I HAVE NOT DIED! I RETURN TO THE INTERNET! AND WITH ME I BRING MANY MANY GIFTS!!!

Go to Desert Songs. Gogo. I have done amazing things of late. ^________^

(But do beware - Geocities has further cut things back, and it's a 4.2mg/HOUR limit on accounts. *growls and scowls and claws at* Patience, friends.. soon's I get work, I buy my own webspace, and we're through with this crap.)

I think all of you've gotten random emails from me, but for anyone who hasn't...

I finished my capstone. It's so pretty. Not online until I buy webspace, and there are some things I'd like to tweak, but it's so pretty, and people really loved it, and it was so happy. Capstone class headed up the Transmedia Fest, we rented out the Fredonia Opera House for a night, and it..was easily one of the best, proudest nights I've had. (Special thanks to Tom and Brian for supporting me. <3) I graduated, summa cum freaking laude, which I'm very proud of as well. And I didn't fall while onstage. *G*

After graduation, Tom and I moved the rest of our things over to our new (Haruna's old) apartment, about five minutes from campus, then his father drove us down to Long Island. Stayed in Huntington with him for awhile, which was really nice, very relaxing, then stayed out in Greenport with Tom's mother for awhile, which was also very nice, though we were kept busy helping her move and install things and whatnot, as she'd just moved in there. Long Island is really pretty. :)

Then! At the end of May, we went to Disney World, Tom and his mom and I. Our feet had never ached so much, and it was hooot and I got heat rash *pouts*, but it was far more than worth it. I'd long been skeptical, I mean, it's Disney, corporations don't get much bigger and more powerful than that, and I'm a Media Arts kid, I have a pretty healthy level of cynicism about things like that. But... We walked into our hotel (which was on the Disney property, and was huuuge and stunning), and in just the walkway to the foyer, there were bright full colours on the walls, columns leading up, and on the ceiling, which was painted a dark blue...were stars. Not painted there, but lit, tiny little lights which twinkled and shone, and occasionally shot across the curve of the ceiling...

It only got better. :) Tom and I were constantly blown away by the amount of detail and artistry in *everything*, each ride wasn't a ride but a story and an experience, in the darkest of tunnels where only the faintest light showed, that tiny bit of light revealed the nearly black walls were painted and shaped to suit the setting. There are too many things to sum up, and I have other things to finish this afternoon, but... it was beautiful, and so happy, and so much more than I'd ever thought it could be.

We had another two days or so in Huntington after that, then the long drive back upstate, where Tom and I officially moved in to our apartment. It's so pretty. :) Y'all know what low tolerance I have for plain white walls, but here.. I really don't mind so much, there are big windows with light airy curtains and gorgeous wood floors, and there's so much light and prettiness. I really love it, and thanks to basically everyone I know, it's really feeling like home. :) Haruna left furniture and food, Mom brought down a bookcase and some end tables, the grandparents gave us a WalMart card that enabled us to by a(n inflatable) bed, I think everyone's sent us some food and things. Thank you... I'm so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life, I really am.

No jobs yet for either of us, unfortunately, though we've applied to something like a dozen places apiece. I had my first interview, but didn't end up getting hired... For now, I'm doing some volunteer graphics for people over on Source Forge, and playing with the Wacom a LOT, hee. <3 Next week, I hit up the town proper for work, and Megs sent me the addresses of some local temp companies (thank you again!!!), so I'll try there as well.

But we're doing ok - Tom is continually amazed at how little we're able to pay for groceries and still have plenty to eat. *G* $40 is the most we've spent for a week's worth, and we're nowhere near emptying the cupboards by Saturday. And once we finally got our internet set up, I gained access to far more recipes than I could ever hope to try, so we're doing quite well at getting a toooon of variety out of rice, ramen, and chicken. (There's this chicken stir fry with peanut butter sauce that's amaaazing, Tom loves it so much that he made it himself last night, hee.) (Which isn't meant to imply that he doesn't cook - he's helped tons, and when we can afford more meat and things, he'll do even more, but he's a bit stumped when it comes to rice and ramen, whereas I'm turning out to be great at mixing things up with spices and veggies and things. And Kel, you've no idea how much mileage we're getting out of the peanuts and bag of fruit pieces you sent! *G*)

Hasn't totally sunk in that I'm done with college yet...I really don't want to be, I really felt such a part of things in my major, and have gained so much confidence in my art and my own style, my approach to things. I feel that I have unique contributions to make, and that what I'm doing is worthwhile, both to myself and to others. I really like the work I've been doing, and I refuse to let that slip away. I've been in Photoshop daily lately, I spent some time in Finale and made a new song, I'm designing logos and things for people I've never met, I'm basically in charge of the artwork for Tom's capstone...
I'm gaining confidence in my work. That's such an amazing thing for me..

...

...Soon's I finish plugging all the new desktops into DS, I'm heading back into Photoshop, I want to finish up that one logo tonight. :)