I am back. Well, I never really left, but I have been playing hooky from blogger save for the work to show that the neglect is for academic reasons alone. But, for all of you who aredying to get in on some Darah life news, stay tuned, its in the next segment.
As I said before, school has been kicking my butt this semester. I was taking 15 credit hours, and today I bumped it up to 17.5, the maximum limit without overload charges. The classes I am taking are Creative Writing, 3D Animation II: Character Design, Short Forms Film Production, Motion Graphics and Web-Based Animation. Now I also have a half semester course in Ultimate Frisbee and an independent study in Advanced Pre-Production. I have posted work for you all to see, and will continue doing so. 3D Animaton II is my hardest class, but not my least favorite. It is time consuming, frustrating and usually difficult to understand. However, the dividends are worthwhile, as you can see from the space cowboy image. I want to reach into the screen and grab it, but I can't. My least favorite class is motion graphics, because it has a heavy focus on live action film and very little focus on animation, but I am doing my best to make it suit my needs as an animator. (I just don't like shooting film) My favorite class hands down is Web-Based animation. We use Adobe flash to make animations. I am finishing one of my pieces over spring break, which has the stilts character I posted before, in a circus setting with a diver. Its pretty interesting and fun. I can understand it easily and push the limitations of the program to tailor it to what I would like to do. Flash is used a lot in web animations. Any fans of homestarrunner.com? Flash. Arj and Poopy? Flash. In addition to movies, it is also the format for almost all of the "cool" websites. The ones with the flashing graphics and neat transparencies. That ain't no HTML crap. Can I get a nerd w00t w00t on that?"
Also mentioned earlier, I am now on spring break. It couldn't come at a better time (lets just say that most of you were working or at school before I left Becker Hall doing my homework last night. Yes, 9:00am is toooooo late to be working, but you've gotta do what you've gotta do. The first few days of break I'm going to relax and chill out with the Snider clan. Jake and I are making Pad Thai tomorrow. We made it before and it was a big hit, so its time to bring it out again. Also, I'll be doing some homework, but I'll wait until Monday. Enjoy the weekend and the relaxation for now. Later this week, Jake and I are going to Las Vegas courteously of Jake's generous grandmother. She had saved up frequent flier miles and wanted someone to accompany her on her trip, so she asked if we would like to go, and let's just say that was an easy decision to make :) She's trading us a trip for cleaning out her garage, which should be pretty easy. And, to head off any questions of the sort, no, Jake and I are not going to get married in Vegas, by Elvis or otherwise. We are going to enjoy some free stuff, do a little gambling and just generally enjoy our stay there. I'm excited for the trip. The three of us will have a blast I'm sure.
Speaking of marriage, my roommate Colleen got engaged last month. Cevin proposed on her birthday. They've already got most of the wedding planned, and I can see that they are both excited. They'll be getting married late this summer in Colleen's hometown. They are a sweet couple and will probably be even better when they share Cevin's family name.
One less-pleasant implication of Colleen's getting married is that I am left roommate-less for next year. While I am overjoyed for the two of them, it makes me a little sad to know that I lose a great roommate. I am considering getting a single room, or maybe living in the campus apartments, Forester Village. I am looking at my options and trying to find the best fit. I think that this year God has been teaching me to trust him with my uncertainties, and I have a lot of them. There is a lot of peace to handing over the reins (as if I had them to begin with) and letting the one who laid out the path lead you on it.
Jake and I have been doing very well. In late April we will be celebrating a year together, and I swear it just gets better every day. I am sad to know that I won't get to see him much after school gets out though, because he will be away on an extended internship. We are still unsure of where he will end up, but we both are trusting that God has a plan for Jake and that He wants him to be on it.
That's all I've got for now. I'll put up some Vegas pictures soon (hopefully sometime within this decade...)
Enough of the best (Normally I would say "All the Best, but I think that people should only take what they need)
Darah
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