Wow. Once upon a time, I used to write in this thing almost every day. Now it's more like every other week. So, news update for the people who care!

I took to Avenue Q last weekend for her birthday, and it was a blast. We had an understudy for Nicky, and he performed admirably. He didn't have the Ernie character voice down (everyone else had their character voices down pat), but I enjoyed seeing a take that was a little different. I really get excited and happy when I hear that there will be an understudy in a show that I'm going to see. It means that someone's getting a chance to do a role that they don't normally have, it gives them a chance to shine. So I root hard for them. Sometimes they don't do so well, and I leave wishing I could have seen the person cast for the role. But sometimes, I leave hoping that I've seen the next Brad Oscar (Producers Original Broadway Cast reference, for those of you wondering from where you recognize the name).

Today, I'm hoping to finalize the compilation of parts for my most important creation yet. I've been digging for months now, trying to find only the pieces that are fresh, ones that will fit well with the others. Tonight, I should have all of them put together, and the process of bringing it to life will commence.

I'm talking about my Comic Artist major, of course. The parts are classes, and bringing the whole thing to life requires an essay of justification, submitting the paperwork, and getting approval from three department chairs. To those of you who at home who are just joining us, I've been working on this major for about a year now, at the urging of my adviser. I'm currently on track for a Studio Art BA, and though I love the idea of that degree, there's an underground love of comic books in the Professors at this school, and when they see me drawing in class, it's rather warmly received. CAS teachers sneak trade paperbacks into the curriculum when they can, and I've heard more than one discuss teaching comic studies courses. Then some awesome newcomer to the English program did one anyway. ^_^ I'm planning to do an independent study with her (now doesn't that sound like an oxymoron) next spring, taking that class on a more intensive level, hopefully. The art teachers I've met here also tend to have some interest or actual connection to the industry. My favorite Professor, Jeremy Chen (you've heard me babble about him before. It's thanks to him that we have Sire and Simpler Times ) is leaving Calvin College for some family business back home, and I'm going to miss him so much. He's both supported my own growing art and encouraged me to work with other styles and materials (which all are too big to scan and put on Devart, though I WANT TO), which is so important in a Prof.

So now, I'm coming to the end of all this, and I'll have to get it approved by three of the college's head honchos.

Bertie Wooster: Risky stuff, surely.

To a certain extent, yes. But it's risky like the stock market. If you spend time and know what you're doing, payoff isn't guaranteed, but it's exceptionally likely. Or rather, it's like turning in any other essay for class. You do your best, know the subject, and know the teacher, and you are almost assured an A. I've been meeting with teachers in all the departments I have to include in my major, and things have been going well with all of them. I have two more meetings today: meeting with a Professor in the Communication Arts and Sciences department, and then on to my adviser, to finalize the design for my creature- errr, major. I hope that they'll be my last ones. But I feel confident in both my love of comics, and also my rhetorical skills. It won't be an easy paper to write, but I will be able to do it well. I'm ahead on my HCG entry, so I'm also planning to submit a comic page with my essay, to help illustrate my point.

Oh! I think that I have to go out on that pun. I'll catch you all later. Susan and Anna will be back in a couple of weeks with Round Three!

-Thalia








Clubs: My mudkips, let me show you them: