A Break in the Action

Friday is my day off, at least for this semester. I'm really kind of glad because I need it. Maybe it's just the fact that this is the first week, or that I'm still used to getting thirteen hours of sleep per night, either way, I'm exhausted. My Thursdays are pretty packed: three classes, two of which are three hours long.

Last night was our New Student Seminar. All 300 new students filed in, took our seats and waited. As the seminar started, the speaker seemed shocked that we were being so attentive which makes me wonder just how bad they expected us to be. So far, I haven't met many truly bad people, which is encouraging. Sure, some are better than others but everyone seems tolerable. After the seminar we ran back to the cafeteria for a last-minute dinner (technically, the cafe closed during the meeting but we were just lucky, I guess). After dinner I hung out with some friends I'd met at "80's Night" on Saturday. We're a fun group, much laughter ensued. It's nice to have classes to talk, complain, laugh and worry about. Saturday we were all kind of like, "So...yeah, Art College. Fun stuff, huh?" It was awkward. But last night was much better, as it should be. I met a fellow by the name of Dunkin, who hailed from the UK. Accents are awesome. I can't not like someone with an accent. Dunkin, it turns out, is a magician. After wowing us with some slight-of-hand he coined the tag line "It's fuckin' simple."* Again, much laughter ensued. Last night was also our Floor Meeting, which consisted of our First Floor RA's dishing out information that we would all forget the minute the meeting was over. So far, I'm not too impressed with the whole RA thing, but who knows? Things might change.

That brings us back to Friday, glorious, classless Friday. Tonight, I'm headed to the Chipotle and the BV game. Does it get much better? I don't think so.

Miss you all. Stay in touch. See you (very) soon.

Wednesdays Trump the Rest

Yesterday was, by far, my favorite day so far. Even with an 8:00 3D Design class, it was an awesome day. I'm really lucky that the majority of my classes are with Sam. Something about a familiar face in each new situation makes things a little easier to swallow. I travel to my core classes (Painting, Drawing, 3D, 2D) with the same "family" group of people. Luckily for me, they are all cool people who know what they're doing. So far, college life hasn't been too bad. This, I believe, is a plot to lure us into a false sense of security just before they pull the big red lever sending avalanches of work careening perilously our way (wow, that was exciting). I do feel like this is the watered-down version of college but even so, I think I could handle a little more. This would just mean a little less Facebook an a little more sketchbook.

During lunch yesterday, the Denny Griffith, the President of CCAD sat down right next to me and began to eat his sandwich. He's a great guy, really funny and genuinely interested in everyone and their experiences. We talked about my trip to Europe and when Mr. Griffith found out it was with my Spanish class, we proceeded to converse completely in Spanish complete with correct tense and pronunciation. It was great, bizarre, but great.

My second and final class of the day, Digital Design and Type is the reason why I applied to CCAD. The class is perfect for me, for instance, our first assignment is a report about a font. Perfect, I know.

Well, I'm late. Today's a killer.
Miss you all. Stay in touch. See you soon.

Tuesdays Make Me Tired

So yesterday was pretty busy. Tuesdays and Thursdays are the only days where I have three classes per day so I'm on the run a lot. My 8:00 class, Painting, is in the furthest building on campus (which, in reality only means about two blocks away). I can tell I'm going to need a coffee or three before that class. The professor, while a nice guy, has a very calm voice that, when paired with the early hour and the cold of the studio, lulls you back to sleep. I yawned a lot, not out of disrespect or boredom but just because I was generally tired and trying to stay awake.

After Painting came a small break and another glorious nap. These naps are turning out to be my favorite times of the day. I have Drawing at B&E, the same building as Painting, but after a nap and lunch the walk seems much shorter. My teacher can't be older than 26 or 27 years old. She's pretty cool and I'm looking forward to actually getting started. My Art History course is in another building, much closer to my dorm. I could tell from the off that this wasn't going to be a "blah-blah-date-date" kind of history class. My teacher seems, in a word, experienced. She knows her stuff and I like that.

Today I'm off to see what Wednesdays bring, hopefully that means another nap.

Miss you all. Stay in touch. See you soon.

