crunch time

Full on in the Fall semester and taking 5 studio Art classes. Fun and BUSY. Its about midterm and I have 3 1/2 projects due this next week. something big for every day. New Media sound project critique, Computer Apps Photoshop critique, casting my wax sculpture in Metalsmithing, and last but not least turning in my wood sculpture of the Super Star Destroyer. Its a big week; hope I can get it all done!

School is out! I passed political science, HORRAY! So now for the summer agenda. I plan on finishing the dragon statue that I started so many years ago. It will be done this summer for sure. I have already begun working on it and I have made good progress so far. There are still repairs to be made to the feet and a seam at the lower torso as well, but these are technical details that wont take too long once I start on them. The big concern is the face. What will he look like? So far he has had about 5 different faces that have all been incomplete. The one he has now is about to be broken off too as it does not match his body very well. I will figure this out, and it will be done this summer. As far as the technical aspects, I am wondering what material to do certain repairs with. I have been using Sculpey clay for the entire process, but since he has been damaged so many times and repaired in layers, there are some seams that pose a difficult challenge. The structure has a braided wire skeleton that keeps him fairly stable, but some major stress points have sheared through the clay leaving me with a wobbly leg here and there with an unforgiving core that will not shift. If left alone for too long (like it has been) the wiggle room causes chips in the brittle clay. I have thought of using an A-B type putty for some parts that will bond to the sculpey without having to put it into an oven. Epoxy is another option that I am considering, since it can fill a gap in the clay to bond it back together where it has sheared around the skeleton. I might use a combination of things to fix these issues as well. Time will tell here. I figure the experience that I am gaining in this project alone will be valuable to me, as I will be hopefully taking my first sculpture class in the fall semester at UNT. Either way, he will be finished and ready to mold and recast so that I can finally market this creation. It will be a fun summer! (If only I had funds to keep up with my living expenses along the way)

Spring Semester

I just finished a research paper for English class over a policy position on food. I chose to write on school gardens. I am really glad its behind me now. If I am lucky, my tardies in Fibers won't fail me in that class, and if I make an A on my final test for political science, I can scrape by with a D for the class. It's been a tough and busy semester. Drawing has gone well though, and I can rest assured that my grade in that class will be an A for certain. I worked for about a month at school for intramural basketball. It was fun being an official for that, but now I am unemployed once more. If I can ever get my act together, then I'll update my portfolio online. I need to get pictures taken first, and I don't have a decent camera to do it. When I do get pictures taken, I will let everyone know. There's been some good stuff done this semester as far as artwork goes.

December is upon us

As the Autumn passes and the leaves fall to the earth, our lives rush forward into the onslaught of winter, with nations at odds around the globe. Let our hearts and prayers go out to the brave soldiers that are risking their lives to protect the liberties that we cherish so much in these United States of America. The troops of many countries have come together with ours to help restore the simple liberties, that have been so long denied to those under tyranny and oppression. There are yet those who would greatly desire to withhold these natural rights from the sons and daughters of God. Ever vigilant we must be for these ravenous wolves that are all around us.
The weather in Texas this last season has been marvelously pleasant, the cold not yet below freezing and more than a few days in the 80's. Interspersed with rain and several days of windchill in the 20's last week, I am still amazed that there are still so many leaves on the trees in Denton. (I am more used to a heavy storm blowing them all away before thanksgiving each year, leaving them bare till late march)
The hope of a wedding was not yet to be, as Cat and I continue in our relationship with a hopeful eye to the future. Maizy will turn 5 years old on the 5th. She is a near identical twin to her great-grandmother Lajuan, I learned this holiday on seeing one of her baby pictures that she was so exited to show me. Maizy had caps put on her teeth earlier this year that bothered her terribly at first, while Hannah has been losing her teeth left and right, although she has grown 2 adult teeth in on top.
My life has been centered on going to church every week and bringing my girls with me. Cat has been braving the Relief Society, and we have both been actively helping the Missionaries in our area. It has been so wonderful to get to know so many new friends, neighbors, and families.

