when I said I wanted my last year of university to be one for the books, I didn't mean this!

Another interesting week, for better and for worse.

Monday: I shot stuff for my APC project and voted at the advance poll at NSCAD. I'm now registered to vote in two provinces as well as federally. I was concerned that I might not be able to vote at school, as my apartment is outside Halifax - Needham, the riding where the Granville Campus is, but they had a second ballot box for people voting outside said riding. I panicked momentarily when I blanked on how to spell the candidate's last name, but was told that I could just write the name of the party. The ballot was put in an envelope, which was put in another envelope, which was put in yet another envelope before finally being dropped in the out-of-riding box.

Tuesday: Once I finally got going, I did some grocery shopping and printed off my notes for Wednesday's presentation on my previous work.

Wednesday: This week was my group's turn to walk the class through the week's chapter of Of Cigarettes, High Heels and Other Interesting Things (we still went around and everyone discussed said chapter). We then did presentations and mine went very well.

That evening was the opening of #Keji at the Port Loggia Gallery, which I went to. The work was from a summer course in which students spent four days camping at the Kejimkujik National Park and then created art in response to the experience.

I also put together a schedule for my APC project. After five independent projects for Peter's classes, I'm used to having to come up with a schedule as part of the project proposal.

Thursday: Once again, I planned to get lots of homework done, but virtually nothing got accomplished.

Instead, I went to my first pro-choice counter-rally. Even though we were mic-less (unlike the pro-lifers across the street--they had a full-on sound system), I think we drowned them out. I shouted slogans until my jaw ached, took a break and then got right back at it.

Friday: I finally got this week's reading done.

Saturday: After planning to shoot for my project since Thursday, I finally got it done and did some editing.

Sunday: The issues of two weeks ago resurfaced spectacularly and painfully today. I spent much of the afternoon and into the evening at NSCAD, editing photos and writing this post.

ups and downs

Compared to the first week, this past week was super-easy--so easy, in fact, that I'm currently homework-less. I'm trying to enjoy it, though, as I know the semester's going to pick up once I start my independent project.

Monday: I put the final touches on the presentation for APC.

Tuesday: The big errand day. I got a new logic board put in my computer--which ended up not solving my problems. Turns out, my almost-three-years-old LaCie Rugged hard drive is dying (the FireWire is extremely cantankerous, and has been for about a year). I then paid the internet and phone bill--my first bill (kid's growing up). When I (finally) got home, I transferred all the files to my new hard drive.

That evening we had the first general assembly of the year, which consisted of SUNSCAD bylaw changes, ratifying new student union exec members and updates.

Wednesday: We discussed the reading, and then the second half of class was devoted to presentations. Mine went extremely well. Here's a screen shot of everything that I included, in case anyone's curious (all items had their own slide, complete with picture).

Thursday: The reading for this week was extremely easy--especially since A. I read it in Intro Photo last year and B. I'd spent a couple hours reading it instead of the chapter that I should've been reading during the first class. I'm currently having problems accessing the NSCAD proxy server on my computer off-campus, so I did the reading in one of the school's computer labs. That lab has the new iMacs (the super-thin ones, which sadly lack an optical drive, making me really glad that I own an external one because when I eventually get an iMac, I'll probably need to supply said optical drive myself, as I'm not about to live without one--CDs and DVDs aren't obsolete yet, Apple!), which was a bit of an experience when I turned the computer that I used around to plug in my earbuds. This is what the left side of my Late '11 MacBook Pro looks like. And this is what the back of the computer that I did the reading on looks like (when the guy who put the new logic board in my laptop talked about how FireWire is on the way out, my first thought was of my final focus essay for Questions of Obsolescence. If I were to write the essay now, that would probably be in it.) I mentioned the proxy server problem to the security guard, and he said that the IT guy would be in the next day (reason #1,000 why security guards are awesome).

Friday: I went back to the school that afternoon, but I'd missed the guy by about half an hour. I waited around for a bit, but he didn't come back, so I went back to my apartment after a good chat with the security guard (those people are usually up for a good chat: being a security guard is one of the most boring jobs in the world--in fact, a boring day is a good day).

Saturday: Yesterday was extremely slow, due to no homework and very few errands that needed to be run (just an emergency run to the supermarket to get more garbage bags).

Sunday: Today has been the day from hell, for reasons that I won't go into here. Don't even ask. All I will say is that I can't wait for the day to be over.

I discovered this piano version of In the Hall of the Mountain King a few days ago. It's pretty awesome. You're welcome.

the beginning of the end

Welcome back! This year will be my final(!!!!!) year as a college or university student for a while, and I can't believe how fast the last four years have gone. Seems like just yesterday I was a stressed-out twenty-one-year-old FVA at NBCCD--and now I'm just days away from my last first day of school for a while (NSCAD's year started on the fifth, but I don't start until the eleventh because my one course this semester, Advanced Photo Critique, is on Wednesdays).

I tried--and failed--to get a job this summer. However, I entered a couple photos in the Chocolate Fest's Artist Showcase (a new event this summer). There was a lot of awesome work, but I'm not sure how successful the Showcase was, as it was badly managed. I hope they get it right next year. I'd hoped to volunteer in addition to submitting work, but although I expressed interest, I was never contacted so I volunteered at the local SPCA again (I need to keep my references current in order to get a job next year). I also went to three awesome concerts: the Passamaquoddy Bay Symphony, Trond Saeverud and Greg Biss (both in St. Andrews, NB) and Stepping Out (a local oldies group in St. Stephen). The PBSO concert was amazing, and was the first time that that orchestra brought me close to tears (about time, as I've been a fan for four years and this was concert number seven). Here's part of what I wrote in a comment on the orchestra's Facebook page: "Just when I thought the PBSO couldn't get any awesomer--you do! And just when I thought I couldn't fall any deeper in love with said orchestra--I do. Yesterday's concert was well beyond amazing--whatever that is. I don't think there are words to describe it. I was close to tears by the end of the Sibelius [second symphony], it was so overwhelming. I think I'm going to have to find a recording of the second symphony on YouTube and listen to it again--it's that sort of piece. Once just isn't enough to really process it." The orchestra did an open dress rehearsal prior to the concert, which I really enjoyed: "I love seeing what goes on before a performance: rehearsals, practice sessions, etc. THAT'S where the story is: in the mistakes, the conductor's/dance master's or mistress'/director's/person in charge's remarks, the going-over-a-section-multiple-times."

Almost exactly three weeks later, I was back in St. Andrews, this time for Trond and Greg's concert. From a couple of emails that I wrote to Lynn: "[After the concert,] I told Trond how much I'd enjoyed the Sibelius at the last PBSO concert and how it had almost made me cry. Because the symphony was so beautiful and it affected me so deeply, I wasn't happy just telling some of the musicians: I wanted to tell the guy in charge of the orchestra--Trond. I'd been kicking myself since said concert because I didn't get a chance to tell him then, as I spent the time in between the final note and heading home talking to first you and then Mishona [a French hornist in the PBSO and childhood friend]. He was very touched and thanked me for telling him. I also asked him where in Norway he's from. I wasn't surprised when he said Bergen, which is where his dad and grandfather are/were from. When I got back to the car, I couldn't hold in my excitement anymore and did a happy-dance: I could finally stop kicking myself!"

"As is typical when I go to ridiculously awesome concerts, I didn't come down from Trond and Greg's concert (and the fact that I could stop kicking myself because I'd told Trond about my reaction to the PBSO's last concert--it was kind of like a reverse PBSO Fiasco, in that I'd resigned myself to not being able to tell him until next year. The main reason why I took the PBSO's 'no' so hard at the end of my one and only rehearsal with them was because I hadn't made any room in my head for that answer.) until about two days after said concert."

The day before the PBSO concert, I played the French horn for the first time at an instrument petting zoo hosted by Sistema New Brunswick (from the Bangor Symphony's website: "This interactive program is a great opportunity to play and hear the different sounds from the wide variety of musical instruments. Have fun discovering your musical talents."). I sounded pretty decent, too (I wasn't sure what would come out when I blew into the mouthpiece: squawks or actual music? I lucked out with the latter.). Before actually playing the instrument, I was given a lesson in how to blow into the mouthpiece, which took some practice, but I got the hang of it.

In early August, Mom and I went to Halifax to look at apartments for my final year, as I couldn't afford another year in a university residence as it's too expensive. Besides, I figured it was time to branch out on my own and try apartment living (I still have a roommate--a fellow NSCADian, though she's doing an interdisciplinary major and art history minor).

This summer I got rid of about a hundred books that I no longer wanted. During the last school year, I realized just how little I could live on (after paying NSCAD and the residence, I had about $1,000 left for the entire Fall semester, and it was a similar situation in the Winter semester), and it made me realize just how little I could survive on--though $1,000 was pushing it. I wanted to bring the live-on-less approach to the rest of my life, I wasn't reading those books and I was running out of shelf space, anyway, so it was a good thing. When Mom saw the piles (there were six by the time I left for school) she got the idea to have a book sale with them for a cat trap/neuter/return (TNR) group she volunteers with.

Toward the end of the summer, my favourite radio host, Suzanne Nance, left MPBN. She'll be starting at WFMT in Chicago on October first and I'll be listening via iTunes--I'm not going to let her go that easily. The final broadcast was beautiful, and emotional on both our parts: I cried several times--and whenever she teared up I wasn't far behind. I was a sobbing wreck by the end, tears dripping off the end of my nose as I lay on on my bed, "curled up around my pocket radio, listening to those words and knowing that I [would] never hear that voice on that station ever again, giving her all my attention, nodding at various times, eyes closed" (from yet another email). I knew that once she went off air, that'd be it: no more Suzanne Nance on MPBN. Here's the playlist from that morning and an article from the Portland Press Herald, which has a video of the final minutes. I dare you not to cry. I'd posted a comment on the Morning Classical Music Facebook page and got a few replies from other people who were also listening and had posted a few replies myself, so by the time the big sob-fest started I knew I wasn't the only one crying their eyes out.

I've been reading a lot about Russia's law that makes distributing "gay propaganda" to minors illegal--meaning that it's illegal to do things like wear pride pins. As a result, I plan to almost completely ignore the Sochi Olympics (the exception being keeping an eye on when and how that law comes into effect, though I won't read about it from official broadcasters, e.g., CBC, BBC or NBC) and I'm going to listen to as much Tchaikovsky as I can on the days of the opening and closing ceremonies, as not only was he Russian but he was also gay, which I've known for several years (he was fairly comfortable with his sexuality, too, which is awesome). I recently found out that his brother, Modest, was also gay. That means lots of Nutcracker, Swan Lake, his violin concerto, etc (I've never been a fan of The Sleeping Beauty, so I'm leaving it out). It didn't surprise me when I read that the Kremlin tries to cover up the fact that Tchaikovsky wasn't straight. A couple weeks ago, I watched a really good documentary about him.





I moved into my apartment on the first and have spent the week unpacking and deciding where everything should go. Because my roommate, Loana, and I are both art students, many of the walls are covered with our work. I fell in love with the place when I viewed it over the summer, and have continued to fall deeper in love: the location's perfect, the people in the rental office are awesome and there's lots of space (including plenty of storage)--though I'm still operating on a "cram everything into as little space as possible" mentality, which has been my life for the last four years, with last year being the worst of it.

I went to Table Day on Wednesday, and then another event that wasn't really well explained and that was completely different from what I thought on Thursday. However, as I'm interested in joining the Queer Collective and Feminist Collective, I asked about both groups and was directed to their respective Facebook groups. While I will go to general assemblies--which will be easier, as A. I don't have evening classes in either semester and B. I don't have to worry about needing to be back at a residence before the meal hall closes so I can technically stay at school as late as I want (NSCAD has twenty-four access). Although I will go to as many general assemblies as possible, I don't plan on running for student council this year.

As you may remember, last year I split my last eighteen credits nine and nine, having realized that eighteen would be too much for me (I'm organized but not that organized). So this semester I just have Advanced Photo Critique, which is an all-day class. The rest of the time will be spent working on my project, doing readings for the course, doing other fun things (like going to GAs and collective meetings, dancing, watching movies, photographing for personal projects, etc.), doing grownup things (paying bills, grocery shopping--which I already do), etc. Mom wants me to get a job, as I'll have more free time, but we'll have to see about that: student jobs are scarce in Halifax, as they are everywhere except Alberta--maybe even more so, because there are students from six universities competing for jobs. Minus Saint Mary's University and the Atlantic School of Theology, for which I couldn't find numbers, that's almost 24,500 students--just over 18,000 of which are from Dal, the biggest school in Halifax--competing for however many jobs are available to them in this city. Some find employment on campus, while others expand the search to other places in Halifax.

This week I'll continue to get stuff done that needs to be done and my first class is on Wednesday.

just when I thought I had it all (or 95% of it) figured out...
losing faith in the Olympics one nutty move at a time
PS
PPS

just when I thought I had it all (or 95% of it) figured out...

When I did my research project on what sort of camera I wanted to get next, Drew cautioned me about getting a new one right away because my skill level might go up while at NSCAD, and I might outgrow said cam like I did during the first year of the photography diploma at NBCCD. While my skill level has gone up, it hasn't affected what I demand of a camera. Instead it's affected the kind of art I want to make and my future plans. This is one of those times when I think I have it all figured out and then everything changes. It's happened before: a few years ago, I expected to be out on my own and doing my own thing by now. I'm still living at home and struggling to find a job.

FVA opened me up to different ways of creating, and I fell in love with art-making all over again (when I wasn't stressed out about getting my assignments done on time). I was exposed to possibilities that I hadn't known existed--see Denise Richard, Adam MacDonald and WhiteFeather. Being the artist that I dreamed of being was possible after all!

Fast forward to convocation 2012 and I had most of my plans figured out and how I was going to accomplish them. Fast forward again to September '12--whoa! There go most of my plans. Although I still want to do portraiture and dance photography (me + other artists of just about any media = I'm the happiest woman in the world), I'm being exposed to the more artistic and conceptual side of photography and am throwing myself into it more fully than I ever have in my life. The first semester was a bit of a push to think that way and I wondered if I was going to burn out in the process, but the second semester I was right back at it and having a blast. And it got me to thinking: I want to do more of this at a professional level. I want to be a fine artist, not just a photographer who hangs out with a backdrop doing portraits for clients (either in a studio or on location). I want to do work that would only be at home in a gallery (and then hopefully someone's living room wall). I want to apply for grants and use said grants to make art. I want to do residencies (anywhere--Canada, North America, somewhere else--just as long as it isn't a war zone and I can do my thing properly, which means electricity). I may even turn to crowdfunding, e.g., Kickstarter, at some point.

Thing is, I've almost always been surrounded by one way of doing art, and that way is "money first". Yes, in our capitalist society money matters. I need money to pay off the student loan (grrrrrrrrr...), eventually buy a car and get my own house/apartment, get new camera equipment (rechargeable batteries don't last forever), pay for Photoshop once I upgrade from CS6, which will be when what would've been CS8 is released, because I've been upgrading every two versions since I got my first laptop, which means that I have thirty-six months between versions (though I will say that I despise their new subscription-only format, and will hold onto CS6 as tightly as possible for as long as possible). Back on track (whew!), said "money first" approach generally means (for me, anyway) focusing on the commercial aspect of photography rather than the artistic side. I'm told that creating art is fine, but it shouldn't be your main thing because you won't make much money. I know that, but I still want to make art a bigger part of my career than my plans currently state (currently it's down at, oh, item number eight, if not lower). One of the things that I remember Peter telling my class is that if you're a photographer you have to work your butt off for the first ten or so years of your career before you really start to "make it" as an artist. And I realize that I may not end up being the next Ed Burtynsky (though I photograph different things than he does), but who says I can't dream? I may not get to that point, where my images are selling for thousands of dollars a pop, but then again it may end up happening--you just never know. Personally, I wouldn't mind having my work shown in a venue like the National Gallery of Canada (a show there = you've officially "made it").

NSCAD's unofficial motto is "nolo facere insipida", "after John Baldessari's lithograph I will not make any more boring art" (the official motto being "Head, Heart, Hand": [the] school's 'heart' beats as a unique independent art educator; the 'head' is the creative spirit of all who have a connection with the school and its historic good works; the 'hand' is the physical energy and assistance commanded out of loyalty to the school in ensuring its long-term well-being"), and I take said motto seriously. Although I will have to make boring art sometimes in order to make a living, when I don't have to I won't--I'll make art that lives up to Baldessari's words.

Thing is, I need to be able to create and experiment like I need air. If I'm not pushing myself creatively what's the point of life? Many of the artists and musicians that I admire are people who push the limits of creativity, and I aspire to be like them. Gene doesn't make boring art, neither does WhiteFeather. Beethoven didn't--in fact, if it weren't for Beethoven Gene wouldn't be writing music the way he does. I don't want to be a game-changer to the extent that Beethoven was (and Beethoven lived back in the day when artists had patrons), but I'm not exactly someone who will accept the status quo. I want to challenge the old ideas--and yes, I am idealistic.

