The Final Countdown

Ladies and Gentlemen...The Video You've Been Waiting For!

Don't Dream Its Over

For those that do not live in the central PA area, you may not be aware of the man behind the candy bar, the Hershey candy bar.

He was born and raised in the Hershey area, which wasn't yet called Hershey since it was named after him. When he was young, he learned to make candy from a local man and then went abroad to learn more from the European masters. He then built the factory that stands in Hershey, PA today with the vision of having the ideal community surrounding the plant. This town would have comfortable homes and public transportation for the employees of the plant, a public school system as well as recreational and cultural activities for the community. It was that vision that created Hersheypark that is still in operation today as well as the Hershey Theater which is one of the most stunning theaters I've ever been in. The picture below with the clouds, that's inside the theater, the clouds move over the ceiling in the dark and in the light!

He also created a home for orphaned boys since he and his wife were unable to have children. This school as well is still in existance today. Though (I don't believe) it's only for boys anymore. Along with all these philanthropic endeavors, he built the Hotel Hershey (my favorite place to get dipped in chocolate), the rose gardens and the Hershey Museum. Hey, maybe I can work there!!

One thing I love about driving through Hershey, besides her Hershey Kiss street lights, is the smell that comes out of the factory when chocolate is being made. I remember my father taking me to the factory for a tour, but like Willie Wonka, they closed the factory to the outside many years ago. You can get pseudo tour by going to Hershey Chocolate World nearby, but it's just not the same.

It seems thought that the desire for profit and cheap labor far outweigh the desire to see Mr. Hershey's dream through. The Hershey Company has decided to close several of its plants; one in California, one in Reading, PA and one in Connecticut so that our neighbors to the south (Mexico) may have jobs and make the candy many of us love to eat. So much for having a dream.

Big Day

Today is important for a couple of reasons. First, it's the last day of classes. Second, I have two presentations to do today. One is in my Color: Culture and Context class. I will be discussing the paper I did on the color orange and its usage mainly throughout art history. My thoughts and words were artfully put into video format for me by Mr. Dorman. The video rocks!!! I cannot wait for the class to see it.

My second presentation is based on the semester-long research I did on female patrons of architecture in late-Renaissance Italy. This presentation is open to anyone who wants to come including all the art and art history department professors. I hope they go easy on me!

Honey, have a drink ready for me when I get home, I think I'm going to need one!

I often don't think about age, other peoples or my own. I don't really think I look or act like a 40 year old, though sometimes in my classes my age becomes apparent, at least to me. Most of my days are spent in class rooms with twenty-somethings whose favorite word is "like." I find myself counting the number of times people say the word "like" in their presentations. Yesterday's count was only 12 in 5 minutes. I think that may be the smallest amount ever recorded. It may be true that I could be the oldest person in my graduating class, but I'm not sure about that. I don't really want to know. Just in case you thought I've forgotten, I have exactly 15 days till graduation. I'm finishing up all my writing projects today. I have one final test tomorrow, two presentations on Tuesday and a final the following week. After next Tuesday I'm home free!!!

I bet the lady I read about today feels the same way. I read today about Nola Ochs who lives in Hays, Kansas and will be 95 years old when she receives her college diploma on May 12 from Fort Hays State University. This lady actually moved from her farm to an apartment on campus to finish her final 30 hours of classes. I bet she was a hit at the frat parties too!!!

Class of 2007 ROCKS!!

One Cranky Samurai

In my East Asian art class, groups of us are doing presentations on specific aspects of the Asian culture. Today we saw presentations on Sushi, chopsticks and theater masks. My group is going to present on Thursday and our subject is Origami. A few days ago, we sat down to review the slides and each of us made a small samurai hat. I couldn't resist putting it on all the animals heads (including NittanyBri.) Surprisingly, the one that I thought would immediately shake off the hat is the one that left it on long enough for me to take a picture. I hope we can include it in our presentation on Thursday. Her face says it all!

Raising the Bar

As you may have read, Dean had his first art show this past weekend. His pics looked great with fabulous frames that he and his prettier half painstakingly selected. And with that, he has raised the bar. I felt compelled to go out and buy frames for my pics as well since we'll be in a show together in a couple of weeks. That is what is great about being around creative people. They give you ideas, sometimes one's you never thought of before and they challenge you to be better at your craft.

Thanks Deano!

I can think back at a time when I was drawing just for the fun of it, as opposed to doing it for a class project, and writing poetry. The people I kept company with certainly helped to perpetuate the creativity. Then, there were times when just the opposite happened. No creative juices were flowing. Ugh, hate that!

Family functions with NittanyBri's family really get the creative juices going. It seems everyone in his family his very talented in one thing or another. There is a costume designer for the theater, someone who makes furniture, another that makes fabulous purses, an interior designer, a graphic artist, massage therapist, and an art historian. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone.

I feel I have to make something now.

Love Your Mother

One Smart Cookie

I had commented recently on Bone's blog that NittanyBri had made his own TiVo or DVR type thingy. Bone had asked for the details which I am not qualified to give. It consists of a black box with lights and buttons and an antenna. There's a keyboard and mouse involved, and is why I think it may be nuclear weaponry but I'm not completely sure. To record a program, a Windows screen comes up on the t.v. From that point, I have no clue.

The homemade TiVo came in handy recently as I had a little bit of a scare when I went to turn on the laptop and nothing happened. No biggie at first till I began to think of all the papers I had saved on that hard drive that were going to be due in the next couple of weeks. My half hour drive to school in the morning consisted of me coming up with the worst case scenarios of rewritting from scratch the papers I could no longer access on the laptop.

I contacted my own personal help desk who was able to calm my fears. Later that night, out came the screwdrivers and gadetry and the laptop was disassembled, removed the hard drive and hooked it up to the "nuclear weaponry" which copied my papers from the laptop hard drive to my iPod. Whew!! I'm relieved! NittanyBri saved the day!

Non-Weekend Update

It's hard to imagine when my professors say things like our final projects are due "next week." The end of the semester is approaching so quickly. I actually think I may need my head examined. I was on line yesterday looking at grad schools and I don't think I ever want to have a serious, full time job ever again. I'm having too much fun!

This weekend is Dean's first art show. I can't wait to see what he's done with his photographs. If you've never seen them for your self check out his blog. He and I will be in an art show together at the beginning of May in New Cumberland, PA.

Can't wait to see tonights American Idol, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Sanjaya gets the boot finally. The jokes over, no more voting for him to keep him on the show. I think Simon may hurt him if he stays on much longer.

Beach trip numero uno is being planned. It's an early one this year for a friends 50th birthday. I wouldn't want to miss a party of that magnitude!! It will be celebrated in several states and cities and locations. One celebration location will be here. This place is so much fun, everyone should go at least once!

I seriously need to get working on my flower beds and yard. It's looking kinda crappy. I wish the weather would give me a break and get sunny and warm...for many reasons. My neighbors have mowed their lawn for the first time already. That just makes my lawn look even worse. Thanks neighbors!

"You've already won me over in spite of me

And don't be alarmed if I fall head over feet

Don't be surprised if I love you for all that you are

I couldn't help it

It's all your fault."

Happy Anniversary, Baby!

I love you!

Happy Friday the 13th

Hopefully none of you have the dreaded triskaideckaphobia, but if you do, I'll will bring some sunshine to you otherwise creeped out day.

(Say this next sentance in your best German accent) Now is the time on Graven Images when we act jealous....today is the last day of work for both my sister and her husband! Retiring early, what more can one ask for? My sister's a regular reader though she never leaves any comments. I'm not making her up, I swear! So, happy retirement to you guys!

Today is also a birthday of a friend of mine..it's the big Four-Oh for him today. Happy Birthday Brian (not to be confused with NittanyBri, he's got a few more years before the big Four-Oh.)

How Much Stress Is Too Much Stress?

I'm feeling a little....stressed. There are exactly 32 days until graduation. I can't wait! That is not to say that I'm not having fun with projects due, homework, papers, working (rarely), pets fighting, pets peeing, friends needing help, family members retiring and boyfriends getting sick. I am having fun and realize this fun will abruptly stop in exactly 32 days as well. So, for now, I'm going to go take a deep breath before I look like this....

Happy Easter!

Dutchland Rollers

When I was a kid I remember watching roller derby on t.v. There was tripping, pushing, shoving, falling, elbowing and hair pulling during a bout. I don't quite remember what I thought about it then, but it sure sounds like fun now!!

NittanyBri's sister and cousin skate for the Dutchland Rollers which is a ladies (and I use that term loosely) roller derby which has had a resurgence around here. I will be going to my first bout, just as a spectator, on April 21. I've seen the bumps and bruises, I think it's going to be fun! I love the artwork on this poster, don't you?

