Monday, November 29, 2010

Early Bird


It's been nearly a week since I've been home. There are so many things that I love about being here. Some big things that I knew I'd been missing like my family and my shower and my car and then some that are small that have only hit me very slowly. Things like how comfortable the chairs in the study are. Or how I like to hop from rock to rock when I crossover from the driveway to the front door. Or certain shirts that I didn't bring to SCAD that were just folded waiting for me to slip them on and wear them for a couple days straight. One that I noticed just today is how much I've missed slightly cold and softly quiet mornings. In Savannah, I'm either up and at 'em getting to class or getting up right after I wake up and getting homework or errands done, but I love the way that the morning seems to lazily unfold when I'm home. I wake up fairly early so, I allow myself to lounge like a lazy bum for a bit because even when I do, I justify it by reminding myself that I'm still getting up earlier than 90% of my friends who would gladly hit the snooze button until noon or later. I like the feeling of cozy that only exists for a short while right in between the feeling of sleepy and the feeling of alert.
So, here I sit at 9:13, feeling quite alert but content with the 15 minutes of cozy I felt about a half an hour ago. We will meet again tomorrow, Cozy. Right now I need to get on with the day and jumpstart the feeling of productivity.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

Thankful for my family.
Thankful for my home.
Thankful for relationships I've been blessed with-- new and old.
Thankful for safety.
Thankful for opportunity.
Thankful for yummy food.
Thankful for knowledge, growth and forgiveness.
Thankful for love.
Thankful for creativity.
Thankful for adventure.
Thankful for the feeling of belonging.
Thankful for crunchy leaves.
Thankful for memories.
Thankful for goals.
Thankful for so many things.
Thankful for you.

Friday, November 19, 2010

And So It begins


Today marks the first leg of the long but thrilling adventure home. Today, myself, the lovely Frances Russell and the ambiguous Jake Green will start the drive to Dallas, Texas by traveling 10 hours to Summit, Mississippi and spending the night at dear Jake's grandparents house. Then tomorrow, it's early to rise as we hit the road for another 7 hours to end up in the big D. I can't wait to be in Dallas and to see in person all the cool things Texas has to offer that I've been hearing about for what feels like years! Lots of food. Lots and lots of food. And of course other things. Then on Tuesday, which coincidentally is also Frances birthday, I will be boarding a flight home to our fair California back into the loving arms that I miss so much!

So here's to really getting know people on road trips. Sleepy eyes, beware. We're in this for the long haul.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Mobile Upload

I really liked being able to share the pics the other day of things I taken pictures of with my phone, so I think I am going to make that a regular occurrence. Here are a couple from the last week or so of the quarter.

Starting us off, we have this lovely photo from my design class. I love this class. I think my teacher knew how burnt out on school most of us were and wanted us to just forget about all the rules and projects and grades and junk that were consuming us and just focus on how fun art can be. So she brought in finger paint and big rolls of freezer paper with our only restriction being that it had to do something with seasons. It was great. Even though nothing in the class was masterpiece status, it didn't matter. Just a great reminder of why I'm here. Good news.

Ummm....have I mentioned the fact that we are OBSESSED with the show Felicity. No, not Felicity the American girl doll. Felicity the WB drama from the 90s. It, along with knitting, has consumed us and leaves us wanted more with every episode. This picture was moments after season 2 arrived in my mailbox and quickly moved into my hot little hands. Last nights episode left us wanting more after Felicity made an impulse decision to cut off all of her beautiful locks and decided to switch from a Pre-Med major to Art. On top of that, her heart is still broken from her recent break ups with both Noel, her intellectually endearing RA, and Ben, her hunky high school crush! Who will she choose!? I can't believe I have to wait 6 whole weeks to see what happens next. Team Noel.

Ok, people. If any of you ever make it across the country to visit me in this fair state, we will most definitely be taking a trip to the beach on Tybee Island. And while we are there, we will most definitely be taking a trip to the Breakfast Club, a local breakfast/lunch spot with people as salty as the food they serve. This little guy that I'm holding up is their signature breakfast burrito (sooo good) and a little bit left of the Black Bear Burger. Things like this can never be described well enough, but this is literally the largest burger I have EVER SEEN. Folks, this box is simply the leftovers....of food that was split by THREE people. Largest food baby ever.

Before you guys give me any credit for this, let me just say in big bold letters THIS IS NOT MY PROJECT. THIS WAS DONE BY FRANCES RUSSELL. She pulled out all the stops for her design final on repetition and by taking these cools pictures of all of us and then pasting them on to a giant mounting board. Can you spot who's who? If not, from left to right, we've got Jordan, Ellie, Haley, Me, and Spencer. So cool.