Some young musicians dream of becoming a famous soloist when they grow up. I never wanted that: during the time that I wanted to be a violinist, I wanted to be a musician in an orchestra. Now, if this were music instead of visual art, I'd be leaning more toward being a soloist. Maybe play in an orchestra, but I'd also be a soloist in my own right. Photography and music are two completely different disciplines, but they are both art--and it's all the same in that it's difficult to "make it". By always wanting to be an artist of some kind, I've never chosen the easy path, anyway. But I prefer the challenge. I don't want to always skip through life because my work is fuelled by both the easy and the difficult times. And yes, I have to state to my parents that yes, this is what I want and I'm going to go for it no matter what. Photography isn't just about the more commercial side, just as painting isn't all about what'll sell--look at the Impressionists (though I do want to sell my work during my lifetime--I'm not Monet).

I will have to spend some time over the next year or so figuring out how I can/want to do this. How much time will I spend on art as opposed to other kinds of photography? How will I do it while still making ends meet and paying off the student loan (I've learned this past year that I'm happy not being the richest person out there--just as long as I know that I have enough to pay the bills and loan, buy food and other important things, buy new cam batteries every four or so years and new equipment every now and then, pay for Photoshop once I switch to the Creative Cloud version, go to PBSO concerts--tickets are just $10 each--maybe go to a movie once or twice a year, and get some new music and books every now and then, I'm happy)?

As I was writing this, I thought of chapter two, The Top Hat, from Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder (Google's preview of that chapter is so awesome that you can read the whole thing), which discusses how, although we start out life being amazed by the world and everything in it, we eventually get used to life. The fact that we're told that the things that amaze us are just ordinary and nothing to get excited about and to shut up and sit down doesn't help matters. Like Sophie, I am aware of this and I never want to lose my childlike wonder at the world. Devoting more time to fine art is a way of holding onto said wonder.

they are the Class of, the Class of '13*

Home for four months!

Monday: My presentation day for Reconfigured. Initially I pinned my photos up in the classroom, but the pins wouldn't go all the way into the corkboard, which meant that the photos curled up and threatened to fall to the ground. I had a couple of friends helping me to put them up, and after a couple of close calls we decided to move the operation to the finishing room (which used to be NSCAD's colour darkroom, BTW) because that corkboard is thick enough that the pins will go all the way in (when using pushpins or thumbtacks to hold art in place, you position each pin so that the flat part is the only part of the pin that is in contact with the work--the pin itself doesn't go through the piece and make a hole). That crit was possibly my best/most thorough crit ever.

Tuesday: I finally mailed the photos that I shot for my piece for the WftA show. And I got my Graphics final printed (colour, double-sided, legal-size). Mom arrived in Halifax and called me when I made a quick stop at NSCAD to let SUNSCAD know that I wouldn't be at that evening's GA because I needed to pack (the union's resource coordinator, Tara, agreed that the meeting was poorly timed--if students weren't already headed home, they were prepping for the journey and doing their last finals. She told me to not worry about quorum, which the union had said was important for that GA.). Because it was such a nice day out, I took off my jacket for a few blocks--until the wind picked up again. We started packing shortly after I got home.

Wednesday: More packing and loading the car.

My crit for Graphics went well: although there were some mishaps with my project, I knew about them. When I folded my brochure/portfolio, I realized that the sides didn't line up and that I was short a bit of paper due to how the document was printed, which I didn't discover until I folded it Tuesday night (as everything was lined up perfectly in the InDesign file, I wouldn't have had any issues if it was printed properly). Other than that, the crit went extremely well.

Thursday: The Big Crit day. We started at the Port Campus, complete with potluck breakfast, and spent most of the day there. We moved over to Academy mid-afternoon and finished the crits there.

Afterward, I tried to track down Mom, which wasn't easy, as I had no idea where she was parked and thought she'd be able to pick me up around the area of the front door of Academy. After several calls on my cell, which ran out of minutes and a call on a classmate's cell, we eventually found each other--and I launched into a screaming fit. Not my finest moment. **cringe**

And yes, we continued packing.

Friday: We were a bit later leaving than we'd planned (by about a couple hours). Mom drove most of the way, with me taking over for the last hour or so--while discovering Eric Clapton (what rock have I been hiding under all these years?!). And yes, we stopped at a Big Stop along the way.

Saturday: I spent the day trying to be as lazy as possible while listening to Siegfried (not as awesome as Die Walküre).

Sunday: We unpacked the car. I also loaded the camera bag that I got for Christmas for the first time. I now have a camera bag for every camera (I did previously, but when I got the D7000, I was short a bag).

The section in the middle closest to the handle is where my camera goes. This bag is a backpack-style bag.

Monday: The beginning of Assessment Week at NBCCD--and the Class of '13's last week at the college. I have to admit that the fact that after this week the only people I'll know at NBCCD will be the faculty and staff makes me a bit sad. All my friends will have graduated and gone on to either careers (and paying off student loans) or more education at a different school (two or three students from the Photo studio are NSCAD-bound this fall).

This is a video of the Photo Studio's year-end, "last time we're going to be together as NBCCD students/thank you, teachers, for putting up with us for two years" party.


Video by James Walsh (Photo Class of '13).


CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF '13! And to those graduating from the Photo program, remember: once an NBCCD Photog, always an NBCCD Photog!

*A paraphrased version of a line from the title track from Green Day's album 21st Century Breakdown.

prepping for next year

My university plans have changed again. And finals are just as brutal as ever.

Monday: Due to it being Easter Monday, there were no classes. I spent the day doing homework.

Tuesday: I returned the DVDs to the VRC and ended up discussing them with the woman in charge of the Collection (Rebecca, who's a NSCAD grad--Photography, Class of '99). I think Anna Leonowens and I would've gotten along quite nicely, and I love that she was a suffragette. Once again, I spent the day doing homework, including prepping for the next day's printing.

I'm determined to get an apartment next year: I've lived in a university residence for the last four years, and at twenty-four (twenty-five in July), I'm ready to truly start living on my own and be responsible for paying rent. So I visited a couple of apartment buildings on my way home. I didn't get to see any rooms, but I like the feel of both places, and they're close to pretty much everything.

Later that evening, I started to feel the telltale signs of a cold.

Wednesday: I woke up feeling like I could've slept another hour or two. By the end of the day, however, I was feeling much better.

That day was Printing Day. I spent a chunk of the afternoon doing final adjustments and then printed the photos.

Class was another group critique. I had some tweaks to make, but overall it went well.

Thursday: Here's where things get interesting. I went to school early to meet with Adrian Fish, who'll be my teacher next semester for APC, to talk about the course. I've been discussing it a lot with a student who's currently taking it, Mary Ellen, and I wanted to see what Adrian had to say. We went over the course outline, which he emailed to me. I also mentioned that I'd be doing all nine of my history credits (three courses) that semester. With APC that's a whopping eighteen credits, i.e., overload. Whenever I've mentioned this to my friends at school they've all said something along the lines of "that's a lot." And it is. But I'd gotten it into my head that I'll finish my degree in three semesters, and all my plans and decisions have been based around that schedule, so adding another semester was more than a bit stressful. Adrian said the same--in fact, he said that that was the most difficult way to go about finishing said degree. That did it for me. Because Adrian's awesome and I trust him, I figured he had to be right about this. I've been kind of worried, anyway, about doing it that way. Yes, it's cheaper, but while I'd save money, I'd probably end up racking up a lot of sleep debt (and this gal needs eight to nine hours of sleep a night. I can get by on seven for a night or two, but any less, or several nights in a row of seven hours or less, and you don't want to be me. Though I somehow manage to happily go through Christmas Day on about six and a half hours of sleep.). I'd also be stressed out of my mind, especially during finals, which are stressful enough at fifteen credits. And I'd run the risk of doing a crappy job on my APC project, and my expectations for that course are higher than they are for most other courses because it's the thesis course for the Photography BFA (and as I've gotten older and learned more, my standards for my own work and that of others have skyrocketed--and not just for photography, either: this also applies to other forms of visual art, dance and music). I won't accept anything less than the best. But because money is a big concern for me (I have a student loan for the first time, having gone through NBCCD with a university fund that no longer exists), I was concerned about the financial side of adding another semester. However, I'd rather go a little deeper into debt than sacrifice the quality of my work, my GPA--and my sanity.

After all that, I went to the SUNSCAD AGM--which didn't get underway until about 12:30. I unfortunately had to leave just after the new SUNSCAD exec was ratified due to class at 1:00.

The latter part of class was a working class, and I spent it tidying up the pieces that I'd done. During break, I went to OSAS to talk with them about the change in plan because I'd already applied to graduate and listed my graduation date as Winter '14. I have a couple of appointments to talk things over on Tuesday, which is going to be a ridiculously busy day.