For those of you not familiar with Rumspringa, it is part of the Amish culture which allows the teens to be free from the rules of the church. This allows them to become informed adults about the good, bad and the ugly outside the Amish way of life. They are permitted to drink, smoke, dance, stay out all night and yes, have sex. At the end of Rumspringa, they decide whether they want to return to the Amish way of life or be shunned by their family and be part of the "English" (that's you and me.) You may be thinking who would want to return to a life of buggy's and no electricity? Surprisingly, the drop out rate from the Amish way of life is very low.

Gonna Fly Now

Sunday NittanyBri and I took a trip to the City of Brotherly Love. Which is such a joke since most of the people in Philadelphia (Phila) would rather not look at you let alone love you. Sorry to our friends the Keeners, they live near Phila and are not like that!

Anyway, I had a project to do for my Asian Art class so, we went to the Phila Art Museum in hopes of finding something to write a paper about. I had something specific in mind, but I didn't find it at the Phila Museum. But, I shall write about the Japanese Tea House that was set up in full there. You can see a full shot of it on the museum web site. Here are a couple of my pics.













For our trip, which my class made on Saturday to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC, we wore our specially made t-shirts which had a boar on the front, because it is the year of the boar and Chinese script on the back. The saying on the front of the shirt was developed by doing a "Chinese whisper." You've probably done it at one time or another; one person says a phrase and whispers it to the person next to them and so on till it gets to the end of the group. This is also a good exercise in why you shouldn't gossip because the end phrase is nothing like the phrase when it started. Our phrase that what was written on the front of the shirt and said, "Your friends are only in your imagination."

I did mention to a couple of you that I would be on the "Rocky" steps because it is in the first Rocky movie that Sly Stallone runs up the steps of the Phila Art Museum as part of his workout. Well, I didn't exactly run the steps. I walked down the steps but did get a picture of me and Rocky.

Birthday Party Revisited

You may remember back in November a certain special person threw a particularly fantastic birthday party for me in honor of my 29th birthday. You all remember that, RIGHT???

I just got some pictures from a friend. We all had a good laugh again over these. There were quite a few other people at the party, but they must have been inside acting like normal people. So, these are the few, the proud, the abnormal.

This was the pre-party "book club" guise used to get me out of the house for the day. These are my wonderful friends a.k.a. "the usual suspects." Arriving in style... This was a little scary....had no idea where I was, or who was there. It could have been a firing squad!

My friend Stacy's little girl Sophia. The first and very best hug of the night!
Yes, that is a tiara, don't act shocked!

Dancing Queens....

Stacey, Vicki and Renee in their "prom gowns."

Nanook of the north....geesh.You can tell I saved the best for last. It's easy to tell this was late in the evening. Yes, those are my two favorite soldiers, one looking mysteriously like Don Johnson and the other with red, painted toenails.

Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?

Has anyone been watching this show? It's hosted by Jeff Foxworthy and has made me really wonder how I'm about to get a college degree and don't know any of this stuff. Did I really learn all this stuff by fifth grade? Here are some of the questions:

1. How many months out of the year have 31 days?

2. If the diameter of a circle is 4 then the radius is what?

3. What is the only continent that is also a country?

4. Is the United States in the eastern hemisphere?

5. If y=3x and 3x=12, what does y equal?



Answers:
1. 7
2. 2
3. Australia
4. No!
5. y=12

So, how'd ya do???

On the First Day of Spring

I've just decided that if I'm ever in a band, I'm going to name the band The Shams. So people can say "boy, do those Shams rock?!?" You didn't see that one coming did you?

Happily today was the first day of spring but there is still snow on the ground from last Friday when we got socked with a pretty decent snow storm which ultimately cancled my Saturday class which was fine with me. I had a home full of guests so we got to start our St. Patrick's Day fun a little early. And, Briguy made it home to party with the girls as well.

I was hoping today would be a little warmer than it was but the dog and I went out for a long walk after lunch. The snow was melting so there were lots of puddles and mud. Jasmine tried to walk over a puddle that had a thin layer of ice on the top which she fell through. The sun was warm but the wind was cold. I hate wind, unless it's a breeze off the ocean and it's 80 degrees outside.

Happy Spring!

Play Dead

OK, I'm on to them, now I know what I need to do to get an upgrade on British Airways.