Day One: The Aftermath

Well, well. Day one is over and it has been a long, albeit enjoyable one. My first class, Color Concept wasn't until 12:30 but I got up early to take advantage of breakfast. After downing a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon, I made a V-line for the dorm and went back to sleep. It was glorious. Today was our Convocation, which is nothing more than an over-glorified welcoming ceremony. We were escorted in by bagpiper, which I have to admit was pretty freakin' sweet. They gave everyone a sketchbook as we walked in and later in the ceremony we made our symbolic 'first-mark' together. It was clever.

Color Concept was fun, or as fun as the first day of class can be. I can tell it's going to be stressful but not impossible. Structural Drawing, which started at 6:45, was okay, lots of steps and seemingly pointless explanations. I enjoyed it, though. So far, I've met some really cool people. Last night was "80's Night" in the Crane Center and rather than watch drunken rave that was unfolding in the main room, I played pool with some (or, more like watched pool being played by some) really cool people. It's a little freaky how we Harry Potter fans are drawn to one another. Thank you Jo! It's nice to have that common bond right out of the shoot. After the party we headed back to a dorm room and had a great, and surprisingly enthusiastic discussion of the series. I loved it, so much so that it has now been determined that I will be going to the Halloween "Big Boo!" bash as The-Boy-Who-Lived with my friend Ashley going as Ms. Lovegood. It'll be awesome. I need a cloak.

So, I was thinking: You seniors are getting one hell of a "What to Expect in College" guide. With that in mind, here is a list of some things I have learned so far:

• You will feel homesick. No question. If someone tells you they don’t, they are lying. Don’t feel bad.
• Chocolate is an effective homesickness remedy.
• The scrambled eggs aren’t eggs, I don’t think.
• Your iPod will become your passport back to reality. If you don’t have one, good luck staying sane.
• Every once in a while, you’ll spot something or hear something that reminds you of home so much that you can’t help but smile. Embrace that moment.
• Introduce yourself to everyone you meet. It’s only polite and it cuts down on the awkwardness.
• Laugh, even if it’s not really all that funny. Laughter bonds people.
• If you’re like me, you will check Facebook a lot. It’s okay (although I must say it sucks when, after seven hours of class there are only two updates from people you don’t really care about. Hint, hint.)
• Get sleep, you’ll need it. Two classes and I’m drained.
• Call your friends. They’ll appreciate it and you won’t regret it.
• Get in the habit of silencing your phone before class and turning it back up after.
• Force yourself to leave the dorm. The more active you are, the less guilty you feel. But when you get back, post about what you just did to keep your online friends in the loop. It’s a cycle.

And that's from just two days here. Imagine what a wealth of knowledge you will have gained by the end of the year.
Well, I'm off to bed. I have my first morning class tomorrow, ugh.

Miss you all. Stay in touch. See you soon.

First Impressions

I've always heard first impressions are everything. They dictate how people will see you later on and how willing they will be to call themselves your "friend." So far, based on first impressions alone, the people here are decent. My roommate is a funny guy who has introduced me to some equaly-hilarious websites. He is a gamer. I am not. But other than that we get along fine. Frankly speaking, I am definitly at a disadvantage for not being into gaming (or drinking, or partying). Everyone here is, oh well. Today is a low-key day. Not much is going on anywhere on campus until later on tonight. CCAD is hosting an 80's Night (yippie) after our Housing Orientation. It should be interesting. Needless to say, I do not own any eighties-style clothing, and even if I did, I would not have thought to bring it here.

By chance, I walk down to lobby eariler today and a group of people were sitting around watching a movie. I sat down awkwardly only to realize that the movie was "Drumline." I smiled. A good omen. I miss band a lot, not only the people but the activity, the sense of accomplishment. So far, all I have accomplished is getting the mini-fridge to work. I'm looking forward to classes. Maybe then, I will have something to keep my mind from shutting itself down from boredom.

Sam moved in today. It's great to see a familiar face, however briefly.
Miss you all. Stay in touch. See you soon.

Thirteen - Seven

BV played their first game of the season tonight against Galion. First of all, I propose that Mike Goebel personally pay for the tank of gas it took to drive to GHS. It's his fault, after all, that BV no longer plays Hayes at the beginning of each season (but that will all change, soon). It was hot, ninety-three degrees at kickoff. By the time dad and I found a parking spot, BV had already scored. It was an odd feeling to hear the fight-song from afar, but it sounded good and I was happy.

