It’s a windy, gray Friday morning at the end of September, unlike the glorious summer day pictured above. Yesterday it rained for almost 24 hours straight, of which we have much evidence in our house. There’s a puddle on the tiled porch floor as well as cracks in the ceiling that have been highlighted in telltale brown. Looks like roof repairs are in our future. Sigh.
On a much brighter note, school is off to a good start. The homework load, so far, hasn’t been as intense and frantically executed as first year. All the same, my days are full with classes or reading or sketching. I am taking a full load with four classes. Here’s a brief synopsis:
~Textile Analysis: pretty self explanatory, but with a combination of lecture and lab, which is much like chemistry and biology. We get to examine textile samples made of different fibers under microscope. Plus we get observe the reactions from burning fibers (via Bunsen burners) and pouring chemicals on them. By the end of the semester, I will be able to name at least 100 textiles (by weave or fiber) and their finishes. Exciting!
~Interior Materials and Specifications: Boring class title, interesting subject. The class should be called Sustainability. The instructor, Rachelle Schoessler Lynn, is fascinating and inspirational and smart. She is an interior designer with her own firm that specializes in sustainability (green and renewable) and that designed Red Stag Supper Club. Red Stag is on of my favorite local restaurants because it has good food and drinks, as well as ambience. Red Stag was one of the first LEED-certified restaurants in the nation. I feel really fortunate.
~Interior Design Studio: studio #3 is all about how to communicate your design. The class should be called Rendering 101. We’re learning how to sketch a room, as well as color render with pencils or markers. This class is nerve-wracking for me. I’m still concurring my drawing issues, but as my instructor says, “This is design sketching [more impressionistic] not artistic drawing [more labored and finished].” I think I can handle that. And, it’s fun!! At the end of the semester, I’m going to be a fierce sketcher.
~AUTOCAD: this is a straight-up computer class. I’ve struggled in the first few weeks. Not with the material (because, ultimately, CAD isn’t difficult, and I am a good learner!) but with the instructors and their teaching style. The class has two instructors, both TAs in grad programs. One has more teaching experience and always corrects the other instructor, who never comes prepared to teach. All of which has made for a very confusing environment and has caused much frustration for me. But I feel like they are hitting a better stride here in week three. We’ll see. My current assignment is drawing a floor plan.
On top of school, I volunteered to team manage Simon’s soccer team. Basically I communicate with parents about the practice and game schedules, and I fill out a game report for the referees. Plus, the boys both have weekend games, which have overlap, usually in opposite, far-flung directions so I will miss most of Simon’s games. John is coaching Simon’s team, otherwise we could swap.
I am trying to knit or read daily. Fifteen minutes of either makes me happy. Fifteen minutes of pleasure is better than no pleasure, non? Most days, though, I’m scrambling to do everything I’m obligated to do. Then, I collapse in a heap. I mean, it's hectic and all, but I'm really happy.
December is looking better and better.