Friday: The last set of presentations for Obsolescence. We also made plans for next week: because it's the last day for that course, we're meeting at ten instead of 8:30. Hello, sleeping in until 8:30!

Anna spent the class going over the structure and format of our final essays.

Saturday: Up and at 'em. That morning we installed the show on the second floor of the Port Campus, and my print is looking gorgeous. This is my first time mounting a photo using earth magnets, and I love the look. It cuts down on cost, yes (and I don't know if NSCAD has frames that I can borrow nor do I know who cuts mats well and charges an amount that's easy for a student to cough up), but some images are best when presented "naked". It forces the viewer to be confronted by the work and whatever idea the artist is trying to get across whether the viewer likes it or not. This is my first show outside New Brunswick.

Once the show was up, I went back to my place and spent the rest of the day studying, and I'm amazed at how much I got done--which is good news for Tuesday. I also dropped two courses from my Fall '13 schedule and registered for courses for Winter '14. I'll be taking APC and Survey of 20th Century Art in the Fall (twelve credits), and Contemporary Indigenous Arts and Topics in Canadian Art in the Winter (six credits, meaning that I'll be a part-time student--full-time status kicks in at nine credits). Since Friday, I've felt lighter when I think about the remaining courses: I don't have to worry about how I'm going to get all my projects done. Plus, if Contemporary Indigenous Arts is as awesome as I think it's going to be, I could treat it as an extension of my summer project on First Nations peoples, culture, history, treaties and treatment by white people (that's probably going to be the most painful part of the project).

Due to all the excitement, I didn't listen to the opera. This week the Met performed Das Rheingold, which is home to one of the most beautiful preludes ever. I don't care what you think of Wagner or opera--that thing's awesome. I'm not the biggest Wagner fan--I'm definitely not a Ring-head--but the Das Rheingold prelude is one of my favourite pieces. I love how it starts out simply and then grows and builds and swells, evoking the Rhine river. Here it is, as performed by the Met in the new Robert Lepage production. That's all eight MOO hornists you're hearing.



Sunday: Once again, I spent the day doing homework down at the Port Campus. Despite my rather late start to the day, I managed to finish much of the rest of my to-do list.

home stretch

Just when I thought finals couldn't get any more intense, they do.

Monday: If there's one thing I love during finals it's a working class. I spent most of it slaving away on one (rather difficult) photo.

Tuesday: I spent much of the day working on homework, including printing the first set of photos for my project for the WftA show.

That evening, we had a meeting to decide the next direct action. This one will be an outdoor party, celebrating the end of an intense year and letting the bigwigs know that the students are going to come back even stronger next Fall.

Wednesday: I spent much of the day writing for WftA and Obsolescence. I also registered for the last two courses that I'm going to take next Fall. In addition to APC, I need to take nine credits of art history. Two can be any level, but one must be a 3000- or 4000-level course. There weren't many 3000-level courses to choose from that hadn't already been waitlisted (which is nuts, considering that registration only opened a few weeks ago) and I don't have enough history credits to take 4000-level courses. Before registering, I went through the academic calendar and made a list of all the history courses that I was interested in. I then had a look on WebAdvisor (which is where you register for courses) to see what was actually available for next Fall. Only one of my choices was available: Survey of Indigenous Art, which is a 2000-level course. Most of the 3000-level courses that were available required prerequisites that I didn't have. The only courses that met my credit requirements were Craft and Design History 1750 - 1950 and Craft: Decor Arts of Ancient Rome. The first one (which lists 20th Century Art as a prerequisite) is the prerequisite for the second one. Whew! Thankfully, I already have four history courses under my belt, including the two FVA art history survey courses. I had to get permission from the prof in order to take the upper-level course (Decor Arts), so I emailed her. She emailed back within minutes, and off I went to school to print off the email, which I took to OSAS. Turns out I'd already been registered for that course, so all I have to be concerned about now is time-management for next fall. **gulp**

That evening's class was the shortest yet: all we had to do was split into groups, discuss each others' final projects, and then meet with Jeff individually and discuss said projects as well as any re-dos for the last project with him.

Thursday: I went to school early because I wanted to visit the Visual Resources Collection and see if they had any movies that I'd like to check out for the long weekend. I spent several minutes reading titles and nothing sounded interesting--until I spotted a couple of movies on the top shelf. Anna and the King and another, Anna and the King of Siam, which turned out to be the original--Anna and the King being a remake. I checked out both. I've seen Anna and the King before, probably around 2000 or 2001, meaning that I was no older than thirteen. I remember Tom fast-forwarding over some of the nastier parts (PG-13 rating, BTW), and although I understand why he did that--he's a parent after all--it's still frustrated me for over a decade. Now I can finally watch those parts: while I sometimes wish that I could go back to the carefree days known as childhood, being an adult has its perks.

Another working class. I finally finished the photo that I'd been slaving over. I didn't want to look at it for another day or so.

Friday: Hello, sleeping in until ten on a Friday!

I spent the day being as lazy as possible while still getting work done. I also skyped with my parents for the first time in forever and spring-cleaned my room.

Saturday: More homework--while listening to La Traviata. I think it's time I admitted that I love that opera. I can hum along with at least a third of the melodies. Having seen Moulon Rouge!, I wondered if the writers got ideas from the opera. Turns out, I was right. La Bohème and Orpheus in the Underworld (Offenbach) are also cited.

Anna and the King of Siam, which I watched that evening, is an okay movie, though overly-dramatic and Louis dies at the end when he's thrown from his horse. In real life, he married, his wife had a couple of kids, and he lived to be sixty-two, when he died in the flu pandemic in 1919. Also, in the movie Anna's surname is Owens, rather than Leonowens. Turns out, Leonowens is actually an amalgamation of her husband's middle and last names--and when he combined the two, her mom and stepdad were not happy.

Saturday night was far from dull. The emergency alarm went off at about nine and we all had to evacuate. It went off again at three AM for about ten torturous minutes and then there was yet another alarm at six AM, this time a one-minute test. I should mention that the alarm that the school where I live uses is not your ordinary alarm: in addition to the usual ring, they also throw in a high-pitched tone that tortures your ears. There's also a robotic male voice telling you what to do, which is the system's only redeeming quality.

Sunday: On my way back to my room from brunch at the meal hall, I found out that the three AM alarm had been a fire in one of the other two residences.

I spent most of the afternoon at the Port Campus, working on my Graphics final (a portfolio of my work, which I'm doing in a brochure layout). On my way back, it was so warm out that I took my coat off a few blocks from home. I had my windows open for a couple hours after supper. The evening was devoted to starting my final essay for WftA (1,500 words minimum) and watching Anna and the King, which is much better than Anna and the King of Siam.

we won't shut up

After I-don't-know-how-many ridiculously busy weeks, this weekend felt almost too good to be true.

Monday: We started the first round of Electronic Culture presentations.

Tuesday: Once again, the students marched to Province House--this time with red ribbons in hand. We also wrapped the NSCAD lions in red fabric. I was a bit later leaving my place than I'd intended, so I called a cab. When I got to the school (with about twenty minutes to spare), work had already started on the wrapping, so I stopped and watched--and took photos. Slowly a small crowd of students and media gathered to watch and film the wrapping. Some of the SUNSCAD execs were interviewed by CBC. Some students tore red fabric into ribbons and I took a handful. I was asked to carry the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) flag, which I was proud to do. You can see it in this photo from the February sixth manifesto delivery (albeit backwards):

 We then marched over to Province House, chanting the whole way. Once there we tied the ribbons to the Province House gate and chanted some more, playing Red Rover with the provincial government: "RED ROVER RED ROVER WE CALL DEXTER OVER,
"YOUR SILENCE IS PUBLIC, OUR CAUSE WON'T BLOW OVER,

"RED ROVER RED ROVER WE CALL MARILYN'S PHONE,
"OUR NEEDS, AS WE'VE OUTLINED, WILL NOT BE POSTPONED!

"RED ROVER RED ROVER WE CALL NDP OUT,
"YOU SAY YOU VALUE ARTISTS BUT NOW WE'RE IN DOUBT!

"RED ROVER RED ROVER WE CALL NSCAD PROUD,
"YOU KEEP BEING SILENT, WE'LL KEEP GETTING LOUD!"

The last chant was my favourite.

We then headed back to the school. That afternoon, the Halifax Chronicle-Herald published an article about the protest.

You can see photos from the protest here.

I spent much of the afternoon walking around the Granville Campus, photographing for my project for the Writing for the Arts show. I ended up getting completely turned around in North Block. I wandered around, went up and down some stairs and eventually found an entrance off of Granville Plaza that I hadn't known about.

I spent the rest of the afternoon working on my Graphics homework.