For the first game of the season and fresh from a brutally hot two weeks at camp, the band sounded great. Three sousaphones and something like five trombones can work wonders for a band their size. I was pleasantly surprised at how many fellow graduates I saw sitting in the stands and at how warmly I was welcomed. Mattea is doing great as Field Commandress (I like that term) and it seems as though the rest of the band thinks so to. I feel like a proud parent. It was great to see Casey, Anna, Heidi, Davey and Lee one last time before the move. We sat through the second half together "watching the game" and coaxing one of the field lights to catch fire (it did send sparks raining down onto Galion's band, after which they moved seats). I also had a laugh with Zandra, Emily and Anita about Kirby apparently "liking your mama." You had to be there. I lamented the loss of all the "Pirates" music I had arranged and saved on my now-dead computer with Mick. He's a great kid and really talented. I also had the rare chance of seeing a wizard's duel behind the concession stands during which Emily Expeliarmused Davey even after having just been AK'd by him. You had to be there for that too.

The game was delayed for about forty-five minutes do to the looming threat of storms that never came. I was glad, it was a prime opportunity for some last-minute banter amongst friends. BV won, by the way, thirteen - seven. Go Barons.

Unfortunately the evening ended on a less-than-happy note. Andrew was taken to Marion Hospital after passing out on the bus ride home. He had evidently been given permission to march but the strain and lack of water had proven too much. As much as he can annoy me at times, I do hope he's okay and that he realizes his health and safety should come first. The bus pulled into the high school at 12:30-something and everyone piled off. The goodbyes were as strained and as awkward as usual but the facts are beginning to sink in: Today's the day.

My next post will be from the campus of the Columbus College of Art & Design...God help me.
Miss you all. Stay in touch. See you soon.

Move-In: Day One

Today we loaded up the PT and headed for Columbus. Surprisingly, everything fit easily into the back of the car so loading and unloading was a breeze. It would have been more of a breeze had there actually been one. The thermometer on the dashboard remained at a stubborn and stifling 95 degrees the entire morning. The RA's were out in full force from the minute we got there. They are extraordinarily helpful people; it's almost un-natural but I was glad they were there. In no time the bed was made, the fridge was unpacked and the windows were open. The dorms are supposedly air-conditioned; perhaps the heat was just so great that whatever draft of conditioned air came from the vent was immediately re-heated because by the time we were finished we were mopping sweat from our foreheads. Mom and I ventured around the city refusing to admit that we had no idea where we actually were. Eventually we wound up at a Target where we stocked up on all the necessities: chips, Dr. Pepper, Purell and Oust. After lunching at Don Pablo’s* we found our way back to CCAD to pick up the much-talked-about Freshman Supply Kit. Dear God. In my mind I was picturing a small bag of what I could only assume would be colored pencils, pens and a tray of Crayola watercolors. I was grossly mistaken. The Freshman Supply Kit consisted of no less than three stove-top sized boxes, two bags and a tackle box full of goodies. We also received a textbook and two blank CD's. So, by the end of the day, the PT was hauling over 1,300 dollars worth of essentials. Luckily the locks work.

We head back Saturday for the final plunge. Wish me luck.
Miss you all. Stay in touch. See you soon.

*Does it bother anyone else that most “Mexican” Restaurants show possession with an apostrophe?

Mac-Daddy

Wow. That's really all I have to say.

I picked up my MacBook today and after only two hours of play-time I am in awe. Their ads don't lie; Macs really are clean, simple, easy and fun. Right now, I am still in the investigatory stage, clicking around, still discovering what everything does. iChat is amazing. Is it sad that I derive so much pleasure out of the fact that an instant messaging service has spell-check? My heart leapt with joy when I saw that little red line appear under "Haha." What's even better is that the spell-checker adapts to your IM slang; so when you frequently use "Haha," it decides that you obviously mean to spell it that way and stops underlining it. From what I've heard, the great thing about Macs is that they assume you are a bright person. Unlike PC's they don't ask you the same questions over and over looking for reassurance that you know what you're talking about, they assume that you do, which is nice.

