Tag Archives: centre

Personal Blog

Time for an Update!

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The Yellow Boat opened really nicely, and I was happy to see that we had reduced the audience to tears much earlier in the play than I expected would happen. Muahahahahaha! The Quilt ceremony was also really touching. Strother, you have a very haunting and powerful voice, I will capture you and put you in a jar and make you sing for me, and then I’ll give you cookies as a reward.

In other news, classes are rough, but interesting. The Beowulf Clusters class is going to be an ordeal, as the only available place for us to build our little cluster is apparently a closet. Granted, it’s a spacious closet, it’s just mostly filled with biology lab equipment. I have been partnered up with Ryan the Younger, and as we discovered, neither of us knows squat about linux administration, networking, or any real hardware stuff. It’s going to be a fun term (we’ve already decided to paint flames on the side of our node…you know…to make it go faster). To make things easier, I made sure our node was set up next to Jared and Zaid’s, so we can pester them relentlessly for help.

Algorithms is going to be tough, because it’s one of those “thinking” classes, and it’s at 8:00. I’m trying desperately to convince Dr. Shannon of my poor arithmetic abilities. When we had our quiz this morning, we asked if we needed a calculator, and she said no. And I said “Are you SURE, you know I can’t do math.” and she’s like “Nooo, you’ll be fine, it’s just a little arithmetic.” Sure enough, I butchered Euclid’s algorithm because I can’t divide or subtract.

Why is that? Why is it that I can do derivatives in my head, or even standing on my head, but I can’t do math. Like, at all. I’m a horrible banker in monopoly, because I can’t subtract to give change (also, because I steal from the bank ¬_¬).

Anyway, moving on, glass seems like it will be good. I have some good ideas to get my rolling with my senior show. Databases should involve some fun and useful projects.

I wanted to go home this weekend and visit friends, but I think this week’s workload will be too great. Guess I’ll be spending Valentine’s Day* getting ahead in my work…or catching up.

*Notice how I didn’t say V-day

Personal Blog

Smells like Spring

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First day of spring term and all is well. I got quite a few errands run today, so I feel pretty accomplished.
I also finished American Gods yesterday while lounging about at the airport and on the planes. It is an excellent book and I recommend it to anyone.

In other news, I put up one of my glass armadillos for auction. It’s a fundraiser to help Byzil out with his webservers.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3702370383

and on that note, I did manage a small webpage update.

About Me

Games and Game Development, Personal Blog

The Third was the Color of the Sun.

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“There are lots of lighthouses in Maine because it’s so big and easy to crash into.” –Carleton

Today is my birthday and I’m 22 years old and I’m having pie instead of cake because…well, it’s not because I don’t like cake, it’s just that the blackberry pie at the store looked so tempting!

This weekend we visited Carleton’s Dad in Maine and, in addition to playing lots of FFX, I got to eat a lobster. ‘Twas quite tasty. I’m a little sad that my visit is coming to an end, but as a birthday present I got a ticket to come up and visit again over spring break (but don’t worry, I’ll be back for Sammy and Will Johnston’s wedding ^_^ ).

I also purchased American Gods for the flight home, though I snuck in a read earlier today. So far I enjoy it, but then again, every book that Brendan recommends to me i end up really enjoying. Hopefully I’ll finish it before the madness of spring term flares up too much. I don’t think it will be terrible, but jumping right into tech as soon as we get back will be a little rough.

Which reminds me..

COME SEE THE YELLOW BOAT THIS WEEKEND/NEXT WEEK!!

Sunday, February 8, 2:00 pm
Wednesday, February 11, 8:00 pm
Friday, February 13, 8:00 pm

Norton Center for the Arts box office: (859) 236-4692 or 1-877-448-7469.

Personal Blog

The Second so Red…

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The most important thing I learned from The Company:

Gloss black spraypaint can make anything–from wooden dowels and tubing to the cheapest of plastic children’s toys–look like legitimate and authentic medical equipment.

I’m up in Connecticut having a wonderful recovery period. Granted, my connecting flight out of Detroit was canceled and I had to spend the night up there, but they gave me a room with a jacuzzi, so all was quickly forgiven ^_^

I’ve been spending the time when Carleton is in class sleeping, lazing about, and even doing some artstuffs! I’m trying very hard to think as little as possible about the upcoming spring term. At least winter term came to a nice close, there isn’t going to be anything drastic to do when we start teching the play.

Come see The Yellow Boat!!!!!

Personal Blog

The First was Blue..

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Of course it is the day when I decide to wear my shoes with the least traction that we have a freezing rain disaster. I walked out the door to discover the world had been covered in a very thin sheet of ice while I’d slept.

It was somewhat adventurous–trying to find the best courses to the nearest patches of grass to walk on and such–and when I ran out of grass on my trip to the bank, I resorted to walking on bits of slush between the road and the sidewalk and small streams of running water. I often found myself standing, precariously balanced, the start of the grass merely two steps away, but dangerous icy pavement one step away, pondering the best way of moving to avoid an Alison Furlong accident.

It was treacherous and frightening, but I made it to and from the bank and to the theater without falling and killing myself. The icicles forming on the cars as the drove were very pretty.

EDIT: Okay, that’s it, every time I find one of you Centre kids’ journals I end up finding 3 more. So I demand that all of the Centre people that I know that have journals that I don’t know have journals post a comment, so that I know…umm…yeah. That is all.

Personal Blog

There sailed 3 boats from the harbor…

Last weekend of winter term, one more official day of class, and I am totally beat. I’m having trouble getting motivated this weekend, as there is much to do before it is through.

I’d like to go in today and do some work on Yellow Boat–mainly painting and touch-ups and small bits of work–but the thought of going in on a weekend to work is terribly exhausting for some reason. I’ll have lunch and then muster up the motivation to go in.

In addition, I must clean clean clean for winter break, as well as pack for my trip to see Carleton. There are other things, like filling out and sending in my registration for SETC and cleaning my fishtank (oh, did I mention I have a fish now? Well I do ^_^ ) which need to happen soon as well.

In other news, downstairs in the prop room yesterday and I found ANOTHER abandoned and forgotten Christmas cactus. It was in pretty much the same shape as the last one, so hopefully I can revive it (I’m considering making a sign for props storage that says “NO LIVE PLANTS!!”)

Personal Blog

Busen lull, cook the kettle full…

More important information

More specific dates and times for our performance of The Yellow Boat

Public performances:
Sunday, February 8, 2:00 pm
Wednesday, February 11, 8:00 pm
Friday, February 13, 8:00 pm

There are school performances at 9:30 am and 12 noon on the 9-10, and Lord of the Dance is coming in on the 12, which is why we don’t have a performance then

Also, we are getting 12 panels of the AIDS Memorial Quilt to display in the Norton Center lobby. Each panel is made of four smaller, individual panels, so that’s 48 people represented. There will be an opening ceremony after the first performance on Sunday and the quilt will stay on display most of that week. We tried to request quilt panels of people who were connected to the local community, and we also requested the panel for Benjamin Saar, who the play is about.

I really encourage anyone who will be nearby during that week to try and come see the play! The class has put an incredible amount of work into it and I know it’s going to be a great show. Acquire tickets through the Norton Center for the Arts box office at (859) 236-4692 or 1-877-448-7469.

Press Release…
http://www.centre.edu/web/news/2004/show04.html

Personal Blog

Swan Lake, art, and pondering

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The last time I saw a ballet was in gradeschool when our class went to see The Nutcracker, and I remember being really impressed and excited about the whole rat battle, but after that it got a little slow. Sure the realm of the Sugarplum fairy was nice, but where were the rats? Where was the action??

