curious. I am curious.

Also, Also:

Netflix clearly has my best interests in mind right now. Categories of movies to browse:

-Movies starring Kate Winslet

-Violent Movies to watch instantly

-Visually Striking Thriller movies from the 1980's

-Gory British Movies

It's like....they live in my head.... Well done, Netflix.

Who's the fairest of them all?

Also:

My sister was published in vita.mn today. Check it out.

All you ever wanted was love

Ugh, Yankees.

I'm currently watching Top Chef season 6 online, because I can't watch it on wednesday nights anymore. I almost prefer getting it off of Amazon and watching it at my leisure. I like giving myself something to look forward to. I know this seems like a pretty generic "I'm currently..." but I want to highlight the all-star reunion show that took place last night. If anybody gets the chance to watch this episode who is a fan of the whole series, it's worthwhile. I downloaded it this morning, and of all the all-star/reunion shows, this is one of the best assemblages I've seen yet. Well done, Bravo. No wait! Bravo, Bravo! LAME.

By the way, I didn't do as horribly on my speech as I thought I did- 42/50, and extremely positive written feedback from my professor and "peer evaluators." Surprising? I think that goes without saying.