Unfortunately, my Photoshop CS3 had a few strings attached and therefore won't ship until the middle of next month, which I guess is okay seeing as I won't have much time for it anyway. I move in today, which is a little unnerving. I don't have everything ready; I've been in a kind of denial, as of late but it's ebbing away slowly, gradually revealing the reality of the situation. It only just recently hit me how much I will, in fact, miss my family (which had a lot to do with the aforementioned denial). I knew all along that I would miss my friends, I've been with you day in and day out for so long but the thought of life without an Emily to joke around with, a mom to talk to or a dad to be there for me is staggering. Liberating, yes, but sad too. I'm excited to see just what dorm-life entails. I have a lot of pre-conceived notions that I hope (for my sanity's sake) are false. We shall soon see.

Well, today's a big day and much rest is needed (although putting down this laptop is tough).
As always, miss you all, stay in touch, see you soon.

A Final, Yet Not-So-Final, Farewell

Be forewarned: Melancholy makes an prominent appearance in this post.

Today was Melissa's last real day in Ohio, well, by know it was yesterday. We met up at BV one last time. I played the piano as she sat, like always, on top. I tried to force my fingers to play something happy, a jaunty tune to lighten the mood, but they would only play slow, minor chords of sorrow. We sat for a while, thinking the same thoughts; its over, these are the last moments. The whole reason we were there was for goodbyes and last hugs. As the band waded back into the band room we received happy welcomes and smiles from the group which I gladly returned. The mere fact that they didn't hate us for coming back was enough to put a smile on my face. Afterward, Emily, Melissa, Casey and I stopped at Rocky's to cool down and reminisce. We talked over Gelatis for a good hour-and-a-half but it could have been the blink of and eye. I've found that time flies not only when you're having fun but when you least want it to. Reluctantly, we made our way back to the car for what would be the final meeting of this small family.

Saying goodbye is, perhaps, the hardest thing I have had to do. It's funny, when you picture a final farewell, every word is perfect and the strings swell to a heart-wrenching crescendo as you go your separate ways. In reality, we are all working so hard not to break down emotionally; the most I could manage was a feeble hug and an, "I'll miss you," comparatively, pretty lame. Emily and I sank into the car, trying our best not to impede on what we both wanted to be a personal moment. And so, one brother and sister left another to say what needed to be said.

The ride home was silent except for the occasional sigh or sniff. I was glad, I was in no mood to talk. That was it. It was over. Or was it?

It is important to remember this: the ones who love us never really leave us. If we truly want to stay close, we will. That doesn't mean stopping time and refusing to move forward, it means carrying on, living life, always remembering that blood is thicker that water, after all, we are family.

Memories: Now Playing

I was told that my blog is melancholy so, in an effort to reduce the amount of melancholyness, I will do my best to stay positive. I will also do my best to make these more regular.

Melissa, Carie, Heidi and I went to the Mean Bean tonight in a last-stitch attempt at memory-making before we all head our separate directions. Nathan was there (in photographic form) too. The night consisted of two lattes, two hot chocolates, two good phones, two crap phones, puddle-jumping, wet bushes, a Brown Jug bathroom break and Moulin Rouge. Quite the combination. It amazes me how easily good times come to us. I guess that is to be expected after so many years of friendship and shared memories. Memories will come in handy in college; familiar little wafts of happiness that crop up every once-in-a-while to remind us home and the way things used to be. Luckily for me, most of my memories sit happily in my iPod in the form of music. Whenever I push play the songs follow bring back sensations of time and place, feelings, emotions and memories. For example:

• Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End will forever remind me of an amazing day at Cedar Point and night with a group of twenty-something of my closest friends at the movies.
• Star Wars: Episode II, Attack of the Clones brings back memories of sophomore year, reading Edith Hamilton's Mythology for Enriched English (every book I read must have its own soundtrack Mythology's happened to be this).
• Wicked is riding in the car with Emily on our way to Chicago to see the play, reveling in the greatness of the music. It is also junior year during the stint where the band was playing it and the show choir was singing it.
• Hairspray is great times in the Visions combo, beehive wigs, Casey's valiant attempts at being suave and Lee's accidental impersonation of Duane.
• Superman is band camp freshman year, touching my toes and thanking God for giving me food. It is also Tony's solo sophomore year and our kick-ass senior show.
• The Chronicles of Narnia is the amazing time junior year during which I read that series and the magical Christmas that followed. It is sleepy bus rides and dreary winter mornings at Larry Lukas' plaque.
• Moulin Rouge is prom, junior year. Of course.
• West Side Story is my first days as field commander, waking up at odd hours of the night, conducting Maria/Cool or One Hand, One Heart. It is also jazz band; frantic, fun-filled attempts at Mambo up to tempo; covert excursions to the DECA store and Vince on the woodblock.
• The Beatles: Love is band, my amazing senior year; painting the concession stand with Zandra and Anita and glee-filled, post-win joyrides to B-Dubs with Emily and the crew.
• Duel of the Fates is pep band, more specifically "Broom Wars."
• Friends in Low Places is us, our group from our humble beginnings to present day; that song will always bring me home.