And finally, here are my recent purchases at the Turner House convenient store. Nothing more needs to be said. It's finals week. Don't judge.

A Perfect Goodbye

This video is simply one other reason why I am obsessed with Frances Russell. During this quarter, I have learned to love so many things about all the friends I've made here, and one that sticks out is Frances' shall we say... imaginative dancing. It never fails to make me laugh so hard that I cry and so last night I asked her to capture it on film.
Amazing, right? This seriously doesn't even do it justice. Some things you just need to see in person.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Hrmph...

So, it has been brought to my attention that the "bomb" in my last post may in fact be an ornament. Which, context wise, makes way more sense. But now my metaphor makes even less sense than before. Shoot.

THE DAY HAS COME.


Ok- so sometimes (and by sometimes, I mean once) people (and by people, I mean Kaitlin) ask me where I get the images that post along with my blog entries. And I wish I could say that I found them somewhere on this far off secret bloggers club folder hidden beneath the tree of souls in Pandora, but typically, I just collect them over time from websites or blogs I follow and then save them for safe keeping until I needed.
Anyway- all this to say that I found this picture from the Grinch MONTHS ago and have wanted to use it so badly all this time, but I had n0thing to really relate it too. But, alas. It is here. Ok- so, basically, I am the little girl.....and I feel like I'm getting sick....and I don't want to get sick because there is so much to do.....and the bomb symbolism for being sick.....and I'm holding the bomb.....so, it's like I'm holding a metaphoric bomb in my hands.....and it's about to go off....which is like a metaphor it being bad that I'm getting sick when I have so much to do.....so......um......get it?
Alright, not the world's greatest connection. But I really really wanted to use it. So I may have just found any excuse to.

Fine. I guess I'll just go take some emergen-c.

Monday, November 15, 2010

I Declare.

Today I declared my major. It's official. Fashion major. Writing minor. I have been thinking about this for what feels like forever and it was so much less exciting than I thought it would be. Simply fill out a paper and you're on your way. O, but don't forget to grab a piece of candy on your way out. Have a nice day!
I wanted bells and whistles and fireworks and the whole fashion department to applaud me as I walked out of the room and burst through the doors to the outside and into the Post Major Declared World. Or at least I wanted a Michael Scott moment-- like the episode where he simply "declared" bankruptcy thinking it changed something.


Well, at least my roomies applauded when I came back in the dorm. That's gotta count for something.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

We Mean Business


Here I sit, on this sunny Thursday afternoon, with a delicious snack of pita and hummus to my right and my current crocheting project (a sort of peacock colored beret) to my left. I feel as light as a feather now that this week is done. It was a doozy. With English papers, drawing finals and a design project all building this past week, I've made it over the finals hump and its all down hill from here. By the time I clocked into my bed late last night, I had gone a whopping 3 days with a cumulative 12 hours of sleep. Perhaps you are thinking to yourself, "Wait one second. The other day on this very same blog, I read of a promise to plan and not procrastinate and yet, here I am and it seems that she did just what she vowed not to!" No, no, friends. There was planning. There was lots and lots of planning. And lots of non procrastination going on all up in herrr. But the Finals Monster is a crafty one. He throws balls of fire and large citrus soaked spears at you while you are trying to climb the mountain of school. But I made it out the other side alive enough to tell the story of my success.
I am thrilled that this weekend requires very little of me and I'll be able to enjoy the splendors of a Savannah autumn for the last time this year. Perhaps a little bikey bike, a little foodey food, and a lot of sleepy sleep. But I cannot rest until this darn beret is done-- even if it means I must finish this whole container of hummus in the process.

Ok. Starting: now. I've got the ipod blasting the new Swifty and I am in the zone.

...Before I go, it just dawned on me... all this work just to get home and eat a little turkey? ...I guess I must really like you guys.

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Spencer

Spencer from julia patton on Vimeo.


Coming in third for our Getting to Know You blog interviews is Spencer Malinski. Hmm....what do I even say about Spencer? Should I talk about her love for all things edible and the lengths she'll go to get free candy? Her serious addiction to shopping and the hold new clothes has taken on her life? Or her hilarious sense of humor that makes me laugh every single day no matter how hard I try to be in a bad mood? These, among a handful of other reasons, are why I decided to to the video interviews in the first place. Explaining the characters and personalities I've met since being here just does not do them any justice. Beginning to scratch the surface on these girl's personalities can only truly be done through the art of film (such as these moving pieces that I have so carefully thrown-- I mean crafted together).

Enjoy the video and give me your thoughts on dear old, Spencer.

