Bok Tower Gardens, The Singing Tower in 2011

Finally took some old video off of my Flip camera, this was from my visit to Bok Tower Gardens in 2011. The Singing Tower, it's quite impressive in person, as is the rest of the property.
The founder was Edward W. Bok. For 30 years he acted as Editor for Ladie's Home Journal. If you check out the members of his family, they were all quite accomplished. His wife, Mary was the daughter of the previous editor, Louisa Knapp Curtis, and later started the Curtis Institute of Music.

Bok Tower Gardens is located in Lake Wales, Florida. It's one of those places where if you are looking or even not looking for peace, you are bound to find it. It's really kind of magical.

Loot Crate Unboxing October 2013

Received my first Loot Crate this week. I had been wanting to try Loot Crate out for a while now. This month's theme was 'Survive', so Zombie's were essential. I was pretty happy with what I received, books, and pins, and a shirt were included!
You can see what else was included, in the video below.

Interested in getting your own Loot Crate?
http://mbsy.co/lootcrate/435494
Save 10% with code 'SURVIVE'

What I've learned from Doctor Who (2005-present) about relationships...

What I've learned from Doctor Who (2005-present) about relationships... 

You want to be Rose or Oswyn, not Martha, and when you realize he'll never reciprocate those feelings, you take on the role of Donna or Amy. Or you do like Martha, and abandon ship. River Song... that's a whole other story, dying when he first meets you, and when you first meet him, you try to kill him... very complicated.

In all honesty, I've never been Rose to any guy, if I was, it would be complete news to me... like that one time I found out I had a boyfriend in college... yet I didn't find out until three years later... felt kind a jipped, not even MySpace official!
Always the Martha, usually, I do end up acting like a Donna or Amy. At some point, I learn to throw any feelings I had aside and accept it as is. Become just the friend. Usually the quickest way for that to happen is the introduction of a girlfriend. Or worst case scenario, I discover I was completely in awe of the idea of who I thought the guy was, rose colored glasses are ripped off, and I discover this whole time... he was a toad. Which in that case, I question what I thought was so wonderful about this toad.

I prefer my sugar-coated spacey idea of love. Which is when you really love and really care about someone, you would travel to the edge of the Universe for that person... like they would for you. Not just a measly 500 or 1,000 miles (you probably know which songs I'm referring to).

The harsh truth is, if the guy wants to be present in your life, he will, and he will travel to the edge of the universe for you, he'll be like Rory Williams, or a Mad Man in a Blue Box.

Wishing Print by Dreama_Jeanie
Check out more Blue Posters at Zazzle

Birchboxing It June 2013

What do you think of Birchbox's new logo? I'm still missing that shiny pink on my box.

Extra Life 2013!

November 2nd this year, I will be participating in Extra Life 2013!

I am participating with Team Game Gummies. Each member of the team selects a local Children's Miracle Network Hospital to support, and this year I am supporting All Children's Hospital.

DONATE and/or spread the word! Thank you!

 

 p.s. November 2nd will be a very caffeinated day!

The revolving door of the TARDIS!

Matt Smith leaving, which means.... Doctor gets a new face! :( or :) I'm still not sure.

Fall

Fall has always been a favorite season for me. The start of the holidays, the weather, the brief time of the year that there is a different kind of weather for Florida. Fall breezes in Florida are pretty magical.

My spirits feel pepped up, of course the Fall also brings about memories, which are bittersweet. This morning I was thinking of my dad and the scent of his fall/winter jacket, it would vary depending on if he had been working in the paint booth at his Auto Body Shop that day, but other days if he had been grilling, it would smell like burning woods, I think I associate that as the scent of Fall.

Here's hoping for plenty of fall breezes, brilliant colors, and sweet memories, both new and old.

Christmas Greeting from Clifford and Millie Boots!

www.petzooba.com

To create your own greeting, check out http://petzooba.com/

MASScanvas Fluidity Challenge!

I have entered the MASScanvas "Fluidity" Challenge. Voting is happening this week! If you have time, I would appreciate your vote!

The page can be found here:
"Sea Fluidity" design for MASScanvas!

The Challenge is from iJustine and MASScanvas, if you don't know iJustine, check out her vlogs on YouTube!
iJustine on YouTube

Thanks Everyone!!!

Graduation is approaching quickly.

Finally starting to look forward to graduation, I am finished with classes in about three weeks, then it's just a wait for the official Diploma. For the longest time I was not really looking forward to it. I was looking forward to getting my B.A., however, I was not looking forward to not having a schedule of classes. I was looking at a Graduate program, and had applied, but I never got to the portfolio. I was flip-flopping. I had a moment of realization though. When I started taking classes for my B.A. It was in September 2009. About a week after the Fall quarter ended in December 2009, my dad passed away. For most all of my time at SCAD I was still going through this process of grieving. I didn't take a break, I threw myself into working, I did talk to a counselor which did help, but talking about everything can only help so much. I was completely scattered instead of removing commitments, I was adding more commitments. 
I think mom's hospitalization in January this year was the tip of the iceberg. However, I proved to myself that I could live on my own, I could manage the house, although not gracefully.
Okay, back to my realization. While graduating is great, I think I have it intertwined with my grieving. I think that I have it figured that if I am still taking classes, I have this life raft. It's something to keep my head above water. Graduation means removing that life raft and seeing if I will float or sink. It's time to really look for work. I feel I have a strong faith. I try to "Let go, and Let God", which is sometimes hit and miss. I have not put enough trust in him, although he has proved to me time and time again that he is in control. So while it's quite easy for me to start worrying about what I am going to do after I finish my B.A. I know it will work itself out.