That evening was the candidates' forum for next year's SUNSCAD executive. Two of the positions are contested and the president (Sarah Trower) is running for a second term (due to the turmoil at NSCAD, having a veteran SUNSCAD exec as president would be easier for the student union: Sarah knows the issues extremely well and because she's done this before, she doesn't need any training).

Wednesday: I took a photo for the Writing for the Arts show catalogue and spent the afternoon finishing my Graphics project.

That evening we had a work-in-progress critique--turns out, the project wasn't due that week as I'd thought. It's due this week. My crit went fairly well, though I had to redo the logo. Thankfully, version two was a lot simpler to do.

Thursday: I did my presentation for Reconfigured on Monica Lacey (NBCCD Class of '11).

I finally finished my stuff for the next day's Writing for the Arts.

That evening we had a council meeting--the first in several months.

Friday: Friday was, to put it mildly, interesting. It started with me sleeping through my alarm by seven minutes, which has never happened before. I ended up being late for class and calling a cab. I then had a close call with my tripod at Starbucks: I thought I'd lost it or someone had made off with it. I started to panic and searched for it, telling one of the baristas when she asked if there was anything wrong, but ended up admitting defeat and left. I got three-quarters across the street before realizing that I'd left my coffee in the café. I went back, got my coffee--and there was the barista with my tripod! I felt like the happiest woman in Halifax: although my tripod probably isn't the most expensive out there, I was not looking forward to breaking the news to my parents. I thanked her and went on my merry way, coffee in hand. I ended up being ten minutes late to class.

After all that excitement, I was glad that Obsolescence was as uneventful as ever (more research presentations).

As for Writing for the Arts, the next group of students presented, and their presentation was on the appropriation of First Nations and Native American culture. It seems that we settlers can never get it right, particularly in the movies (Dances with Wolves comes close, but even it fails in some ways). Also, I didn't know that until white people arrived, native peoples didn't have chiefs--they had tribe mothers. White folks didn't want to talk with the women, hence the chiefs. Since Idle No More started, I've realized just how little I know about First Nations peoples and what they've suffered at the hands of white people. This summer I'm determined to change that.

After the presentation, one of my classmates who's also in my photo classes (and a fellow NBCCD transfer student), Michael, borrowed my camera and tripod and took photos for the students who hadn't yet documented their work for the show catalogue.

I didn't realize this at the time, but that day marked one year since I received my acceptance package from NSCAD.

Saturday: I spent the afternoon getting work done. Unlike the last few weeks, I don't have much to do, and the work that I do have is stuff that I've already started.

Sunday: I'd planned to photograph at the Port Campus and then head over to Granville to work on my Graphics homework, but I decided to only go as far as Port because they also have a computer lab.

On my way over, I stopped at the Seaport Farmers' Market. I didn't buy anything, but I watched a performance by a local Irish step-dance school.

I spent the rest of the afternoon working on Graphics homework.

On my way home, I decided to check out some pipes (at least I think they're pipes) that I'd noticed since September but never seen up close. Once I saw them, I just had to photograph them. So I went back to my place, grabbed my camera, changed the lens and went back. Here are two of the photos:

I spent the rest of the evening doing some research for Obsolescence and I started my journal entry for Writing for the Arts.

well, that's over with

Like the one that I wrote on February 11th, this post is dedicated to FUNSCAD--this time to the members of Unit I.

---

This week has been incredibly stressful, and from Tuesday to Thursday I wasn't sure where one day ended and the next began. They all blurred together in my mind and it was only when I went back and reread my Facebook statuses on Friday evening that I managed to sort it all out.

Also, correction: last week I wrote, "One of the issues that FUNSCAD I is fighting is the fact that the administration is trying to prevent part-time and regular part-time faculty (part-time has three different levels, and from there it gets rather complex) from being on-campus outside the regular semester, which doesn't bode well for students who want to meet with a part-timer in the summer." This would only apply to faculty members who aren't employed by the school during those months.

Monday: We watched an NFB movie about Marshall McLuhan.

After class I picked up Anna's Instax camera at the Port Campus.

Tuesday: I spent the afternoon doing homework, including visiting the Saint Mary's University Art Gallery to take notes for the second gallery review.

That evening we had another GA. I went early because I wanted to photograph for my project for the WftA show. In addition to photographing the quirks and other things that make NSCAD special, I'm going to try to photograph as many of the departments as possible. This is a daunting task because the departments are spread over three campuses, and Granville is a maze. Also, I don't know where many of the departments are--I probably only know a quarter of Granville, if that.

The GA was a long one--two hours--but we decided our next direct action. We're going to wrap the NSCAD lions--a gift from the NS government--in red fabric (representing the school's debt, which is less than other NS universities, though we're being bullied more), à la Christo and Jeanne-Claude. We're also going to tie pieces of red fabric to the Province House fence, in a sense tying our debt to the government. And we'll play Red Rover and call the government over.

Wednesday: That day FUNSCAD I's strike became legal at 1:30 PM. I went to school early and stopped at the SUNSCAD office to see if there was any news. The strike vote would happen at 4:00 that afternoon. More waiting. Ugh. I spent the afternoon doing more homework and waiting impatiently. I also came up with a plan, should FUNSCAD go on strike: get as much work as possible done (due to no classes, I'd have a bunch of free time that I'm not used to right now, and I'd need a way to fill it, even though the year would be extended to make up for lost time), and spend as much time as possible on the picket line in solidarity. When 4:00 rolled around, I started checking my school email obsessively. I finally got a message from SUNSCAD's president, Sarah, but it was rather cryptic, so on my way out I stopped by the student union office.

Graphics was cancelled that evening. No reason was given. While I love that class, due to my homework situation I didn't mind: that was three more hours in which to get stuff done.

Thursday: We presented our second projects for Reconfigured Image. This particular crit had us going all over the photo dept.: the finishing room, the classroom and the computer lab. Mine went very well.

That evening the previous two days caught up with me and I snapped: "[I am] going to be VERY happy to sleep in this weekend. All this strike-related stress has taken its tole, as has the homework. I will be SO glad when I get the final word about Funscad from either them or S.U.N.S.C.A.D. I don't want the teachers to go on strike, but at this point just KNOWING either way is good enough." Not long after that Facebook status update, the news started coming in: a tentative agreement between the school and the faculty union had been reached. At first the news (posted on the university's Twitter account and copied and pasted to the SUNSCAD Facebook group) was a bit cryptic--knowing how unions work, I had a feeling that it meant that there wasn't going to be a strike, but I wasn't sure. But then the university's Facebook status was updated with a clearer message: "Breaking news! NSCAD University and FUNSCAD Unit 1, representing faculty members and librarians, have reached a tentative agreement, subject to ratification." When I read that, I started crying out of relief and joy. By that point, I was up past my bedtime and I knew I'd be exhausted the next morning, but I celebrated by dancing around my room to Sham Rock's version of I'll Tell Me Ma.

Friday: And yes, I was tired. The fact that class started at the time listed on the schedule (8:30 AM) rather than 9:00 didn't help matters. Class was devoted to research presentations for our final focus papers.

Anna gave us the rundown of what's left and two groups presented.

Understandably, both she and Bob were both super-relieved that they didn't have to be on the picket line that afternoon: Bob said that he was very happy about the fact that he'd be in his office that afternoon and at the end of WftA, Anna told us to enjoy the weekend--"and no strike!" That got applause from some of us, including me, and I threw in a cheer.

Saturday: As for me, I was very happy to sleep in that day: the previous three nights I'd gotten eight or fewer hours of sleep, and by Friday night I was exhausted.

I spent the day listening to opera and studying.

Sunday: More studying. I somehow managed to get everything crossed off my to-do list by Sunday night.

That evening, I hunkered down with Jack, a biopic about Jack Layton produced by the CBC. It brought back many memories, both happy and sad, of the Orange Crush and Jack's death. While I'd heard about some inaccuracies, the movie was very well done: well-directed, -acted and if you didn't know better, you would've thought that that was Jack (in real life, Rick Roberts doesn't look anything like him). The movie reminded me why I was so proud to cast my ballot for the NDP in the '11 election.



I also struggled to write this post: when it was just about ready to be published, something happened (I'm blaming Blogger) and I lost everything and had to start from scratch. Two hours of writing--gone. This has never happened before, and I've been writing this blog for four years as of today (yay!). I managed to rewrite pretty much everything in about an hour, but by that point it was almost two AM, I was wiped and I needed to get up reasonably early today, so I put off proofreading and posting until now.

I am artist, hear me roar

This week was extremely busy, crazy and rather stressful, but I think I'm mostly recovered from it.

Monday: Monday was the beginning of Assessment Week at NBCCD (this week is their March Break).

