Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Notes, Observations, and Other Eccentricities

This is a hodge-podge post because I have stuff to say, but not really. So here we go. I think I'll order these according to category, because I'm a freak like that.

Notes - I got accepted into The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham. It's gonna be a switch, for sure. I'm torn, because I do want to go there. I do. It's just that I had absolutely zero doubt that I would get in, so I feel like it wasn't a big enough challenge, which is kind of disappointing. But that's just me being retarded. It should be a great school (expensive, though).

Observations - Rebecca got braces. She keeps complaining that her teeth hurt and that she can't talk, but as far as I can tell she's talking as much as ever.

Eccentricities - Anna is running around singing Man in the Mirror because she thinks she's black. That's ok, Michael Jackson thought he was white.

Notes - Quotables coming soon.

Observations - It's weird when you're not friends with someone and then all of a sudden you are, apparently, and you're like, "Hey, we're not friends, I didn't approve of this! Why are we friends? Who says?"

Eccentricities - Virginia has got to be the most forgetful person in the world. We had this conversation in the car today:

KB: The drive-in has Avatar.
VA: I know. I saw that when Mommy and I were driving up here.
Later, as we pass the drive-in:
VA: *mumbles something that sounds suspiciously like, "Hey they have Avatar."*
KB: What?
VA: Um. I was going to say they had Avatar... but then I remembered you'd just told me that.
KB: And when I told you, you said you already knew!
VA: Oh yeah... man, I forgot and then I forgot that I forgot!

I rest my case.

Notes - I haven't gotten more than about five or six hours of sleep in the last three nights. I'm dead tired.

Observations - I worked out for a full hour and a half at the gym yesterday. It felt awesome and today I can't move. It still feels awesome, but it's inconvenient when I try to do complicated things like walking.

Eccentricities - Today I had to go to the scholarship ceremony at school. This definitely counts as eccentric.

Notes - The dog is giving himself a bath behind me and it's gross.

Observations - It's high time I had a photo shoot. Who wants to help?

Eccentricities - I am a banana. (My spoon is too big.)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

How to Write an Essay 101

I guess it's bad when your dad (of all people) tells you a few times a week that "you haven't posted since DECEMBER 28TH." Yeah, well... well... well nothin', I just didn't.

Sorry.

Tonight, rather than actually writing my admissions essay (due tomorrow), I'd like to teach y'all how to write one, which I think we can all agree is much more fun.

While I do it I'll watch Emma so I can feel like I'm actually accomplishing things.

(Don't worry. I really will write the essay tonight.)

Ok. I'm all set, so here we go. Please listen closely.

Essays Made Easy

1. First of all, you have to read the essay assignment. This part is kind of important since it allows you to actually write an essay that will not be immediately throw in the trash (we hope).

We'll take my essay assignment as an example.
What degree are you seeking at The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham, why do you want this degree, and how do you expect your education from the Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham to help you obtain your career goals?
2. Second, you should probably check the word requirement to see how long your essay has to be. Make sure you know whether the number refers to words or characters, and whether it means with or without spaces. This will keep you from writing like seven million words and having to cut out about three million when you find out at the last minute that you were supposed to be writing with a character limit, not a word limit. Not that it happened to me personally or anything.

Fortunately the essay I'm supposed to be writing right now is "about 150 words, give or take." I'm glad AI is so specific.

3. Brainstorming comes next. This is when you really get down to business and start getting stuff done. Personally, I printed out the essay question and wrote down ideas underneath. I'll show you my list, so you can get an idea of how to do it really well.

What degree are you seeking at The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham, why do you want this degree, and how do you expect your education from The Art Institute of Raleigh-Durham to help you obtain your career goals?

(In blue pen):

Graphic design b/c I want to be a graphic designer (design what?). CD's, posters, promotional art, clothing graphics, life (so there).

AI will help by:
- Giving me experience to visualize what the client wants
- Teaching me to complete a project for web and print
- Teaching me diff. aspects of design (type, color, composition)
- Putting me in debt for the rest of my life
- Stealing my soul
- Exposing me to freaks of every disposition
- Taking all my money
- Allowing me to finish college faster
- Crunching my classes into two days
- Did I mention taking all my money?
- Probably traumatizing me b/c Durham is such a hellhole
- But then, so is Henderson
- Dante had obviously been to Durham
- Durham was probably his inspiration, actually
- Don't even try to tell me it isn't true
- Btw i luv art
- Please don't take all that money
- I needs it

(Flip page):

But really... (what do they expect from 150 words anyway? Come on.)

Computer, here I come.
Hm. Well, I started out alright.