What Is This "Maymester" You Speak Of?

Well, it's Memorial Day.  I'm looking at the last week of May and my last week before I join the ranks of the working world.

I've spent the last three weeks since graduation continuing my education.  I've been part of a small archaeological dig focusing on the Hopewell Moundbuilding society of the Midwest.  It's a class I'm taking mostly for the experience, should I change my mind someday and decide to go back into academia.  I think that this experience could be useful no matter what I do for a museum, actually.  The more I can relate to my colleague, the more informed I am and the more helpful I can be.

Even though I've been in the field for 10 hours a day in every weather condition Ohio can throw at us and then spending many evenings with my fellow field school attendees, I've still been playing with my creative side.  Unfortunately, I rarely continue with one project for very long.  There's been a lot of bouncing around.  It's like my mind really can't believe I have THAT MUCH FREE TIME and can't decide what to do with it all.  I've been drawing, writing, modeling, and even making bracelets out of Starburst wrappers.  (And I'm getting really good at it, too.)  One day at the dig last week my team hit a thick layer of soft red clay that was really easy to mold, so I made a bear out of it.  (It was going to be a dolphin, but the clay wouldn't support a long beak so a bear it became.)  And I'm going to design the T-shirts for our dig.

This is my bear.  He's made completely out of 100% natural clay I dug out of the ground.  I'm pleasantly surprised he's still in one piece.

Then, this coming Sunday, I leave Columbus to go do big-people work.  It's sad and relieving all at the same time.  For now, though, I'm just going to have fun digging and seeing all my friends before I move out.

And isn't my bear ADORABLE!?  :D

Moving On

I officially graduate from the Buckeye University as an undergrad in three days.  And man, what a trip.

Sentimental-wise, it still hasn't hit me yet.  I don't think it will until my diploma is in hand.  It's been a wild 5 years!  I've changed so much, I realize.  I've become more critical of things, but willing to keep an open mind.  I'm not as timid as I was.  I've made friends and done things that, when I first came here, I'd never even dreamed about.  It's definitely been really bitter-sweet for me.  As much as I complained about the classwork and the city, I'm going to miss it a lot.  I could go on and on, but it's finally spring in Ohio with nice sunshine-y weather and I think a post that heavy should be saved for another day.

One perk of graduating is that, even with an 8-hour-a-day job, I'm going to have more FREE TIME!!!  It'll be so weird to come home and not have a million papers and projects to finish.  But I'll have more time to help out with the farm and to work on my art and other projects.

And I have so many projects in mind!  I've been enjoying the last few days off between the end of classes and graduation with no obligations.  I was bumming around and procrastinating on my wish-list of activities because I have so many that it was overwhelming, but I finally sat down today and began to churn stuff out.  I've been on an ocean kick lately (though if you know me you'll know that I'm always on an ocean kick!) and I've been designing dresses inspired by my favorite ocean creatures.  I've made them for a paper doll (one of my weird hobbies) and I'd definitely like to post her here for others to see/print out.  I also want to get around to finishing the project for my portfolio and try a new paper mache recipe, while keeping up with my Tai Chi and Italian.

Hey, gotta keep busy somehow.  :P

Until next time!