When I got to school that afternoon, Keven, NSCAD's daytime security guard, told me that the reason why NS' "spring" break is at the time that it is is because that's the week in which students where committing suicide the most. So while it makes sense to have the break during that week, universities (including NSCAD) are still in midterm mode, so students come back with a few more exams or midterm projects to do. I like NB's break schedule a lot better.

We watched another movie during class: Blade Runner (I can't remember which version).

Tuesday: I spent the day tweaking the first project for Graphics, coming up with ideas for the second one and doing the readings for Obsolescence. I finished the afternoon by taking the files to Staples and getting them printed (which was an adventure).

We had another GA that evening. FUNSCAD I (the teachers' union) could go on strike on Wednesday. If they go on strike, SUNSCAD will hold a rally on Friday. One of the issues that FUNSCAD I is fighting is the fact that the administration is trying to prevent part-time and regular part-time faculty (part-time has three different levels, and from there it gets rather complex) from being on-campus outside the regular semester, which doesn't bode well for students who want to meet with a part-timer in the summer. If this is anything like FUNSCAD II's almost-strike, Tuesday night is going to be a sleepless one for me: I, like my fellow students and the faculty, don't want the strike to happen.

Wednesday: I went to school early to put my book together (Jeff wanted them bound).

He met with us individually to critique our first projects and discuss our ideas for the second project. My crit went very well.

Thursday: Thursday was a working class, which made me very happy because I wasn't as far along with the project as I would've liked.

I finally finished my homework for Friday that night (the usual readings for Obsolescence--this week's set was the last for that course--and writing for Writing for the Arts).

Friday: The usual discussion of the week's readings. At the end of class, Bob went over our proposals for the final focus essay (two thousand words, which will make this essay the longest I've written for a college or university assignment--bring it) and suggested ways in which we could take the essay further.

I did my presentation for Writing for the Arts, and I think it was one of my best presentations at either NBCCD or NSCAD. My theme was Marcel Duchamp and readymades. I gave a biography of him and then branched out, talking about the Fountain, his paintings, and artists who do similar work: Gene Nichols (who'll use just about anything to create rhythm: "I am addicted to sound, all sound. That's what gets me to thinking about everything as music.") and Andy Warhol (who used cheap, readily-available techniques to churn out multiples of his works). I couldn't help but get excited: this is the kind of thing that I live for. This is why I'm an artist.

After class, I discussed my idea for the WftA show with Anna. My idea was to take a bunch of photos around NSCAD, print them, arrange the prints with an envelope and take a photo of that. Title: Love Letters to NSCAD. While my idea was good, Anna felt it could be a bit stronger. She suggested actually mailing the photos to the Board of Governors (BoG) and NSCAD's acting president. We both got rather excited about the project, and Anna was thrilled that I was taking on a project like that: it couldn't be more timely.

That evening, I posted on the SUNSCAD Facebook group, explaining my idea, asking who's on the BoG and how I could contact them. I got the info, and then another comment suggesting that I send photos to the HFX Chamber of Commerce, as business organizations would be negatively affected in a big way if the university went under and the municipal government, as they have been silent throughout the whole mess at NSCAD.

One of the things I love about NSCAD is how they encourage students to be political. To quote the manifesto, "NSCAD's ability to nurture critical, political and philosophical thought continually sets us apart. It cultivates the artists and critical thinkers needed in today's society." I noticed that atmosphere right away, and while I soaked it up last semester, it was only in my finals that it really started to worm its way into my art. My approach to my education at NSCAD was always as another set of tools in my creative toolbox, and as someone who's become more political in the last four or so years, I appreciate the university's contributions to my art practice. Thanks, NSCAD!

Saturday: After such a crazy week (I was up to my eyeballs in homework every evening and stressing about whether I'd be able to get it all done on time), I tried to take the day as slowly as possible while still getting work done--and listening to Parsifal. By the way, the Met's current production was directed by Fraçois Girard, who directed The Red Violin. Oh, and he's a Canuck!

Sunday: I spent the afternoon working on my Graphics homework.

The BSO played a concert today. Feels like they just did one, but it was back in January. You know you've been busy when... Today's concert was the one that, if I lived in or around Bangor, I would've gone to (the cheap tickets are fairly affordable on a student budget--and yes, I'd put up with the crappiest seats in the world if it meant a couple hours of listening to one of my favourite orchestras). They played Vaughan-Williams' Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis (one of my favourite pieces), Suite No. 1 from Respighi's Ancient Airs and Dances and Vivaldi's Four Seasons (another favourite). All three pieces are rather strings-heavy, which makes me happy. I love a full orchestra--and when the BSO is going full-tilt, they can knock my socks off--but there's just something about a beautiful string section. The fact that the BSO's violin section is beyond awesome, reminds me why that instrument is one of my favourites and makes me proud to play the violin doesn't hurt, either. Long story short: BSO, I love you!

sol! sol! sol! solidarity!*

This post is dedicated to the awesome members of Unit II of the Faculty Union of NSCAD.

---

This week has been insanely exciting and stressful. Words cannot fully describe what I've experienced and felt, but I'll do my best.

Monday: I applied to graduate! Class of '13, here I come!

We spent much of Reconfigured Image dissecting a reading that Bob had given us on Thursday.

Tuesday: I spent most of the day doing homework and then in the evening went to NSCAD and helped make signs for Wednesday's march to Province House.

Wednesday: Manifesto Delivery Day. By the time I got to NSCAD, I was beyond ready to march. I chose a sign, waited for a bit, and then the Canadian Federation of Students' Maritimes Organizer, Rebecca Rose, led us in our first chant in the student lounge ("we're fired up, can't take it no more"). After that, we headed out and over to Province House, chanting the whole time. I'd brought my point 'n' shoot and I took a few photos. As I chanted, I wondered if I was going to go hoarse from it all.

The first few protesters had some issues getting into the Province House parking lot, but the rest of us were okay (the authorities had figured out what was going on by that point). We presented the manifesto not to Premier Derrel Dexter, but to Leonard Preyra, the MLA who represents Halifax Citadel-Sable Island, which is the riding that NSCAD's in. He made a small speech, but while it sounded okay, it was basically lip service. As we chanted, "Derrel Dexter shame on you! Shame on you for turning blue!" (Blue is the colour of the Conservative Party, and the NS NDP is more Conservative than it is NDP.) And yes, we booed and jeered at a couple of his statements. We then headed back to NSCAD, chanting the whole way. And who was watching us from an upper window but Premier Dexter... We finished in the Granville Campus courtyard and chanted "we support you Unit II!" You can see photos from the march here and here. I found out later that there'd been about two hundred people at the protest. In addition to NSCADians, some folks from King's and Dalhousie universities showed up in solidarity. Although it was a cold day, I didn't feel cold and I ended up not putting on my gloves. I think it was because a. we were in a fairly sheltered area the whole time, and b. I was so focused on the march that I completely forgot about the subzero temperature.

After all that, I spent the afternoon getting work done--and basking in the high that the protest had induced.

In the evening, we had yet another GA--but I had to leave before it had really started because I had Graphics in the Port Campus (apparently the Port computer lab was the only one available).

Class was spent working out the kinks in our projects.

I was so nervous about FUNSCAD II, whether they'd end up with a good deal and whether there'd be a strike that I barely slept that night.

Thursday: As soon as I got up, I checked my school email. SUNSCAD had sent out the minutes from the GA, so I read them--and then I kept refreshing the inbox, hoping for news about FUNSCAD II's strike situation. Nothing. Check again two minutes later: still nothing.

When I got to school, I immediately headed to the Photo Dept.'s computer lab because I wanted to print one of my photos from the march and give it to the Photo studio techs because they're awesome. I was in a major rush because the strike would be legal as of 12:42 PM/11:42 AM EST. When I gave it to Chris (one of the four techs) after trimming it, he said that the union and administration had reached a tentative agreement--and that there wouldn't be a strike. I was so relieved and happy that I could barely speak for a few seconds. I then grabbed lunch and went to class, brimming with excitement. I found out later that the deal had been struck at four in the morning. All but one of the Photo techs went home to get some much-needed and -deserved sleep. Alex was the one left in charge, so he was a bit hard to track down sometimes because he was doing the work of four techs. Go Alex! Click here to see FUNSCAD's update/thank-you note that they posted on Facebook. The last paragraph: "Finally, a huge thank you to SUNSCAD and our incredible and active NSCAD students! You came out in impressive numbers to express your support for Unit II, and we couldn't do this without you. Your letters to the NSCAD President and Administration makes clear the importance of Unit II staff, and the indispensable role that Unit II fulfills at this school. We extend our sincere gratitude to each individual student who supported FUNSCAD with their words of encouragement and expressions of solidarity." Aww... You're welcome!

