Spooooooooky

Muahahaha! Fear the scary glowstick carving, FEAR!!! Because, well, if you knew its secret, it wouldn't be so scary.



Strother and I went to get pumpkins today, but the were all out. So I bought a watermelon.



No matter how scary my carving is, the terrifying fear-striking jack-o-lantern element is just lost on the fact that...well.....it's a watermelon. Oh well, at least it's a festive watermelon!

Armadillo

I'm rather proud of my armadillo...

I want another First Kiss...

I have a strange perception of flying as a mode of transportation. I mean, it's not that I don't like flying, it's kind of fun, and taking off is always a bit exciting and roller-coaster like...then you get into the air and realize it's absolutely nothing like a roller coaster, so it's a bit boring and uncomfortable. I suppose my level of excitement didn't help. It was like Christmas back when I was 8; I'd never been so excited.

Needless to say, my visit with Carleton was beyond awesome. We played video games, watched cartoons, and spent a significant amount of time lazing about and doing nothing. He showed me around UConn, and I got to see Ali and Scott from the summer, and all was well and pretty.

His home in Westbrook was very nice and pretty, and his family was lovely. We had hot pot for dinner, which was totally awesome (hot pot is this tasty asian make-it-at-your-table dish that's vaguely like fondu, only not really, and involves extraneous skills--like custom sauce-mixing and basket-weaving. Beyond awesome).

While we were eating, we discovered an inch-worm-like bug on the vegetables, and I offered Carleton $5 to eat it, and he offered me 6, and I went up to 7, expecting the bidding to skyrocket, when he plucked the thing up with his chopsticks and devoured it whole. I was surprised it only took $7, and felt instantly guilty for ending the life of an innocent buggy through such a bet. Eh, a bird or cat would have eaten it eventually, I suppose.

Anyhow, my stay there included marveling at the computery-ness of his home, and we also went to the shore (showing me that New England does have some redeeming qualities, healing the wounds of homesickness that showed up at the end of the summer).

Leaving was, by default, a bit sad, but not terribly so. We fell quickly back into our normal pattern of communication as soon as I got home, and are already planning the next visit. Hooray! Even though I missed the visit, arriving back in Kentucky was comforting. My understanding of my connection to my home is growing more and more lately.

Conclusion: I learned a lot this fall break.

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!

I fear I will never have as hard a time paying attention in class as today, especially in Art History, I will surely explode. My backpack is already packed, thus leaving me time to clean my room and water my plants before the parental units pick me up after class.

Then I will have that nasty waiting period between the time I get home and the time we leave for the airport, in which I will surely pace around all giggly and anxious.

Can'twaitCan'twaitCan'twaitCan'twait
WEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(and since I won't be here this weekend to celebrate, I must prematurely wish the happiest of birthdays. You should go do the same.)

Wow

I finished my Compilers project suddenly and way early, so I used the extra time to FINALLY update my site..

http://www.wertle.com

As I mentioned before, I'm really considering a site design. I would probably turn it into a portfolio type of site, with my best glass and paintings and drawings. Very simple and static.

I'd likely keep a personal section that contained my silly and fun things and how-to's and photos and such.

However, I'd like input about this. What do you people who look at my site on occasion like about it? What do you look at the most? Input! INPUT!!

"Are you in Love with her?, "Well, that's a bit strong", "Oh...are you in Like with her?"

It has been the weekend of visits! Homecoming brought such lovely visitors at Ken, Evan, and the beautiful Alison Furlong, along with many others that I did not see because I was so busy.

It did not end there, though, as I arrived at my glass slot, tired and unmotivated, who should I see but Nathan Whitfield--the genius (though he denies it firmly, I know it's true, he can't hide it from me). Seeing Nate is always a trip, he always has adventurous stories to share. He even helped me blow glass, as Anne had to leave the slot early. Hooray for visits!

Speaking of visits, 2 Days!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ponder ponder

Well, I managed to survive the week without too much damage done by the massive, merciless, flesh-eating robot that is college. I actually managed to defy it and get copious amounts of work done! It's also been great fun with lots of friends up to visit and such.

My website is in dire need of an update, and I'm actually considering redesigning it to a more "static" format, since my chances to update have been few and far between. Rants of the week that have been up for half a year just don't work. I might just haul off and make it a portfolio site, with a personal section for fun things, I'm just not sure. We'll see how the time fairy treats me with that project.

In other news, 5 days!