My Graduation from St. Petersburg College for my A.A./A.S.

Honestly, I am looking forward to Graduating now though I am not attending Graduation. I am quite fine with not sitting for in a ceremony for a few hours, and far too many important people would not be able to attend.



 

We got a box!

We recently bought a Libman Gator mop from Amazon for my Uncle. At the time it was $13.58 and Free Prime Shipping (It's changed now, maybe they realized the shipping was way more than that.) So this afternoon we received the mop and here it is.

The UPS man seemed to be taking care to get out of the truck with this one. The box is comes up to my shoulders and is wide enough for a couple of mops. I was expecting them to just ship it in a long paper sleeve.

Millie: "Please don't put me in there."

So now we have a huge box, that Clifford is using as a cave for a short while. Millie by the way is leery of the big wobbly box. Anyone need a moving box?

Time to Reminisce

This month's issue!

Each month a bit of joy ends up in my mailbox. Reminisce magazine and Reminisce Extra (both bi-monthly) is chalk full of wholesome memories and stories from yesteryear. Sure, lot's of unhappy things happened back then too. However if you dwell on the bad times, you'd be quite unhappy, but I think we can learn from our past. Everyone has their own trials and tribulations. What matters is how you handle them.

I think I enjoy the old pictures and advertisements the best. How I Met My Spouse is one of my favorite sections of the magazine, gives this single girl some hope. Motoring Memories always reminds me of my dad, so that is another favorite.

I have a collection too. It's one magazine that never meets the recycling bin! I think I need another chest.

This is certainly a dress that I would love to have in my wardrobe.

Reminisce Magazine also has a website www.reminisce.com along with the magazines, they have books. The latest Reminisce Growing Up is one that I received for my birthday from my mom.

Any other Reminisce Magazine subscribers out there? Would love to know what you enjoy about the magazine.

Yep, I have an opinion

Recently I wrote an opinion piece for SCAD Myriad. A family matter happened during the early part of the "supposed to be last" quarter. Unfortunately SCAD does not have a real policy for those who do go through a Family Emergency. Thankfully two of my professors were understanding and gave me time to catch up. The other professor was not as understanding, so now I am in my "supposed to be last quarter" again. Only two classes (I am quite spoiled by just two classes now). Oh and while I only need one class, taking two classes is better financially.

SCAD is a great school, it like any other place just needs to improve in some policies that it lacks. 

http://blog.scad.edu/myriad/2011/04/11/speaking-up-for-yourself/

Sequential Art Assignment F: Comic Book

Final Project for Intro to Sequential Art!

One of my projects from SCAD.

Project from Intro to Sequential Art Class. Inanimate object brought to life. I actually got a bit of therapy while drawing the tragic beer bottle. Why a beer bottle? Really couldn't think of anything, then I remembered this beer poncho that I saw at a friend's housewarming party (the party is not related to this at all, if you know me, you know I avoid parties fueled by alcohol). So this is a result.

Photo

Recently I had a mini photoshoot with my friend Jennie Thunell. Actually, I was supposed to meet someone for coffee that day, and for whatever reason it didn't work out. That was one of many cancellations that week. So instead I spent some time at North Shore Park walking with my friends Jennie and Molly :) So really it worked out well.
Here is one of the pictures.

Jennie is a great photographer, you can find her website at:
http://www.jenniethunell.com/

Back from the Fall

Fall quarter is finished, so now it's a vacation until the Winter quarter. Could have done better grade wise, but I was actually sort of happy that the letter grades made up one of my most favorite networks.

It was a busy quarter along with my three classes, I did ad building, worked a bit with Myriad (SCAD eLearning blog), and the biggest project was probably the work I did with a group of students from SCAD (Go Team Mishap!). We worked on a game for the Independent Game Festival. Currently it's a first level with plans of completion in 2011.

You can find the first level of our game Julia's Magnificent Mishap here: http://www.juliasmagnificentmishap.com/game.html

Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/TeamMishap or 'Like' us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Julias-Magnificent-Mishap/137732242945299?v=wall

One of my new favorite songs from Coldplay!

Sightings of Elvis and Christmas lights and I am loving the old worn style of the set.

New Classes!

This Monday I start my new classes for Fall quarter. It's a bit of an assortment. I have classes C++ Programming, Creative Copywriting, and 3D Graphics. The latter two classes are a bit of a return to my original degree, so I am looking forward to learning more.
I could always find a career as a Graphic Designer in Gaming.

When I am not writing for this blog.....

Myriad is a Club through SCAD that I participate in, very exciting to see the launch and growth of a club, and I work with awesome people.

Here is a piece about Doctor Who: The Adventure Games that I wrote:

http://scadmyriad.com/2010/08/15/doctor-who-the-adventure-games/