It's been a great start to the fall semester. My grade average in Biology so far is an A, and my other classes are holding strong. Biology was my greatest concern since its been 12 years since I've taken a science class. I was hoping to begin a ceramics class this semester, but that didn't happen because I accidently scheduled an advanced studio instead of the intro. Ooops! Just as well I suppose, but I am glad to finally get drawing 1 out of the way. I am enjoying my drawing class and look forward to putting together a solid portfolio for the subject.
This past summer has been one to remember. Not only because of school, but also for love. I met Cat in the spring at the beginning of March. I fell in love with her immediately. She was finalizing her divorce from her previous marriage that had some similarities to my own. We were both victims of a spouse who would not return affection, but instead took it elsewhere. Cat is a wonderful person who has blessed my life in so many ways since we first met. She began talking with the missionaries and was recently baptized last month. We are planning to be married in November on the 19th. We have a couple of financial hurdles to work through before that can happen, the main one is getting a marriage license. Neither of us is working right now, but hopefully that situation will change soon. My budget has run very thin, and it needs to be supplemented with some additional income.
During the summer, I began making hemp jewelry. Cat spurred me on in this endeavor and with her help I made a couple of sales to local shops here in Denton. Look for the PaC labeled hemp at Sleeping Lizards and Easy's Smoke Shop. That did give me some hope for a new business. It has not been much, but the experience is great. I couldn't have done this with any success without Cat's partnership. I hope to do more business soon, and will be at the Harvest Fest on the 23rd of October here in Denton.

some catching up to do

It has been way too long since my last update, so here's a brief lowdown on how the spring went.
I did well in my classes for the semester, and though I could have done better in a couple of them, I was really happy with how well I did in my Design II class where I pulled 2 trophies for best project! I cant take all that credit though, the final project was judged solely on the weight of canned goods donated for each entry, and my friends helped me out there by donating 62 lbs of canned goods. Thanks for that you guys!
After the spring, I took a couple summer classes to boost the GPA, and here we are again for the Fall already under way. Sorry for the slow rate of my updates, but hopefully ill get back in the swing of things and start posting more frequently.

Spring semester begins soon

After all the mishaps and complications of this last fall that caused me to drop the semester, I am much relieved and very excited to begin again for the spring. Picking up where I left off in the curriculum and moving closer to school, I also will be able to attend full time. This will be an important stretch for me, and I have moved all my classes to a morning schedule in the hopes of having my afternoons and evenings open for getting work of some kind. Although this might be a challenge for me, I feel prepared to meet it head on as I pull myself out of my recent troubles to immerse myself into my schooling on a completely new level than I had anticipated before. School starts on the 19th of this month, a little over a week, and I still need to do a lot of things before that time, (mainly packing and moving) but I am very excited at the opportunities I will have this year with this new approach to my life. On a final note, GO COWBOYS! Looking forward to playing in Minnesota next sunday!

White winter Christmas

Snow on Christmas eve in Texas, A cowboys shutout in Washington, more snow tonight, and a great football game to look forward to this Sunday. My girls had a great Christmas this year, thanks to all the friends and family who pitched in, and especially the ward members from church. Between the Barbies, kitchen toys, and new clothes, it was great to see my daughters have so much fun this year. I really enjoyed being able to have them with me for the holiday, and visiting family that I haven't seen in a while. I am also excited to see the Cowboys getting into the playoffs this year, and playing great defence while doing so. Playing the last game at home, and a slim chance for a bye week if we win that game gives me some hope that we can get some post-season wins this time around. To put all things in perspective, none of that really matters when compared to what we should be remembering during this holiday season. Presents are fun, and sports are exciting, but Christmas was supposed to be about the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. It becomes easy to forget what he did for us when we become distracted by so much over-stimulation in our minds. As we creep towards this new year, may we remember that the spirit of God can be with us every day of the year if we but ask for it. So instead of thinking about how much money we can save by shopping early this new year, try to think about how we can all live a little wiser instead. My prayers go out to all my family and friends to be prosperous in their lives so long as they remember to keep the council of our living savior with them in all they do. That is my resolution for myself as well, and with faith in him, all things are possible.