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Mobile Upload

I typically don't take a lot of pictures with my phone. Not only because the quality is not very good, but usually, when I think an event is worth photographing, I take my regular camera. But sometimes, when you least expect it, a moment comes up that you weren't prepared for and the only means for documenting it is, in fact, the camera phone. Lately this has been happening a lot. And I think the more I use it, the more I remember it and therefore, use it again. And because all of you readers are just so special to me, sometimes I even think to myself "Hmmm.....maybe I'll upload this to the blog." But, of course, I never do. Today, though, I thought it'd be a good idea so share a few of the photos and explain their meaning.

Ok-- let's start with this one. Last night, after attending the movies at our favorite cineplex, Sea Turtle Cinemas, we were on our way out when we spotted huge trash bags full of leftover popcorn. I had never thought about what they do with all the extra popcorn and when I saw it sitting there, it all became so obvious. We were meant to find it. To Take it back to the dorm. And pull some type of prank with it. Thank you, Sea Turtle Cinemas, for once again adding more than just a film to my movie-going experience.

Also yesterday, I took my first trip to Outdoor World (think Cabella's and REI's love child.) I was lured in by the fact that Frances and Spencer promised a HUGE fish tank. While browsing the store, we spotted a full on camp set-up. Whether or not to try out their cots and camping chairs was an easy decision. How can you pass the opportunity to pet a taxidermied raccoon? You can't.
PS- their cots were definitely more comfortable than the beds at the dorms. Just Saying.

Recently we took a trip to Michaels. Our current knitting/crocheting dreams took over our minds and souls as we were drawn like moths to a flame to the corner of the store where we indulged in the finest yarns the venue had to offer. I had to take this picture because I thought it was so hilarious that although we still can't even call ourselves beginner knitters, we justified every purchase with a future goal or project in mind.
Granted, this basket is full of two peoples stuff AND we did narrow it down a lot by the time we hit checkout.

This week was also the International Food Festival just across from our dorm where international students from SCAD had the opportunity to make food from their homelands (over 20 different countries were represented). It was awesome. I loved trying all the different foods and some of the participants were even wearing traditional clothes from home. Take this and add on live music from an awesome Jamaican Band and you've got a happy Julia.

This had to be one of the most pathetic moments I've seen since being in Savannah. Ok- let me preface this by saying my English class can get just a little dry. But this was just sad. The other day during a lecture, OVER HALF of the class fell asleep right in front of my professor. And as you can probably tell from the picture, we are in a regular sized class-- not a lecture hall where the nappers can blend in with the crowd. I felt so bad for my professor. He's the sweetest little old man, but I just had to sneak a picture. I counted a grand total of 17/30 students fall asleep. Shame, shame.

Finally, we have dear old Spencer dawning a creepy jack-o-lantern mask that my mommy sent me in a recent care package. I kind of have a slight phobia of masks, but she thought it was the coolest thing ever, so I let her have it. Thanks for the entertainment, mom.

Well, there you have it. A few silly moments from the last week here at SCAD. I'll try to post about one of these mobile uploads once a week.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Rain, Rain, Don't Go Away


Rain is the perfect weather for this coming weekend. I for see a lot of studying. And tea. And knitting!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Finals are Upon Us


I cannot believe that there are only 2 weeks left of this quarter! 10 weeks has flown by and I find myself winding down in preparation to head home and enjoy the holidays. But before I am home free, there are a few more hoops to jump through to get the shiny gold coin rewards that lie ahead.
To avoid final frustration, I've made a plan. I've scheduled it all out to the last detail so that these last few weeks will be smooth rather than scary. All nighters and procrastination are far too cliche for this college gal.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Claire

Claire from julia patton on Vimeo.

Here we go with Part II of the Julia's Friend's Series. Up next we have Claire Barnhardt. Not only do I share a room with this pint sized bottle of sunshine, but we are also the closest thing I know to a life commitment: bunk mates. Being bunk mates with someone is no joke. There are serious responsibilities that come with sleeping on top of someone. For example, over the last few months, I've come to realize that nothing (NOTHING) wakes Claire up once she's hit the hay. I've also learned that if I don't see her walking around the room but there is absolutely no movement below me, it means that she is catching up on either Vampire Diaries or Dexter and that I shouldn't disturb her. And in turn, she has a few jobs too. It is her responsibility to catch me if/when I am ever to fall off my bed. So, Claire, be ready for that day. Besides being solely in charge of monitoring my sleeping habits, Claire is by far the happiest person I know. Her relaxed personality is not only great to live with, but also quite nice to be around when things get stressful and hairy around here. So here you go. Behold: Claire Barnhardt.

PS- After I saved this and compressed it to put online, something happened to ALL of my affects and add-ons and now they don't work. So the humor in this one is a bit more subtle, but in my opinion, just as good.