So many great memories and I am so lucky that they are all at my fingertips, ready at the push of a button. I have no doubt that they will all resurface at some point over the next year and the idea of that is exciting.

Bridges

It sounds so cliché, "I am about to begin a new chapter of my life, to do new things, go new places and make new friends," but it's true. But to be perfectly honest, I like the chapter I'm in right now just fine, thank you. I am ready to start school, to do what I love, to learn and grow. I am even looking somewhat forward to living on-campus, close to my school and its resources. I am excited for the classes, to see how different they are and to find a routine again. I'm not nervous about school anymore. I will be fine, I'm sure.

That being said, I can't help but ask myself, is it selfish that the thing I want more than anything is for time to stop? Is it wrong that so many of my best friends are still in high school? Is it wrong for me to still be around? I don't mean to intrude or seem pathetic but it feels like I am. I used to hate it when graduates would hang around with us; they were lame. Why am I any different? I almost wish someone would call me out, tell me to get lost, to go home, so I could at least know that I'm not wanted, so I can begin to move on. I like to think I'm wanted, and people say that I am, but if it's true, why do I feel so guilty?

I guess, like everyone, I am going to have to let go. But letting go means being swept off into the abyss, far from the people and places I know and love. What's worse is that I will not far from home, less than 45 minutes away: close enough to see everyone once-in-a-while, but too far to keep some bridges from crumbling. And it's the bridges I'm worried most about crumbling (ironically, some of the newest ones) that I want most to maintain.

Come September we will all be busy, fitting in to weird, new places or enjoying our time in old, familiar ones but I am asking, as a friend who will be checking his inbox by the hour, please write. Even if it's just a few sentences, that contact will keep me sane and will keep even the most strained bridges from breaking.

Fatal Error

Ugh. My computer has finally given up. Coming home today, I noticed it was acting a bit odd. There was a scary, scraping, clicking noise issuing from deep within the tower and IE could barely stay open for five minutes at a time. I restarted (the correct way, even) and that must have been the final straw. Now, it can't even make it past the initial start up. Dad is running some diagnostic software, trying to figure out just what went (or is going) wrong. Oh well, it just must have been it's time. It's seen a lot, my old computer: over seven years, thousands of Photoshop files, hundreds of music files, and two whole site re-designs for BV.

Luckily, I'm close to getting my MacBook which will mean a new chapter in my tech life.

It's just sad because this crash couldn't have happened at a worse time; I'd like, now more than ever, to communicate, to maintain friendships and stay connected. Oh well, such is life.

The Agony of Defeat

I'm not going to sulk. It failed, by a lot. Oh well. I guess I was right in assuming that no matter how big the need, some people just can't find it in themselves to give a little for the greater good. It's a shame, really.

The End.

BV Horizon

Well folks, it's up. The new BV website design took it's first breath of fresh air about three hours ago after being cooped up in my PC for more than two months. It is entitled BV Horizon because, from a visual standpoint it is much cleaner, much clearer as if you were standing on a mountaintop gazing off into the horizon. Ha! What a load of crap. I named it that because it sounded cool (sort of like Windows Vista).

Naming aside, I really hope you like what we've been able to cook up. The look is definitely different but better, I think. We're still converting some pages to the new style but all-in-all, things are looking good. If, while poking around, you come across anything that doesn't work or is wrong or missing, you can bypass the Feedback Form and come straight to me through the comments of this post. A little praise wouldn't hurt either.

We need content, bad. So if you (or your parents, or anyone you know for that matter) would like to become a regular contributor to the site, please let me know. This means you would send us pictures, briefs, game scores, concert dates; you name it, we need it. Even if it means a few pictures and the score from the football games each week, any help is appreciated immensely.

So, browse around, try the BVSearch, check for spelling mistakes (!) but most of all, don't be afraid to have some pride in your school.