School Daze

So I checked out the calendar and just realized that in a week, I'll be back in class. Sitting in class. I hate sitting in class. It's boring as shit, but the mantra for the next couple of years?

I need to, for myself. I've let this drag on entirely too long and now I feel stuck. I have to shake out of this rut. Get rid of this over my head. My goal for this year is to bang through 2 years of school in a few semesters through CLEP and DANTES tests. They are pass/fail, with reasonably manageable minimum passing scores. Between the study guides and practice tests, I'm sure I can get through a lot of them and build up some credit for me to finish up. Definitely looking forward to my Intro to Women's Studies and Design Fundamentals classes. I'm glad I settled down and decided to just finish up at UNO, instead of skipping around. It'll take me having to cross enroll at Delgado to tap into their interior design program,  but that's ok. I don't mind so much. At the same time, I think I may take a look into the College of Interdisciplinary Studies, where I can tailor my learning plan to suit my career path. Hm...

I have to admit that I'm a bit apprehensive about getting back on campus. It's always a bit of a hassle to get to school. Perhaps I can try a different route, instead of the interstate the whole way. And parking, ugh. I have to get a decal this time around. No more tickets! I absolutely have to make sure to at least go to class as well. That's always been my flaw. Campus is just too close to the lake. However, slack no more. It's time to get my stuff together and finish up and focus on grad school and beyond. Ideally, I'd like to move to NYC, get my bearings and attend one of the design schools  - (Pratt, Parsons, NYSID, or SVA.) Hence the internship with the Bearded Oysters. Katrina, the Mother Shucker, of the Oysters has already told me if I'm interested in working on portfolio pieces, or utilizing the Kolossos Organization to further my modeling portfolio, I can. This is going to be rad. But, my goals aren't going to be attainable if I don't get my ass in order and drive my GPA up up up!

Staying motivated will probably be my biggest challenge, but we'll see how it shakes out as long as I remember my mantra.

"Spend eighty percent of your time focusing on the opportunities of tomorrow rather than the problems of yesterday."

Brian Tracy 

I, personally, struggle with being caught up on the past and it winds up hindering me making moves for my future. I tried to explain it to a friend the other day, but when I get into situations where there is something I really want - an internship, a job, a guy; I get nervous and awkward. I think it's because I want it so bad that I spaz. Nevertheless, the end of 2011 - early part of 2012 has brought with it a new, unconventional wave of prosperity and opportunity, and focusing on riding that is a goal of mine for this year.

As I mentioned previously, I'll be heading to NYC next month. But this month has been full of work. Photo shoots, promo gigs, back to working at Loyola as a figure model, extra work, and more! Short of working at Loyola, I don't really 'have a job.' I'm not on the books at the bar, and the rest of my work is freelance. Had I not found and started utilizing oDesk, then I wouldn't have more free time to do other things for myself, like look for really cool internships. It's really dope that I can actually get paid for doing the work of someone else across the country, while I'm sitting around in my underwear. Granted there's no health insurance, but all I need is me and my computer. I think I may dedicate myself to more hours, though. There's money to be made, you just have to work. 

Speaking of work, my first day of interning with the Bearded Oysters is tomorrow.  I'm really jazzed about doing some float construction tomorrow  and costuming on Friday! This opportunity is really one of a kind. I'm going to go into this with everything I have, I just hope I can do the Oysters justice.

On top of that internship, I'm also a correspondent at Cover Look Collection, doing reviews on products. My first two reviews just got published.  SinfulColors Holiday 2011 Collection: Wish

 Gwen's Blends: A Daily Serving of Moisture in One Dollop

Aww yeah! =)

I am also looking forward to my couple of extra roles that I was booked for yesterday, on the Expendables 2 and Dog Fight.

When I got booked, the casting agent asked me if I still had my curly hair. I felt really special that they dug it so much. It's actually landed me 3 roles  now. I will take it! I'm certainly starting to see the 'type' I'm getting cast for though. Hot girl with funky hair. That, I'll take too. Let's just hope I can land a principle role this year. Eh, not hope, here's to it, because if i have to produce my own stuff, it'll happen. In fact, I have the perfect idea for my first video... 

I really can't believe it's 10:30AM right now. I woke up at 3AM, like that's normal, and have been working ever since. My sleep schedule's so whacked, and on top of that, I accidentally took an Ambien instead of my other medicine, and... nothing. Absolutely nothing. 

I must be Batgirl. 

Whatever, I'm going listen to Curren$y and clean!

I'm in the mood to do some sort of culinary feat, but we'll see.

"Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises."

 Demosthenes 

Something About Nothing

Hey, how goes it? Welcome to the first post of my blog.
I decided to create a new one because I'd like this to be a new start for myself. There's some things I'd like to focus on this year and I think that the best way to do it is to let go of all the bad that happened in the past years. A clean slate.

With a week of the new year over, it's been a bit of a whirlwind, however. Honestly, I started this year feeling like a fuck up:
 My NYE at work started great, but turned tragic quickly. Totally my fault due to an over-consumption of alcohol. I'm just really fortunate to be somewhere that my managers understand. That could have turned really ugly; I feel like an asshole for letting the rest of my team down. I'm trying not to beat myself to hard over it, but I definitely think I'm pretty embarrassed about the whole situation.  Lesson learned. 

Starting classes again in a couple of weeks. Nerve wracking, but I think I'm ready to just claw my way at it and finish. I've investigated CLEP tests and the DANTES tests that are available for me. I think that I could actually pass most - if not all - of the ones that would really help take about a year off of getting my degree. It's just going to take the appropriate planning and conviction to bang it out this semester. I can do this, it's just going to take me being serious about it, and honestly, I'm really tired of this being still over my head. I could have graduated by now. But I slacked off, now I'm trying to do what I can. 

Maybe we have to break everything to make something better out of ourselves   Chuck Palahniuk

On the plus side, I've been working with a writer in NYC. She's great and we are in the process of getting her site ready for the relaunch. Also, I recently picked up an editorial internship, reviewing products, that I think will be great for me. I've wanted to get back into writing for a while now, but every time I try to commit to a blog I give up. I'm thinking that I might try to write for at least 15 minutes a day, even if it's just a blog. I feel like I have so much inside of me that really needs to come out, I think I just struggle with completing my works. I have ideas pouring out of my head, but once that initial idea is out I find it hard to take it to the next level. Or sometimes the topic brings out my emotions too much and I find that I'm left in a puddle of tears with rational thought escaping me. To try to push through it makes me bawl harder. Having to bang out a review in two weeks? That'll help me ease myself back into writing until I'm ready to delve into the deeper topics.

Yesterday, I interviewed for and got another internship with a local fun marching dance troupe that parades often during Mardi Gras. This internship I am really excited about, it's going to deal a lot with costuming, float creation and great, fun creative stuff. I'm looking forward to starting next week and being involved with everything from the Mardi Gras prep down to being in the Mardi Gras parades myself.

I've got a trip planned back to NYC in February. There's a lot I plan to do when I get there. I have quite a few photo shoots planned, but I also want to go to a few agencies, do some exploring, networking, and have some fun. In the past year, having been to NYC about 4-5 times, I have fallen in love with that city. The plan is to go to grad school for interior or costume design there. For now, I'll settle for a 6 day trip.

I think I am going to take it easy tonight. Last night I went out, wound up on Bourbon St and while the first part of it was fun, the end of it was a drama-filled event. As to be expected when you go to Bourbon St. So, I'm off to spent time watching Louis C.K. and doing some pretty lazy things around the house.