One of the students hadn't presented her last project, so she presented it. We also discussed our current projects and watched a movie that was made completely out of still images.

Several times throughout the day, I wanted to cry. When I got home, I couldn't hold it in anymore and I let loose and sobbed out of overwhelming joy and relief.

Just so you know, the battle isn't over yet: FUNSCAD I (the teachers' union) is currently in conciliation, and the earliest that they could strike is just when the students are coming back after the break.

Friday: Back to earth with a bump. I'd regained some of the sleep that I missed on Wednesday night, but I wasn't back up to 100% yet.

Obsolescence was pretty much the same as usual, though we got to watch a movie, and Bob handed back our first essays (I didn't do too badly). We have to write another one this week as well as a brief proposal for the final essay.

Writing ended up being almost completely devoted to this week's presentation, which was a long (but fascinating) one.

Saturday: NSCAD, like all the other post-secondary schools in Halifax, closed due to winter storm Nemo. I spent the day trying to get myself to tackle that mountain of homework (I managed to get a little of it done) and celebrating FUNSCAD II. Mom called early that afternoon, which was the first time that I'd heard her voice since Christmas Break.

Sunday: Yesterday's celebration was fun and all, but I really needed to get back to work today. And I did: that mountain of homework is looking a little less like Everest and a little more like Katahdin at this point.

Next week I'll be home for the break. I admit that it snuck up on me, probably because I'm so used to NB's first-week-in-March break. This week's non-homework priority: buying my bus ticket.

Here are videos of the protest:







The last video was at the Granville Campus.

The Ode to Joy from Beethoven's ninth pretty much sums up what I felt that day:



*Another of our chants.

busybusybusy

This week was one of those weeks that disappeared before I knew what to do with it.

Monday: Bob was sick, so class was cancelled. I didn't find out until I got to school and found a note on the classroom door. I spent the afternoon in the Photo Dept.'s computer lab doing homework that I'd planned to do on Tuesday.

Tuesday: I finally paid the fees at the school where I'm staying. I spent the day doing homework and then went to a GA that evening. The GA ended up morphing into an info session about the school's current situation (for example, when the loan on the Port Campus is paid off, NSCAD won't own the campus--if I remember correctly, the Halifax Port Authority will own it--and also NSCAD was pushed by the NS government to build the campus), and the executive members gave us an update on the previous week's action (after the action, SUNSCAD's president, Sarah Trower, spoke with the BoG folks who stayed about passing the manifesto--a lot left when the students started reading said manifesto). Before the GA, I asked one of the Photo Dept. techs about some of the things that I'd read in an email from the school that day that I wasn't clear about.

Wednesday: Once again, I spent the day doing homework.

We each met with Jeff and discussed our ideas and how they were coming along. We also split into groups and critiqued each others' work.

Thursday: Crit Day. Finally. We spent the class critiquing each others' work (mine went well). Because The Reconfigured Image is an intermediate course (which I didn't realize until I read the course description on the first day of class) and I use Photoshop at an advanced level, I've decided to use the course to push myself and challenge myself to use the program in ways that I haven't explored before, and I will continue to do this for the rest of the semester.

Friday: We discussed the readings, six of the students (one of whom was supposed to present last week but didn't) presented--same old, same old.

I somehow ended up at the Port Campus earlier than usual. I used the time to check out the Seeds Gallery--NSCAD's commercial gallery.

Anna did a workshop on grammar. Although most of it wasn't new, I did learn a couple of things (it's vs. its). Afterward, I had a few questions for her, and it morphed into a long conversation about my background--she knew that I was a transfer student and that I'd already taken a foundation-level writing course at NBCCD, but that was about it.

Saturday: I spent the better part of the day doing homework while listening to Le Comte Ory.

Sunday: Once I got going, I headed over to Staples and got paper for my Graphics project. I spent the rest of the afternoon in the Photo Dept. computer lab doing homework for Graphics (and wrestled a bit with Illustrator, which I ended up using to add text to the cover and title page because InDesign refused to accept the Photoshop file that I'd saved--I'm using Illustrator to add text because it and InDesign are vector programs whereas Photoshop is pixel-based), and I'm thisclose to being done. I then went home--and did more homework. I'm very happy with how much I got done yesterday and today.

Check this guy out. He's Trond's nephew, and he's about as awesome. Oh, and he's only two years older than me. His playing just about makes me cry, it's so beautiful.

free time? what's that?

I think I better get used to these crazy-busy weekends. It's a good thing I love my major.

I forgot to mention who won the hockey game: Graphics, as per usual. For once I'd like to see Photo win.

Monday: We talked about composite images and where the word "montage" comes from (turns out, it's strictly related to photography).

Tuesday: I got a bunch of homework done that afternoon, and then went to a general assembly at NSCAD, where we approved SUNSCAD's manifesto that will be presented to the Board of Governors (in a nutshell, the school must maintain it's position as one of the best art schools in the country, and the quality of a NSCAD education must not be compromised). We also discussed taking direct action, such as occupying the Granville Campus (classes would continue, but administration wouldn't be allowed in) or withholding our tuition, which would only work for those of us who don't have student loans, because the money for tuition is automatically taken out of the loan when it's processed and sent to the institution, and then the remainder is sent to your bank account.

Wednesday: I spent the afternoon getting most of the scavenger hunt done for Writing for the Arts, and by the end all I wanted to do was collapse.

We got an intro to Adobe InDesign that night--and then Jeff let us go early due to the storm (and just when I was getting used to the lack of white stuff on the ground **pout**)

Thursday: We discussed our projects. The theme is "private/public", and I'm doing mine on surveillance (both the visible kind--surveillance cameras--and the invisible kind--e.g., internet tracking). I'm doing composite images and using the "subtract" blend mode, which I've never used beyond clicking through the list of modes.

Friday: As usual, we discussed the week's readings and then five of the students presented things related to the readings. I'm in the group that presents next week. And on top of everything else, we have to write a thousand-word focus essay by next Friday--which is both a lot and not a lot at the same time.

We presented our findings for the scavenger hunt. I missed three items and had to go find them in the NSCAD library over the weekend.

Saturday and Sunday: I spent the weekend doing homework and almost nothing else, including finishing the scavenger hunt and working on my Graphics project (I don't have InDesign, but the Photo Dept. does)--partly because I felt like I was swamped with work and partly because I wanted to get as much as possible out of the way so that I can go see Les Misérables on Tuesday (I may review it).

back in HFX

I will probably only be used to how NSCAD does things when I graduate: while I've started classes, my NBCCD friends are still on break (until tomorrow). Then again, NSCAD starts their Christmas break earlier and is finished earlier in April than NBCCD.

I spent the break staying up late, sleeping in, reacquainting myself with some music that I hadn't touched since at least April (a long story that probably isn't fit for a public forum like my blog--though I will say that listening and dancing to those pieces again was wonderful and emotional), making cinnamon buns for Christmas, wondering where three hours disappeared to on Christmas morning, photographing with my new Nikon D7000 (thanks, Tom), wondering where Christmas break disappeared and writing a massive year-in-review email to a friend--it was over 1,900 words long. 2012 was a big year.

Monday and Tuesday: Packing like crazy. 'Nuff said.

Wednesday: The bus to Moncton was delayed by an hour--which meant that the other buses that connected to it were also delayed by an hour. That meant that I didn't get into Halifax until about 8:30/7:30 EST that night. I did some unpacking and then crashed.

Thursday: I spent the better part of the morning getting my internet sorted out, as the university where I'm living shuts NSCADians out of the internet every semester and we have to go to the ITSS desk and get our computers configured again.

I was not ready for classes to start (three years at NBCCD will do that to ya), but I went anyway.

Although The Reconfigured Image, which is on digital image manipulation, is described as "an intermediate level course," because it's a different course at a different school, I decided to register for it when I put my schedule together in July. I think I'm really going to enjoy it. Plus, I love Photoshop and don't think there's such a thing as too many Photoshop courses.

During break, I dashed over to OSAS and got the semester sticker put on the back of my student ID and asked a few questions about my student loan and changing my expected graduation date to December '13 (I'd originally planned to finish during the summer, but because the summer semester is split into two half-semesters and one of the mandatory courses for photo majors is a nine-credit, 4000-level course, it definitely isn't available during the summer). I have a couple of meetings set up for Tuesday afternoon to start changing things around.

Friday: Fridays are going to be... interesting. I have Questions of Obsolescence, which is this year's PHOT 36xx seminar course (and which is mandatory for photo majors), first thing in the morning and then Writing for the Arts in the afternoon. Although the seminar is a three-credit course, it's a whopping four hours long. So Bob suggested that we meet at 9:00 instead of 8:30. As someone who's definitely not a morning person, I loved that idea. He let us go early, so I went over to Kinko's to order my reading pack.

