Awake

How long have I been asleep? Six months for sure…maybe as long as a year …or more? I have been jolted awake and am staring at myself in amazement. How could I have let this happen? I have been walking through life numb and disheartened.

They say you never know how sick you are until you feel better. Well I didn’t know how depressed I was until – the happiness of Teresa's coming visit jerked me awake. Now I find myself vacillating between trying to figure out how to catch up and chastising myself for being so insane. But, I have this sense of energy and clarity that has been seriously missing for a long time.

Here are two of the things that I must immediately correct:

Academics: I have totally screwed up this semester. I currently have a C in Greek Art and Architecture – my professor is not exactly thrilled with me. She knows I can do better. I am barely making a B in Design of Cities: Roman Urbanism. This is crazy!! I have not read and scarcely studied for these classes. I have 2 exams and 2 papers due in the next 3 weeks that could make or break me.

Christening Gown: I have a christening gown to make for a friend…all the fabric and lace are in disarray waiting to be put together. The date for the ceremony is November 8th in Pennsylvania. That gives me a week! Procrastination has always been my middle name – and I usually justify this by saying I work better under pressure. This time is different though. My insecurities with my own faith (or lack of) have made a creative outlet that I used to find joy in become a task. I need to focus on the joy of my friend and her beautiful baby boy whose birth is truly a miracle!

There are so many other things that are clear now that I need to address and not let overwhelm me. Age, health, work, attitude, loss of my parents, missing Jenny, Teresa and Charleston, house fire, future – things I don’t need to worry about, but acknowledge and move on. I will figure out how deal with each of them in a positive way. I need to live in today – Awake!

Music Conversation

I have had an amusing conversation regarding music lately…same thread…different people:

Me: I really like Paramore’s new CD. I was really surprised to find out that they were from Franklin, Tennessee.

Jenny: Mom – not all musicians from Tennessee sing Country!

Later when passing this conversation along to Teresa her response is: That is why we have Devin in Nashville!

That thought made me smile (c:

I have been adding music to my iPod lately. I made the comment to my sister that if I died I hoped that they wouldn’t judge me by my playlist. It is so eclectic for someone my age. But I tired of the “Golden Oldies” after their 3rd rehash. Not that I don’t have a lot of classic rock on my iPod but I am not into the early rock of the 50’s as my husband is.

In the last several months I have added the following albums:

David Garrett by David Garrett (new twist on Classical violin – Rock!)
Twilight – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (my introduction to Muse and Paramore)
Leave this Town – Daughtry (will see them in concert next month)
Black Holes and Revelations – Muse (still reminds me of Queen)
Number Ones – Michael Jackson (in remembrance)
Brand New Eyes – Paramore (love this album – definitely not Country)
New Moon – Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (still forming an opinion)
Street Talk – Steve Perry (oldie but not Golden)
Golden Hits – ABBA (ok this says Golden, but it is great for walking!)

One single – Moth Wings by Passion Pit. I found this on John Mayer’s website and thought it was great. Speaking of John Mayer – his new album Battle Studies will be released November 17th. I like is music – have all of his studio albums (I am not a fan of live albums) and have seen him in concert. I keep turning his twitter off and on these days – I can’t seem to get around his ego.

Needless to say, with music and audio books I stayed plugged in most of the time. We had a fire drill at work last week – they had to drag me out of my office because I couldn’t hear the noise (c:

Things I am Excited About

Teresa is coming to see me the weekend before Thanksgiving. For the first time in the 10 years we have lived in the Washington, DC metro area she is coming to see me by herself. We will have uninterrupted time together – I have promised to have all of my studying/papers done before she gets here. So far we have planned to see – New Moon (as many times as we want), the mosaics of the National Shrine, WWII memorial, and the musical Jersey Boys. We will have 4 days of wonderfulness!

Daughtry Concert on November 19th.

Thanksgiving in Philadelphia with Jenny.

Spring Academic Schedule: HIST 389-001 : History of Animation
In addition to a history of animation and its practitioners, this class covers subjects from the handmade illusion of movement through the physiology of sight to computer generated motion pictures. The course pays special attention to the aesthetic of the animated image as well as the unique ability of the image to communicate through semiotics and visual narrative. Finally, the offering will explore the tools, technology used in animation, and the various techniques: claymation, cel animation, CGI, and so forth.