Giggle giggle

Which sounds shorter, "1 week" or "7 days"?

Weee....*dances*

Straight-Short-Haired Lisa still eats Candy

This weekend was nice. Since it has been established that I will be spending fall break in Connecticut, I wanted a chance to hang out with my friends in Louisville. So, Saturday I spent the day with Brendan and Ken. It was just the refresher that I needed.

Having just gotten paid, we went to the comic book shop with the sole intention of me buying myself a treat (I'm trying the whole goal-reward system with all this work I have to do. I got a lot of work done this week, I get a treat. A little operant conditioning never hurt anybody ^_^ ). I bought the first four volumes of the Bone comics. I love this series soooo much, but I always get my fix from Brendan's collection, and I decided I wanted to start getting them for myself. Four volumes at a time seems reasonable, don't you think?

Anyway, after chilling and reading comics and being sucked in by VH1 at Ken's place, Brendan and I went back to his home for a sketchbook party. It was really nice to draw for fun again, and I think it was very refreshing for me. I spent that night eating buffalo wings, going through my books, and having a pleasant phone conversation with Carleton (which are always fun and awesome).

A successful weekend: I got to rest and be refreshed, but I did not do so by being a slacker and idling the whole time. I was hopeing to be able to catch some time with today since she was in Kentucky, but the paper I have due tomorrow, the midterm I have tomorrow, the improv show I have tomorrow, the newspaper copy editting I'll have to start on this week, and the constantly increasing pile of programming assignments I have due makes it seem like that will not get to happen. Curses!! Alas, back to work...

Slacker

Amidst a busy week I am graced with a block of free time, and I'm so startled that I don't know what to do with it. In keeping with my goal to be on top of everything by fall break, I've been very productive and have been getting a lot of work done. It's surprising and satisfying, but at the same time, I'm a little discouraged with myself.

I have had nearly an hour to myself before load-in, and what do I do? Sit and idle. Maybe it's just because I need rest, but I can't help feeling like I'm neglecting all the important yet un-urgent things in my life. It would be a perfect time to pull one of those doodles from my notebooks (which I do frantically each day to keep up my drawing) and turn it into a finished work, or go and paint on my own, or start building a Halloween costume. Instead, I'm laying and staring at the ceiling, not even napping.

It wouldn't be so bad if my mind would quit drifting back to the conversation I had with Carleton about the product of a fortune cookie taped to the paper towel dispenser in the painting area of the art barn that says "Idleness is the holiday of fools" to me every time I wander past.

Then again, it could be my body's way of telling me to be still for a moment.

In more lively news, the chickens-to-be have been securely incubated, and I count them every chance I get ^_^

Plants anyone?

Who can give me advice about caring for aloe plants? I hear they can be tricky.

My parents got me one, and it will be handy in case I set myself on fire in the glass studio. At first I was going to name it Ali, since it's an aloe plant, but then I decided that was dumb and cheesy. It did, however, remind me of my friend, Ali, from the summer, so I thought of naming it Crutchfield. That, however, sounded a bit too serious, so I've settled on Crutchy.

While we're on plants, anyone have advice for jade plants? I acquired one of those as well, and heard that can also be tricky. I keep fearing that one day I'll go to water it and it will explode. (its name is Jade, only because I got it by accident. My philodendron, which has been running strong for many years, is named Sydney).

What was that?

Today has been packed full of fun times. I spent a greater portion of the day at a Kempo clinic, which was awesome. I missed all my Kempo peoples, it was great to see the second fam again.

This evening I hung out with Ken, since we were both exhausted from our days (Ken () has been busy at work down at Glassworks). We happily chilled and watched cartoons, then went to the Pie Kitchen, where I fretted and debated over whether I wanted pie or icecream, pondered getting both, decided that would be splurging way too much, and ended up getting two pieces of pie instead x_x 'Twas good, though, and we ate our pie and watched cartoons for the rest of the evening, joined later by Dave.

I'm beginning to feel the fun, creepy Halloween spirit tonight. Last night still held remnants of the summer, as the tree frogs and night critters were out making pleasant music. Tonight, though, it was nearly silent, with a few lingering crickets. We were also graced with a few calls from our local fox, which greatly added to the atmosphere. Have you ever heard a fox call? It sounds like a screaming child, especially when muffled slightly by the woods. Mmmm...must think of good Halloween costume this year.

Oh, and an Update: I may now safely count the chickens, i just need to figure out which way to incubate them ;)