Writing for the Arts is NSCAD's foundation-level writing course, but although I took NBCCD's FVA writing course, Communication and Student Success, that course is never transferred. I find that more than a bit frustrating, but I love writing so I'm looking forward to Writing for the Arts, and will probably learn some new stuff (the same thing with Reconfigured Image). One of the assignments is a group exhibition, and I've already started thinking about what I'm going to show. This will be my first time showing work outside of New Brunswick.

Saturday: After such a crazy week, HELLO, WEEKEND! I spent the day not doing much of anything except listening to Les Toyens (I was about forty-five minutes late because I'd written down that it began at 2:00 AST rather than 1:00) and doing the reading for Reconfigured Image (Ray Bradbury's The Veldt).

Sunday: I spent the day running errands and getting stuff done. Course pack picked up: check. Journal for Writing for the Arts: bought and started (three pages on Les Mis? Why the heck not?). Readings for Obsolescence: started. I also met my new roommate. She's a freshman from Seoul, South Korea.

Speaking of Les Mis, some point over the next few weeks I plan to go see the movie. I've been waiting for it to be made into a movie since I saw the tenth anniversary concert on PBS when I was eight (the concert was performed the year before). I'll never forget plunking out Master of the House (one of my favourites) on my family's upright piano. I still have much of the "seventeen Valjeans" segment memorized: French, Japanese, Dutch, Norwegian--bring it on.

what to do when there's nothing to do

I'm home for three weeks! 'Nuff said.

Monday: Because I didn't have any homework that day, I spent it packing, cleaning (desk and fridge), and working on some other stuff.

Tuesday: I went back to the Seaport Farmers' Market, but the place was a ghost town. Note to self: the best market days are on the weekend.

Wednesday: Because I'd finished everything for Book Arts, I was free to do whatever I wanted--so I decorated my final project.

Bob had given us the option of installing our final projects over at the Academy Building that evening if we wanted to. Because my project was so big (the paper is 36" x 42") and therefore difficult to manage, I decided to take advantage of the extra time. I went home after class as, again due to the size, I had nowhere at NSCAD to store my print so I had to pick it up in my room. After more putzing, I grabbed the print and went back to the Granville Campus. I'd posed for my classmate/friend Ken's final project for Intro, as had the rest of the class and Adrian, and Ken had made prints for all of us, so I had to pick mine up before the photo department closed for the break. After I squeezed the box that housed the print into my backpack, I had nothing to do for another half-hour, so I spent it hanging out with the studio techs and any passing students and enjoying some of the goodies that were laid out on a table in the studio.

I then headed over to the Academy Building with my print and hung it with the help of a classmate (pinning a photo that big is nearly impossible if you're doing it solo).

Thursday: Crits. All day. We didn't discuss the technical quality of the prints so much as we discussed the ideas and concepts addressed by the project that we were critiquing. My crit went extremely well.

An installation shot of my project.

After all that, we went out for beer at a pub that's a block from the Academy Building.

Once I got home, I grabbed supper, did some last-minute things for the next day and got to bed as early as I could because I had to be up at 6:00 the next morning (5:00 EST).

Friday: Homecoming Day. I was surprised at how awake I was that morning: I'm usually a zombie before 8:00 AM. I packed the last of my stuff and putzed some more because I was half-an-hour ahead of schedule (how did that happen?). My roommate helped me carry my stuff down to the front door of the residence where I called a cab.

Once at the bus station, I got my luggage tagged and then waited some more--this time for my bus to be called. I then dragged my stuff to the bus, got my two non-carry-on bags stowed, chose a seat and settled in for the ride. I spent most of the journey reading, though I called Mom at Truro, NS with an update about needing to transfer buses (when I'd checked on the Maritime Bus website, they'd said that there wouldn't be any transfers for my route, but the bus driver said that anyone headed past Moncton, NB would have to transfer. This confusion is pretty much expected because the company had only been in operation for two weeks as of Friday).

Mom greeted me with a big hug, and we drove the rest of the way home.

I'd been offline all day, so when I logged into my Facebook account, I was greeted by news of the Sandy Hook Elementary shooting. I couldn't believe it: who would even think of deliberately killing little kids? As I read, I could almost feel my heart break. Sometimes I can barely think about the shooting without sobbing.



Saturday: Mom's birthday. Once I got going that day, I didn't stop. I spent the afternoon cooking for her birthday dinner while humming along to the Met's performance of Aïda.

Sunday: We put the tree up, and I did most of the decorating while listening and singing along to Christmas music.

homework? what's that?

I'm now counting down the days until I go home for Christmas. After not going home for Thanksgiving I. can't. wait. to. see. my. parents. and. cats!

Monday: I bought my bus ticket on my way to NSCAD--and asked a lot of questions. Once at school, however, I realized that because I don't have my school email password memorized and I didn't forward the email about the final project for Intro to my main email, I couldn't double-check the questions that I needed to answer in order to write the artist statement for the final project. I spent some time there, putzing around on a school computer, and then went home and wrote the statement.

Tuesday: Much of class was a working class. I'd planned to print my photos for Intro on Wednesday, but ended up printing them Tuesday afternoon, after giving them a once-over with Adrian. He also helped me edit my artist statement.

That evening SUNSCAD invited representatives from FUNSCAD (the faculty union, which is split into two units: unit 1, which represents the teachers, and unit 2, which represents the studio techs, librarians, etc.) to update the students about the union's collective bargaining situation. It was supposed to be a general assembly, but SUNSCAD then decided that it would just be a casual meeting. If (if) there is a strike, it looks like it'll happen some point in late-February, and the faculty and studio techs would strike at different times (if the techs are on strike, there'd still be classes). There were other things as well: other universities limit the percentage of part-time faculty to between ten and thirty per cent of the total faculty--NSCAD's percentage is much higher. Part-timers are only paid for the time that they teach--unlike full-time faculty, they're not paid for the time they spend doing other things related to the job of being a teacher. Part-timers don't develop courses. To quote SUNSCAD, full-timers are the ones who "hold the school together."

Wednesday: We started the final project (a large sketchbook).

I spent the afternoon tweaking my project for Beyond the Frame.

Thursday: This week's class was really short: just meet at the Academy Building, where we're going to have the final crit, critique a project (the classmate who did it is going to be out of here by the time we have the real final crit next week), and then go do whatever we wanted. For me that meant going back to the Granville Campus and printing a test strip for the final project for Beyond the Frame (I'd booked the printer a day or so in advance). It's a good thing I did the test because I found a small--but significant--issue, which I quickly solved.

I spent the evening in the printshop for the last time. And I finished the final project--which means that I'm (wait for it...) ahead, and officially have nothing to do for the final class. I'm sure I'll find something to do though--like decorate the cover of my final project.

Friday: Hello, super-busy-but-productive day. I had an interview that morning at the Visual Resources Collection, so I was out the door about an hour earlier than usual. I did the interview, and then ran around doing what felt like a gazillion little things for an hour-and-a-half: getting cash for the Big Print (i.e., the print for Beyond the Frame), chatting with one of my classmates, stashing my interview clothes in my locker (they're far from the least comfortable ever, but I'm always glad to get out of them and into something a bit softer and less stiff), getting lunch--and finally going to class.

We spent the entire class critiquing each others' final projects, which we did in three shifts, due to wall space. Mine went very well. After class we all went to the Split Crew Pub, which is in the same building as the Granville Campus, for beer.

When I got home, I checked my email: I didn't get the job.

Saturday: I spent much of the day not really doing anything except laundry and listening to the Met's first radio broadcast of the season (Un Ballo in Maschera by Verdi). Hello again, Met Opera and Met Opera Orchestra--how I've missed you guys! I listened to the first few minutes via my pocket radio, before switching to MPBN on iTunes, and I noticed that the CBC Radio 2 frequency in Halifax (102.7 FM) is much clearer and less staticky than the frequency in F'ton and Saint John (101.5 FM). Hmm...

Sunday: I printed my final project for Beyond the Frame, and as of this afternoon 24" x 36" is no longer the biggest I've printed: 36" x 42" (the image is 30" x 40") now claims that title. I'm extremely happy with how it turned out.

On my way home, I decided to check out the Public Gardens, but it turns out that the Gardens are closed for the winter. I ended up doing some Christmas shopping, and checked out the Seaport Farmers Market. I'd never been to that market before, but I know I'll be back. I'd go tomorrow, but they'll be closed that day.

This week, I only have to be at school two days, instead of the usual four. Hello, near-freedom!