The stockings are hung by the fireplace and there's a nice smelling tree in the house but I still need to bake pies and decorate things

There's something smelly going on with the dog, and we need to do something about it immediately.  But that's not the purpose of this post.  I'm gonna take a second and brag about my grades for once:

Fundamentals of Design: A

Professional Practices in Art: A

Honors Thesis: A

Senior Seminar: A

Statistics: A

For winter term, I'm taking my upper-level GST (Plants and Civilization...should be neat).  These are the classes I'm taking in the Spring:

Advanced Projects in Ceramics

Honors Thesis

Art History III Cathedrals/Conquest

Installation Art

Senior Seminar

Whitewater Canoeing

Piano

It should be busy, but EXTREMELY fun.  I'm especially excited about the installation art class and the whitewater canoeing.  I just got the syllabus from that class a couple of weeks ago and my professor (coach, haha) said that some practices will be taking place in school lakes.  That makes me nervous because of all the stories I've heard about people getting e. coli from polar-bear-plunging into the waters.  I guess as long as I don't fall in, I'll be okay.  After all, it's canoeing, not kayaking (though I strongly wish there was a kayak class).

In other news, Rachael is officially done with school.  I'm jealous, but not jealous at the same time because I have a lot of loose ends to fix up this Spring.  I'm excited to see her this break and go to her graduation!  Now I've got to do some holiday shopping/make myself poor again.

Love,

Monica

P.S.  My artist website, for any that are interested:  My "website"

I'm a busy, busy bee these days

It's exam time again and, therefore, this blog has been and will be dead at least for another few days.  The hiatus will be over soon.  I promise*!  For now, things that are cool:

1)  I'm officially a returning-counselor at Camp Royall next summer!

2)  Related:  I'm officially a counselor for Camp Royall's first installment of Winter Camp.

3)  Exams are going well and quickly.

4)  Jenna made us Chocolate Chess Pie and I've been eating it at inappropriate times, like at breakfast and in bed.

5)  I think one of these days I'm going to be a walk-in at the Chess club meeting.

6)  There's an Elon area running club (God knows I've been looking for a running club since I got here) and I can finally join this winter term.

7)  My hamster is still alive.

A thing that isn't cool:

1)  I've got Paul for secret Santa (pretty sure he doesn't read this blog).  Any ideas?

Love,

Monica

*I feel like I've made at least four or five promises here.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NICHOLAS!

19 years young, really?

Bellybuttom Academia

Going to pick Nick (haha sounds like picnic) up at the Naval Academy today.  I'm pretty excited.  He hasn't seen my new hair yet, and I've already prepared myself for lots of comparisons to men and/or boys.  It's only fair, though.  He probably gets lots of comparisons to women and/or girls at school (Photo: I'm on the right, he's on the left...just kidding).

Love,

Monica

P.S. The dog took my bra from my room this morning and left it on the stairs.  He's a real lady's man.

Flying high

I finished working on these (above and below) before I left today.

And took these pictures before landing in Baltimore.

Now I'm home, after eating Korean tofu soup, hanging out with the new dog (he's sweet).

Big wheels keep on turnin

I'm Finally Done

with this painting assignment.  Here are the results.  The blue one is kinda spooky and off.  But I like the yellow one, especially because I think it looks a lot like my mommy.

Here they are next to each other, mounted: