Senioritis sets in

We finished the storybook project!! That means our books are cut, glued, bound, and ready for the senior show! It's unbelievable! I almost cried when I saw Lilo's book finally get bound. It was beautiful.

To celebrate, my class went for sake & sushi together on Sunday. Our teacher said that we are probably the closest, most caring (of each other) class they've had in a long time, maybe ever. I can believe that, and I'm sure we will feel a big void when school is over, even though we will be so happy to be done.

If you want to see the amazing plush toys, plastic models, storybooks, designs, and sketches we've worked so hard on for the last two years, I finally have dates for the show:

May 7 - May 19 at the FIT Museum.

It's a short run so don't miss it!

I graduate May 19, and I think my class will probably celebrate later that night with some booze & drinking. I cannot wait!

But I do have 21 more days of school to go... which appears to be a losing battle with Senioritis. I still have an art history quiz, 2 art history final exams, an art history paper, a new toy design, a print ad, a game design, a law final, and the rest of my portfolio to assemble. And then I will be set FREE!

Ouch.

I had to pull yet another all-nighter. I was working on a packaging design assignment, and I barely finished another game design this afternoon, right at the end of class.

I would like to catch up on sleep now, but alas, I still have to illustrate the final touches on my storybook tonight, as tomorrow is the last day I can print and cut up the pages before our whole class goes to school this weekend to bind the books.

I could be out dancing tonight with my out-of-town friends at my favorite 80s night in NYC, at Sway. But instead I will be home, eating takeout and sweeping my little wacom pen around. This is my life for another month! ARgh. So close, yet so far away!!

And lately, I have to admit: I especially tired of being at school. My classmates still ask me if I am staying to work after class. But don't they know by now that I don't like to do that unless I really have to?

Perhaps it's a little bit of "senioritis." But also, frankly, after spending 7 days a week with the same extended-adolescent people morning 'til night, I need a break from them. It's like they've become my new family, but sometimes you need to get away from your own family, you know?

I really REALLY miss my alone time, AND I miss my other (grown-up) friends and relatives who I never get to see, so if I have free time, I'm probably going to give that time to those other friends/relatives or to myself. Classmates, I'm sure I'll miss you later when we finally get jobs and stuff, but I do need my space. Please understand. xoxo.

Not-so-bad weekend

The weekend work schedule was not as horrific as I thought it would be, and in fact we did not use exacto knives that much. We had a set of very easy-to-use mat-cutters. And my classmates were mostly even hospitable and helping each other out. Remarkable!

And on Saturday, we ended our book production earlier than I thought (!!!), so I was able to go outside and enjoy some warm sunshine. I enjoyed a lovely Banh Mi (aka Vietnamese Hoagie) in my neighborhood, and then walked up to Soho to join a couple classmates on their first trip to the new Topshop. We used our 10% student discounts, and I bought an adorable silk dress in a rainbow heart print (where to wear this???) that wasn't available in my size the last time I was there, and Lilo bought a rainbow leopard print top, a neon pink beanie, and purple shoes.

Then I stopped for a strawberry shortcake ice cream bar at the Mr. Softee truck on the way home. When I got home, I had never seen our apartment look so clean! My roommate had prepped for a lovely Supper Club party. This time, I was finally available to join her at one of her soirees, and prove to her friends that she did have a roommate, and is not just oddly psycho about having far too many toys for a 30-something adult.

Of course, by Sunday, the the temps returned to the 50s. Sniff. And now I am back to another week of crazy work. I'm still finishing up my storybook, among all the work I have to do for all my other classes and the Senior Show. But first, I will get some more sleep. Yay.

(Fifi Lapin image wearing the dress I bought, from Topshop)

Hello and Goodbye 70s.

Yay, Saturday is supposed to hit 70-degree weather in NYC!

Too bad I'll be at school all day, fighting for printer time, gluing, and hand-binding books with classmates who are about to kill each other. This could be dangerous, considering we'll be going through a high volume of exacto knife blades. Oh yes, we're doing this on Sunday too.

Just one more month of this ridiculous program. I hope I don't lose it. I already sense some of my classmates losing it now.

Un-springy break.

Monday:
I stayed in my room all day, working on my storybook project, except to escape for my lunch break, upon which I found another Vietnamese sandwich shop super close to me! They also sell lotto tickets, cigarettes, and Vietnamese dvds and karaoke cds.

Tuesday:
I went to school, to submit some of my storybook art for the senior show. They'll be blown up, extra large for display.

I worked some more on the book for the rest of the day, and emailed "Mr. Fantastic" some of my toy designs, since he had asked about them.

Wednesday:
I worked at home in the morning, when my roommate pointed out that it had snowed outside. SNOW! In April. Really, New York?

Headed back to school in the afternoon to work some more, until after 9pm. When I left school, almost my whole class was still there, working! During spring break! Appalling, no? Meanwhile, my friends with and without jobs are all traveling to places like Columbia, Tokyo, Paris, New Zealand, and Switzerland. What is WRONG with this picture!?

So if you're thinking about going to Toy Design school here, consider whether you want to say goodbye to your vacations. Bad idea jeans!

Then I got an email response from Mr. Fantastic, who liked my toy designs. He asked if I was free Friday. But then I replied to him that another night would be better because my friend's birthday is that night.

Betsey Johnson shoes arrived in the mail from Zappos, and they fit! A bit tall, but super cute. This is what I do to compensate for having my spring vacation time stolen from me.

Thursday:
New York is bipolar. It was almost 70 degrees? The day after it snowed!

Went to school to work some more and printed out a rough draft of my book. My teachers helped me re-arrange the type to complement the artwork better. Again, I left school after 9pm when half my class was still toiling away.

Back at home, new clothes & new jewelry rack (to assist my exploding collection of earrings) arrived in the mail. They all fit too! Yay.

I took a break to watch the newest America's Next Top Model episode on youtube, to find that Natalie, the one from my hometown, P.V., is an enormous snob. Big surprise.

No word from Mr. Fantastic! Was it because I poked him in the nose by accident during the date? That was insanely awkward, but I thought we laughed that off! And he was the one who asked for a kiss at the end! Sheesh.

Friday:
YAY Good Friday! I don't have to go to school today. Sheesh.
Still no word from Mr. Fantastic! More like Mr. Poop, now! (...well, unless he had a bad accident from his recent circus act and is at a hospital. That would be awful. But more likely he is just checkin' out the other ladies, maybe ones who aren't talking about moving to California.)

New York men are so fickle! Well anyway, a Bruin from East Village just messaged me, who sounds like he has more similar interests. Not that I even really have time for any of this, because I still have at least three other homework projects to work on this weekend, and taxes to file! Eek.

GAWD, make it stop!!

Woo, Spring non-Break is here!

As it turns out, the Chair of the Toy Design department doesn't understand why I'd want to be jobless for a few months, even though I explained that I could afford it. So she's gonna call some people to get me at least some contract work after graduation!

She's funny. And I think she needs a vacation.

Anyway, after another exhausting week of school, I decided to enjoy a bit of free time before my spring non-break. (My class is expected to finish our storybooks and check in at school on our progress during break, instead of having any vacation time.)

Friday night, I went on a first date! It was nice to be treated generously for once (since usually I am the one treating my little adopted toy design siblings).

I think he maybe lied about his height, but that sort of thing doesn't faze me. I only noticed that while I was wearing boots (which are only a little bit tall), he seemed like he was very close to my height.

Otherwise he seems a nice balance of intelligence, sociability, maturity, openness, physical fitness, and fun, so I think there will be a second date. Despite his circus act (literally!), he seems oddly grown-up, but maybe that's a good thing. And really, how can I deny someone who actually goes by "Mr. Fantastic?" Ha!

And today I woke up surprisingly early, so I thought it'd be worth a try to check the line outside the brand new Top Shop; it wasn't too long! So I bought 3 dresses, earrings, and a cute mini-umbrella. And that was after I restrained myself!

Then I celebrated with a Vietnamese sandwich and Lychee green tea in Chinatown.

Well I guess I should get back to that pile of laundry, tax papers, and homework, oh my!