still not workin

Its been about 4 months now since I lost my job, and I still haven't found any work. I had one day of working with a temp agency and nothing else from them yet, most of my cash has come from family members spotting me for gas, which I am extremely grateful for. Funny that when my children moved to their moms house so I could get my situation taken care of, I am still the one that is watching them each day. It's hard to find a job when you have a 4 year old with you all day, and it's just sort of funny that the last 2 weeks I have had to be the one to help out with that. I haven't given up on the job search by a long shot, but it has had many delays that are trying to drive me crazy. The good thing is that most of those delays are from my own children. I can handle that kind of madness and even enjoy it, but it does get frustrating when the landlord calls me to find out when he'll get rent. How can I tell him, "I don't have that, but you need to fix the heater"? It's pretty cold at my house, so there's another reason I don't mind staying with the kids at the ex's parents house sometimes. Blessings in disguise.

Hello December

After leaving this page in the background for all of November, I am finally back to write some more. The Dallas Cowboys are on a roll after a great game against Oakland on Thanksgiving, and can put the NY Giants out of the race this weekend with a win in NY. My fantasy team is also in desperate need of another win this week to have a chance at a playoff spot, and I have a tough opponent. As for me and My family, we all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend with family and my kiddos really loved seeing their Mee-Maw and Great Grandma, and especially staying with their Auntie Heather, who took them shopping and tried on clothes and shoes. After returning from the holiday weekend, I continued spending most of this last week with them still, as I still have not found any work, and a sitter was needed for a little girl at their mothers house while she was at school this week. I was happy to help, and ended up helping out in a vehicle crisis as well when Uncle Tim needed a ride to work, and Wendy's tire and spare were flat. I was glad that my presence was well needed, and made me feel good about spending a few days away from home again. My utilities have all been turned on again there, and all is well, except for the heater broke right when it got cold outside. Funny how things like that happen, but at least the oven works! Go Cowboys!

new car total cost

Here's what I paid for my '93 Toyota Corolla, $400 for the car off of Craigslist, $181.26 for a new windshield, $58.11 to fix the exhaust, $14.07 for a new turn signal cover on the front, $63.49 to change the oil and brake pads, $15.89 for new wipers, $10.04 for the putty to fix a wobbly taillight, $39.75 for the inspection fee, and finally $137.50 for the registration, title transfer and new plates. Total cost, $920.11 for a running and legal ride that I now hold a clear title for.

Well, my phone is turned off now, and the water and electricity are still off, but that should be fixed soon. I had to get a new copy of my social security card so I can get a job, but now thats taken care of, and God willing, I should be able to find work soon. One foot in front of the other, thats all I can do for now. The girls are with their mom for a while, and that should help me get things back together over here. The weather is great right now, and I couldnt ask for a better time to be without power. I have been cooking on my propane stove in the evenings, and it feels kinda like camping, but in a house instead of a tent. Fun times all around!

shakey tail light

I almost got the car legal today, the emissions passed, the brake works, but my wipers were old, and apperently my tail light needs securing. Trying to be optimistic, but im getting a little frustrated. New wipers are on the car now, $16.00, and I paid for the inspection, $39.75. There is a little piece of metal trim missing on my light, a piece that was in the trunk,... oops, its for the other side! No worries, I flattened it out, flipped it around, and got it to where it should fit on the drivers side now. Ill find out tomorrow if I'm right. Too wet, too dark for now. Tomorrow is the day! (fingers crossed)

workin on the Corolla

I have been tinkering with the new car this week, trying to get my stickers. Still not there yet, but getting closer. The first thing I had to tackle was replacing the brake pads and shoes, and fixing the stop lights that wouldnt turn off. The brake pads were straightforward for the most part, although there was one wheel that I had to heat with the blow torch and pound with a mallet to free it up from the studs. What can i say, when they sit for a while, they rust a little. The break light issue was a little trickier, but also something that I've done on the Civic, so I was aware what to look for. Those little rubber pads on the brake pedals that rest against the brake light switch get old, and eventually fall apart. Its silly in my oppinion to look for them, since nobody makes or sells them. Instead, I use my 2 cents to fix it. Thats right, I use two pennies and a little but of JB Quick Weld to remedy the problem. Just stick the pennies togeather with the JB putty, and then to where the rubber stopper was, and problem solved! I love JB Quick Weld because it sets so quickly, setting in as little as 4 minutes according to the package. Its more like 15-30 minutes in my experience, but since the brake pedal will spring back and hold it in place, you dont have to worry. It is a little tricky to get underneith the steering wheel and dashboard to get to the area however, so you gotta stand on your head a bit to reach it, unless you feel like taking the driver seat out first. Changed the oil and filter, then I had a new shiney windshield put on to replace the busted one, and I thought it was ready for inspection now. Well, not quite, the exhaust manifold is cracked, so it leeks a lot, heat and power. The parking brake wasnt working anymore after working on the rear drums. Good thing about that, is that the console is already pretty much gone in this car, so it was easy to adjust that and get it fixed. The manifold is on order, $60 to ebay, and hopefully it will be here by friday or saturday. That is being very optimistic, since I paid for it last night, but if they ship it today, then it might make it (fingers crossed). I have the signed paperwork in hand for the lost title and the power of attorney, so all I need to do is make it to Carrollton to switch it over. Today was rainy, and I have to admit, I slept till 1 in the afternoon. If the exhaust gets here by friday, then I can pop that on pretty quick and get it all taken care of (barring any surprises) and ill be back on the road only out about $720 to now. $400 for the car, $320 on parts so far including brake pads, oil and filter, exhaust, glass, and a signal corner light. Figure another $50 for inspection, and $24 for taxes, maybe another $15-$30 for title transfer and plates. That should put my total cost at about $820 all in all.

well, after a few weeks of being without a car, I finally found one on craigslist. $400 later, and I'm the proud owner of a beat up jalopy that purrs like a kitten! I am super stoked about being able to get around now, and if I play my cards right, I might not have to drop ALL my classes this semester after all. That would be awesome in itself. So tomorrow I get to change out brake pads and oil, and hopefully get the brake lights to turn off so I dont have to detatch the battery cable when I park it. It has a few minor issues, like the doorhandles being broken, and the headliner that I just ripped out. No radio, but I usually drive in silence most of the time anyway and since I have to leave the window cracked to open the door, that just means there is less incentive to break into it. I'm happy, and since it cost me less than the other car would have been to get back from the dealer, I've got a leg up too. My car! Now I need to get the title and stickers taken care of, and hopefully within a week, I'll have it legal to drive it. Woohoooooo!

without a car

Since being without a car has kept me from attending school for more than a week now, I have had plenty of time to think about my situation and where it will lead me. Mostly, it has led me into the kindness of others thus far. People I have never met or seldom seen, have been my greatest support this last week. A family from church who has watched my children, brought by a meal one day. An elderly woman from across the street has allowed me to drive her car to take my daughter to school. A woman from the school called to help me get Hannah on the school bus route. Things unasked for, but provided by mercy, and generosity, have lifted my spirits all the week long, so that even while things grew more difficult, they were made more bearable. Thank you to all of my friends and all of my family, who have been there for me, even if only by listening to me grumble.

Well, its official today. I no longer have a car, so it looks like school is out of the question for me this semester. Funny thing though, is that I still have financial aid that is pending, and I was told on Monday that it would be processed and dispersed on tuesday. That obviously never happened, so the ball got dropped, and my education just got pulled out from under me. Me and Hannah had to ride bikes to school this morning, so of course she was late, because it wasn't until we walked outside to get in the car when I realized that the car had finally been repossessed. I cant say I wasn't expecting it, I thought he would be here last week. But I was hopeful, especially when I was told to expect the funds by the next day. So now I am sitting at home wandering what is next. I still have no job, I very likely will drop out of school completely, and I doubt if I do, that I will be capable of returning next semester, as I don't know where I will be living. Probably not in this house. I hope you have a plan for me Lord, because I am at the end of all my minds possibilities.

Yesterday I spent the evening in the library with my 2 little girls, waiting for an available book to write a report that is due today. Most of the time was spent waiting for any book to be returned to the reserve desk. When I was able to finally obtain one, I was already frustrated and eager to be back home. The single book I had reviewed contained very little material to work with, and it was not within the timeline that I was supposed to be working with. Of course, not willing to spend the entire evening at the campus library waiting for more books to become available, and needing to return home to prepare a meal before the kiddo's bedtime, I took what I had and decided to make it work somehow. Normally, I might be able to abstractly argue some relevance, seeing as how this book was selected by the instructor herself, but due to not having the required textbook of the class itself, I am left with a daunting predicament. I must somehow find some relevance to the course material, without having access to the course material itself. Now if I were an average student, living on campus with typical roommates and time enough to spend alone working on my assignments, I would simply spend the entire evening at the library studying several different selected books, and also check out the required text so that I could read the course cannon to determine an argument for some better suited material. I am not an average student, I live 20 minutes drive from campus, my roommates are 3 and 6 years old, and I am never alone unless I can find suitable babysitters. That is difficult to do when you are unemployed, penniless, out of gas, and have no phone. Ill be lucky if I can make it to campus to turn in any paper at all today, and I certainly wont be expecting a passing mark on it. I truly enjoy being in school, and I actually like doing the work, but right now, there are a few barriers for me to overcome this semester, and I am uncertain I will be able to do so.

It looks like i'll be dropping my drawing class this semester. Sadly, it is due to a long delay in my pell grant funds. Not enough gas to get to class, no phone to call for help, no job to pay the rent. I am still hopeful of my other 2 classes this semester though, and the change in the schedule will keep me from sprinting from one place to the other. Still, I am a little disapointed I wont be able to keep it. Truth be told, I am still very thankful for being able to go to school at all again. It has been a blessing to get back into my artwork again with a positive focus. Having Hannah and Maizy here with me has been another great blessing that has given me many challenges to face over the last year. Hannah has been excited to develop her reading skills this year, and so far she is doing great. Maizy on the other hand, has been stuck at home with the grumpy dad, needles to say we have bumped heads a time or two on who is really in charge. Both of the girls are being really helpful to me lately, by vaccuming their room, or handing me clothes to fold. I am fortunate at the moment to have access to an internet signal, especially now that my phone has been cut off. I am in an intertidal pool at the moment and must make due with what is given me for now while I await the Lords hand to guide me to where he has prepared for me. Fortunate am I that my Father above has given me the trials to my patience to prepare me for these times.

sunday night

The Dallas Cowboys lost in the new stadium to the New York Giants at 31-33. In a stadium opener, Romo was a little underwhelming with 3 interceptions. Can't blame them all on him, but still a very weak effort to keep the ball in your control. The defense played somewhat solid early, but for being left out to dry by the poor ball control of the offense, they could not muster the strength to stop the Giants offense from marching down field for a game winning field goal. No surprises really when you consider that Romo has a knack for coughing up the ball in close games all last season, and clutch mishaps in playoff games for a couple seasons now. The Giants did an excellent job of converting turnovers which accounted for 17 of the teams points. Those silly throwaways just don't cut it, especially against a division rival at home. In the end, I don't think anyone was totally surprised by the end result, but it was very disapointing anyway. Maybe we can get them back in a few weeks in New York for another sunday night spotlight? Hmmmmmm......