the fun of being a college senior

Tom took this photo at my first student recital, in June '97. That's Lynn at the piano, and I'm the kid with the violin.

Yesterday was the fifteenth anniversary of my first violin lesson.

Every time one of those big anniversaries (first violin lesson, seeing The Nutcracker at the Maine Center for the Arts--with the BSO in the pit--other important concerts) comes around, part of me looks at the anniversary in question and thinks, "has it really been that long? Has it really been nine years since my first André Rieu concert?" (which was on April 29th, 2002--and speaking of violin lessons, the twenty-ninth was supposed to be a lesson day, but of course it was cancelled). But when I really look at it, and think about all that has happened since (good and ill), the anniversary becomes a lot more real.

Monday: Welcome to my first three-class day since FVA year. Except that this time it was a lot more brutal: in FVA, the final class of the day was History of Visual Culture, which was split into two parts--a lecture on Tuesday, followed by a tutorial later in the week--so it was only an hour-and-a-half long. Three-class day, version 2.0 was a lot more intense due to the fact that my final class--a drawing class--was a full three hours long.

By the time I finally packed up and staggered off campus and towards home, I was completely wiped, and it probably showed.

Tuesday: I didn't do much other than slog through the longer of the two readings for Digital Output (my Monday afternoon class). I have much to learn.

Wednesday: I finally started my independent project: before my Photoshop class, I bought a couple rolls of Kodak T-Max 400 ISO film, and after my afternoon Lighting class I shot one of the rolls and in the process came up with a theme for my project. The project itself is on urban/street photography, but the main theme will be juxtaposing the pretty, glamorous side of the city with the not-so-pretty, grittier side. Downtown with back alleys.

Thursday: That day, I developed the roll that I shot on Wednesday. And I made a major mistake: I used the developer that's used to develop prints (that's stored in the darkroom) rather than the one used to develop negatives (that's stored outside the darkroom, across from where the film reels and canisters are stored). That mistake caused the negatives to come out clear--not even the name of the film or the exposure number was visible. Which meant that I had to re-shoot the project on the other roll that I bought.

But after a few minutes I moved on from the "oops" moment, and actually saw it as a good thing: now that I'd figured out a theme, I could devote the entire second roll to it.

That second roll turned out almost perfectly when I developed it that evening. I busted a couple of exposures, but that was due to how I rolled the negatives on the reel. As I said to Peter on Friday, "you should've seen the celebration!"

During my meeting with Peter that afternoon, in addition to talking about my project, we also talked about life post-NBCCD (the same happened in the meeting the week before), and I'm now seriously considering doing a BFA at NSCAD University in Halifax. With my credits from NBCCD, I'd only have to do a year there.

When I skyped with my parents today, Mom and I talked about the possibility of NSCAD (which is her alma mater), and it's doable. BFA in Photography, here I come (though if I decide to get a degree in art education, I'll have to go somewhere else because NSCAD doesn't offer any sort of education degree)!

Friday: Workworkwork all day. I finally started my drawing homework (I knew that if I started it earlier in the week, I'd probably do it with a "finish it" mindset, and the finished drawing isn't due until a week from tomorrow). I'm working from a photo that I took of my plate and mug from breakfast (the theme is "mundane"). I also put the negatives from the second roll in sleeves, and shot my lighting homework--which took three hours.

Although I was finished at school at around six, I didn't get back home until about nine because I couldn't help getting caught up in the fun that is the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival. One of the guys who lives down the hall from me was selling his paintings (and making new ones) across the street from the school, so I stopped to watch. I really liked one of the paintings that he made while I was there, so I spoke for it and will probably buy it this evening.

Saturday: I spent most of the day working on my drawing homework--and watching Drew cart huge pinhole cameras (one was made from a garbage can) in and out of the studio. That evening I made a contact sheet of the roll that I'd processed on Thursday. I'll probably make prints on Tuesday.

And again I didn't get home until about nine, due to all the fun of Harvest.

If all goes well this week (which will be the infamous Third Week), this coming weekend I plan to order tickets for Anna Bolena (Donizetti), which will be simulcast on October fifteenth. LET'S GO, FRENCH HORNS! (Yes, MOO violin section, you're awesome, too.)