blogger CPR, (| Can I have it? |)
I think I need a life. Final Fantasy XI really has taken up way more of my life than I'd care to admit, and it just hit me like, 10 seconds ago that my life pretty much revolves around it. All I can think about when I'm at work or doing something besides playing the game is "hurry and get this done so I can get back to playing FFXI." If I have no internet, such as happened for the past week and a half previous to Saturday night, instead of reading any number of books I keep meaning to or doing any number of artistically/musically engaging projects I have written down to work on or writing any number of stories I have ideas for in my head, I just get restless and bored and pissy over the net being down. I can't see past the fact that I'm losing precious in-game time, and that scares me. I think I may have to take a month or two off at the very least, so that I can focus on the fact that I'm finally home again and there are any number of things going on that I could be doing with the people I care about most, rather than wasting away in front of my laptop. I've never been very good at prioritizing and putting the most important things first, and I know I don't have to just quit the game cold turkey, just cut back and set aside time for other things.
So, there. I admit it. I'm an addict, and I've got to do something about it. What exactly that is, I don't know yet. But hopefully you'll see more of me here and on twitter/facebook/myspace as I figure out that everything *can* be done as long as I do it right, and in the right order. In the meantime, I'm back home in Bakersfield for the summer, for those who didn't know already. ^^ It's good to be back, but holy crap it is already way too hot! Lol. Also, in closing, and for your amusement, some highlights from the drive home:
To the man in the dark grey '05 Honda Accord who kept passing me, then getting passed by me, then passing me again, and so on, pretty much the entire way from St. George to Barstow: Cruise control, (| Do you have it? |). Seriously...I drive a '93 Saturn with no cruise and I still managed to keep at a pretty constant speed the whole way across the desert. It's a bit frustrating to keep getting stuck behind you going just barely under the speed limit, only to get passed by you over and over as you decide to start going 5-10 *over* the speed limit for whatever reason.
To the kid in the silver '09 Mustang GT, driving around in heavy Las Vegas traffic like a bat outta hades: Go ahead kid, come within inches of nicking me and two other cars ONE more time. I dare you. My car's a piece of crap, and it'd be worth a couple more battle scars to prove that you do NOT, in fact, own the road, nor are you impervious just because you're new and shiny and fast.
And last, but certainly not least, to the jerk in the black Corvette Z06 doing 60 in a 70 zone going through Mojave, cruising with your top down in the fast lane as we're all forced to pass you on the right: owning a brand-new, black, convertible Corvette does not mean you automatically belong in the fast lane at all times. The "slower traffic keep right" sign does, in fact, apply even to you.
times like these
College has been a long haul for me. I'm interested in so many things, and that made it really really hard to pick a major I felt I'd be successful in. I love and am good at math and science and could have easily picked a major in either area. I also love to write, and I have an amazing teacher, Brad Ruff, to thank for really showing me how to write well during my senior year of high school. I'm writing a novel (a couple now, actually) and I really just love to write in general, so I could have been an English major. I love to sing and play the piano, and I actually started out as a declared Music major before deciding that it would be just a bit too competitive for me to actually get any enjoyment out of it. And, as previously mentioned, I love cars and regret letting myself get talked out of pursuing that. Finally, I enjoy art, and dabble in several media while struggling for a graphic design major. As hard as I struggle with art, I have found at least one or two things that I'm good at (making books, for one thing), and I'm glad I picked it. I guess, thinking about why I *didn't* choose music, I get enjoyment out of this because I'm *not* really all that good at it to begin with.
It goes a little deeper than just this though. Before I even came up here to BYU-I, I wasn't even sure I really wanted to go to college in the first place. I didn't start in the fall right after graduating from high school because I was working and trying to get enough money, and I hadn't applied to any schools because I honestly didn't know where I wanted to go. My mom felt impressed to start the applications to both BYU in Provo, UT and here in Rexburg, ID and basically force me to finish them so that at least I had *something* going. I ended up only finishing the one for Idaho because I felt that if I was going to a "Mormon school," I wanted to go to the one that was smaller and harder to get lost at.
I got accepted while I was working in the mailroom at the regional State Farm Insurance office in Bakersfield, and even though I was working through a temporary agency at the time, they liked me so well that they asked if I would consider sticking around so they could hire me on as a full-time employee with benefits and the whole thing. I'd be willing to wager that, had I done so, I'd be doing pretty well for myself right now. The pay would have been enough to get me out on my own, I wouldn't be up to my eyeballs in school loans, and I would quite possibly be very happy. However, again, the Lord impressed on my mind that it was important to get my college education, if for no other reason than to be able to say that I did.
I have no doubts now that coming here was indeed the right choice, and the Lord's will for me. I've met countless wonderful friends, and professors and church leaders who not only care about helping me succeed in school, but who also know my name and care about me as a person. I've learned a lot and I can see myself and my work have improved over time. I know that I'd like to work around cars in some way or another, but as far as how my major will get me there, I have had no idea whatsoever. I still don't, but a door just may be opened soon.
See, I did this project in graphic design last semester that some people have heard at least a little bit about. We had to design these little information cards (50 of them to be exact), and the subject of what to do them on was up to us. Of course, I chose cars. The first part was that we had to design and print out just 10 of them to show our progress; basically a first draft of our design. I've been writing letters to a guy whom I met through an old roomie (another blessing of coming up here) while he's on his mission for my church, and I sent him those first 10 cards to demonstrate what I was working on. Well apparently, the guy who he is working with right now is really into cars as well, and he asked my friend where he could buy them!
So now I'm really excited, because this means that I could perfect my design, talk to the car companies to get permission to use pictures and information and everything, and market the info cards! This just may open up a whole new avenue of possibilities for me. The perfect thing, first of all, would be to be able to see all the cars in person and take my OWN pictures, which is no small thing considering the exotic nature of some of the cars I picked for the project. I'd be able to show off my work, my photography, and my little writeups I did on each car, which could quite possibly open up the job of my dreams. Only time will tell, and I have a LOT of work and a lot of people to talk to in the next little while, but I'm really excited.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
The whole MMORPG scene is still pretty new to me. I just barely started playing Final Fantasy XI Online this past summer, and I'm pretty into it now. I don't get to play very often at the moment because Legacy Ridge's internet blocks my access to it on a regular basis. I have to settle for playing from 10am-4pm at the Madison Library because it's really the only time I have anyway. The whole needing to do homework and get a job thing should take priority and I'm forced to let it this way.
Anyway, when I first heard that Bioware and Lucasarts were working on a
Star Wars MMO, I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first. Don't get me wrong, Knights of the Old Republic I & II were both REALLY good and fun to play through. But the art and CGI design were a bit rough and shaky, in my opinion. They weren't nearly as smooth and detailed as the world of Vana'diel (FFXI).
Now, however, having seen some of the in-progress work on
The Old Republic, I'm so freakin' excited. It's basically the same working concept as the KotOR games, where you face front all the time, it's turn-based, and probably even uses the same controls for all I know. But the character design, creatures, landscapes, and EVERYTHING is so much more lifelike and detailed, right on par with FFXI.
Not that I'll give up FFXI when TOR comes out, but it's definitely going to compete for my attention, being the hardcore Star Wars fanatic that I am. :D
planning
I don't know why I have such a hard time yanking myself away from my stupid computer and doing those things which *should* take priority above anything else at the time, but I really do. It's bad.
I really intended to get a lot of homework/projects done today, but it really didn't happen. I worked yesterday on making the book that's due tomorrow, but that's about it. Not that I wasn't productive at all; I got my room clean and I dug out a planner and wrote down all of the homework, projects, quizzes, and other important class-related stuff that are coming up due within the next week or two. So at least I accomplished *something* today.
It's funny because I haven't done the whole planner thing probably since freshman or sophomore year, and my grades have really reflected it. I haven't gotten anything worse than a C, but considering that up until college I got nothing but mostly A's and a handful of B's, my grades pretty much suck. What's really weird is that something about writing down everything on paper really really helps me focus and get things done. Maybe it's because I take pleasure in being able to cross stuff off the list when it's all done that I actually am more motivated. *shrug* Whatever the reason, I'm actually excited now to have it all laid out and ready to rock. ^^
just a short little update
Since I know at least a few people read me now, (love you guys!), I just wanted to take the time to point out/remind everyone of my little Twitter space to the right, just underneath my profile info.
Twitter is an awesome place, and it provides more up-to-the-minute little mini-updates for when I, as Catherine put it, need blogger CPR. xD So when I forget to actually update my blog, please still stop by my site and take a look at the top right there for updates. Those of you who don't already have your own Twitter account should definitely sign up for one and add it to your blog as well. Do it! It's seriously really fun and really cool. And it's free! You can even set it up to send updates from your mobile phone, in case you have something extra epic you want to post, but you're away from computer access and may forget to talk about it later.
Wow. They should totally pay me for that commercial. :D
Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, and everything else I've missed...
Wow. So either my concept of time really sucks, or I just plain got busy after the Thanksgiving holiday and totally forgot I was going to update my blog more regularly. ^^;
Anyway so there really hasn't been much excitement in my life of late. Still in school (sigh) but this time, for sure, I only have this semester and possibly a summer semester to get through. I really need to talk to this lady in the Snow music building and ask her to help me put together SOMETHING to graduate. I don't care what major I end up with at this point, (though it will surely be art one way or the other, lol), I just want to be done.
I'm taking an art history class (the art of Egypt/Near East), a watercolor class, advanced book arts, and photography. Something noteworthy about my classes is that they've started to sort of combine the lower levels with the higher levels. I'm a beginning watercolor painter but there are watercolor II students in with us, and the same goes for book arts. I'm an advanced student, along with a couple others, but the rest of the class are beginners. I've also heard they're doing that in other art classes as well, and I actually think it's a cool concept. Instead of having TA's, the "older" students can help the "younger" students. It's certainly a help to see the advanced watercolor students' work and get their advice, and I feel, well, important (and helpful) with all the younger students coming to me with questions and asking for advice on what materials to use for their books.
The only other really interesting thing that happened recently took place back home in California. About a week, week and a half ago, I was chatting with my mom and she said something about my 22-year-old brother finally moving out. I was shocked! Not only did he have an apartment, he was already actually moving into it. I won't go into details as to why this is so significant to spare embarassment on his part. (Plus, he reads my blog. Heh.) It was just really exciting and I'm proud of him. :) Kinda puts the pressure on the almost-24-year-old older sister to follow suit pretty soon... xD
Happy Thanksgiving!
Just like the title says. Will update with something a bit more substantial tomorrow, but for now, the roomies are trying to talk me into a very early Black Friday morning tomor...er,
today...er, actually in like two hours...so bedtime now? Yes. I think so.