That being my only experience, I was a bit hesitant to go see Swan Lake tonight, but I needed the convo credit and figured what the heck. Watching dancers exhausts me. The way that they’ve totally harnassed and utilized the capabilities of the human bodies fascinates me to the point of being sick to my stomach and leaves me wallowing in dizzying admiration

It reminds me of a play I saw called Resident Alien by Tim Fountain. It’s a great one-man play about Quentin Crisp, and is essentially a string of his little tidbits and insights on life that are all woven together. Because of this, it’s difficult to pluck a quote out of context, but I’ll do my best. In an explanation about ridding oneself of superfluous things and actions, the main character goes on to say…

“It’s alright if you are learning to sing or dance because these are activities the results of which you take out into the world and wear like a crown. People who have learned to sing will always have richer, rounder voices. People who’ve learned to dance will always have bigger, bolder movements, but as for pottery and basket weaving, what good are they? The moment the doors of the evening institute clang shut behind you you are back where you started. On the way home you might get into an argument with a stranger at a bus stop. It’s no good saying I can’t express myself you’ll have to come and see my baskets.”

When I first heard this in the play it really struck a chord with me, especially the part about dancers and singers being able to wear their talents like a crown, because they are always present within the person. It got me thinking about art, and sure enough, the character of Quentin soon brings up the visual arts…

“It would be difficult to express the dilemma that lies before the visual artist. If I showed you a huge great piece of concrete with a hole in it everybody would say it’s a Henry Moore, but if I could show you Henry Moore himself nobody would know who he was. So all that clipping, all that chipping, all that chiselling, it’s been in vain.”

I’d like to say I disagree strongly with the character on this point, being a visual artist myself. However, it’s not so simple, as the words make sense. Whenever I read it, it spins me off into deep ponderings about a talent’s ability to portray who a person is and this and that. Far too incoherent ramblings to journal about, but I wonder if it strikes chords with anyone else, too?

Personal Blog

Pain and Announcement

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Thanks for the suggestions on names everyone! I’ve decided to name the plant Cap’n Stitch.

First weekend of winter term and all is well. I decided to go play in an Ultimate Frisbee mini-tourney yesterday, and was needed as the only girl, and after some other people dropped out, we had 8 people. 7 people have to be in play, leaving us one sub, and after Abbot got injured before the last game…well….we were all pretty exhausted.

I had a lot of fun, but since I hadn’t played since early fall, I knew right away that my body would be screaming at me all day today. That’s what I get, I guess.

And Now for the First of a Series of Important Announcements that I’ll be making periodically

As you all know, I’m taking this theater class and working on this play this term.
The play is The Yellow Boat by David Saar, and just from the progress made this week, I can tell it is going to be an awesome play. Awesome as in well-acted and designed, but also in that it’s a very important play.

So that is why I’ll be announcing in my journal now and again to harass anyone I can into coming, because you all need to see this play. I believe the performance dates will be Feb 10-13, but I’ll get more details.

If you are in or near Danville, Kentucky at that time, you are hereby obligated to come and see this play. You Have no choice in the matter. So there.

Personal Blog

Plant adoption

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I acquired another houseplant today. Well, I suppose “rescued” would be the more appropriate term.

I was rummaging about the prop storage room today when I passed by what I thought was a remarkably well-crafted fake plant. Upon closer inspection, I found that it was indeed a real, living (barely) plant.

Through further information gathering, I discovered that the plant was a prop from A Day in the Death of Joe Egg, which was performed last fall. So this poor plant had been down in the completely lightless prop storage for over a year!

It’s a Christmas Cactus, but its leaves are totally flat and limp. I suppose it lived off the moisture in the air, as the prop storage room can get somewhat dank, and scratched up all the light it could from the incandescent bulbs on the rare occasion that someone enter prop storage.

A shriveled blossom at the base of the plant indicates that it did bloom at one point.

So, I’ve adopted it under my care, and hopefully I can nurse it back to help. Sara says that putting it under a UV light might help, so I may see if I can borrow her blacklight, or perhaps send the plant over for a visit. Any care tips from plant people would be welcome!

That said, this trooper of a plant deserves an appropriate name. Any ideas?