Wednesday, May 31, 2006

It's The Final Countdown



Just like the song says..."it's the final countdown!" Ok so here it is. I am almost at the finish line. I have received two grades, yesterday and today, and was supposed to get a third, but he didn't show at noon. So I guess that means I have to go to the Photography Show at the Club tonight to get my grade. So here is the what I have for my grades so far:

Figure Drawing - Very Good - 2
*it's kinda funny because the only thing I know what he was saying, since he only speaks French and Czech, is that my I can't draw feet...and I know I can't...I always avoided it by trying them last.
My final sketches from class a couple weeks ago that I never posted.

Sculpture - Excellent - 1
*the class bought our teacher a bottle of Whiskey, has to be a first for me!
Bird Bath Sculpture

Photography - Very Good - 2
*my teacher always liked my photography, and from what I have heard from my parents, everyone else does too!
Final Photography Project

Studio - still yet to be determined
*oh boy!

So over all I have gotten good marks for my classes. I decided to drop two of my classes, Ornamental and Art in Architecture. I let myself fall behind for a bit, and in order to get caught back up, I had to. I did keep the three classes I originally was just going to take at the begining of the semester. I am working very hard on my studio project, I had a little problem with CAD crashing last night due to window updates, but only lost two hours of work (luckily not more!). I don't know how I let myself fall so behind. I was going to start working on CAD three weeks ago, but I have my reasons, and atleast I got to a point that I did start working. I'll be working day and night to get done with my drawings in CAD. I want to have my floor plans totally finished for tomorrow as well as a couple elevations (the main ones) and maybe one section. So I have a lot of work to do before tomorrow afternoon when I'll go attempt to print off my drawings. I'll be ok though. I do have twelve days till I need to be done, and I can do it. It's hard to believe it really, I'll have two weeks free to do what ever I want to do here in Prague, and then almost a week in Berlin before I fly home. I fly home in 30 days. 30 days is nothing to the time I have spent here. I wish I wasn't so homesick, I wish I tried to enjoy myself when I was down. But you can't change what has happened. I have learned so much from being here. I'll probably do a post closer to when I leave about what I have learned, and what I will miss (but then you can never be happy where you are, you always want to be somewhere else).

Look at my desk! Is that really my desk???

Hmmm...bed unmade and my purse is still setting
on it form last nights run to delvita.

It's kinda funny though, since I took this dive into the world of CAD I have totally let my room go to shambles. I never imagined me to be a messy person, but now I do! It goes to prove how much a person can change, but it will be alright, I'm sure it won't last long. I'm sure when I am back home, my apartment will be that cute clean tidy place it always is (probably because I am never there, I'm always in studio or somewhere else like I have in the past). It's just hard when the place you eat and sleep is also considered my studio space. I really do miss Seaton Hall, although I always called it "Satan" Hall. I miss more the atmosphere of having my good friends in reach to bounce ideas off of them. Also to be able to grab them at ten pm Chai Break at Java, midnight run to Wal-Mart for cheaper energy drinks (I did find my favorite one at a Delvita, but still need to go back to buy some!), two am run to McDonalds, and always at four am run to Daras...we do have Delvita here that is open till three am, so I usually can find someone who feels like taking a break and getting some snackies for the long night ahead! I know I don't miss the insane hours that I spent in studio back at home, but I do miss all the memories that goes along with them. I've had some really great ones! Atleast I'll still have two more semesters left to make more memories with all my friends in our little home away from home called studio. Well enough looking back for today, time for some CAD, I have three hours till I have to leave to go to my Photography Show to get my grade. Ahoj!

Sunday, May 28, 2006

Weekend Update

Well it's been an interesting weekend. I attended a BBQ on Friday night in the rain. While we were hanging out in my room afterwards, we noticed there were fireworks going off outside...very odd. I went out Friday night with Laura, her six English mates, Kate, Lois, and Iain to Lucerna and ended up walking home because of tram confusion. Was exhausted all day on Saturday and got no work done, but did have James to keep me company. Went to see X-Men 3 Saturday night, it was good, but not the best. Went to church this morning, and since I didn't go on the Pilgrimage yesterday, Michelle (a lady I met on my trip to Southern Moravia) got some things for me (so sweet of her!). Today I've been cracking it hard on CAD and starting to get somewhere. I miss Varie, but we've gotten to talk some over IM :) I at least I have James for company, who is using the extra space to work on his studio, since his room is like...how did he put it...oh a circus :) Well I'm afraid I'll be really working on the homework, so there won't be much to post this week, but we'll see...maybe I'll find something interesting for ya. Everyone have a great week...IM me if you'd like, I'll most likely be here! Ahoj!

Friday, May 26, 2006

Home Alone

Ok, so I may not be totally alone I do have flatmates, but for ten days Vaire, my dear sweet roomie, is going home. She has to do her presentation of her final project and after that, she is done with school! She'll be back, though, but I totally am going to miss her. It's going to be really quiet in the room, but hopefully I'll take the time to work really hard to try to get all my work done (it might be possible). I do finish the rest of my classes, but studio next week. I will get my marks in all of my classes: Monday night is my Photography Exhibit, Tuesday I'll bring in all my drawings for my Figure Drawing Class, and Wednesday is my final Sculpture Class. I haven't been to my Art in Architecture Class in a while, due to personal problems and class being cancled, so I might not get a mark in that class. I going to go talk to her on Tuesday and see what we can work out. Oh and I dropped Ornamental, it was an easy class, but I just didn't enjoy it so much. So in the meantime, I'll be working on CAD, oh how I'm going to loath sitting in front of my computer hours on top of hours, producing all my drawings for my class. I may even model my design in 3D...we'll see how much I hate the computer after CAD. Well I should go to bed, I want to be up in the morning to bid Varie farewell! Ahoj!


Thursday, May 25, 2006

I be a pirate, matey!

PRE-PARTY
James (Scottish) and Laura (Brittish)
Working on their tattoos.

JR (Scottish)
How can you have pirates without Peter Pan?

Kate (Brittish)
All pirated up :) I met Kate when I went to Karlovy Vary.

TO THE BOAT
Me and Nastia (Russian)
Waiting to leave with my flatmate in the hall.

We flooded the Metro and got some really funny looks!

Waiting for the others...unfortunantly the Yellow Line
is always crowded and we had to split up in two trips.

The Boat!

Me and Reno (Canadian)
I met Reno at the pub in our basement of our Koleji.

ON THE BOAT
Awww...they had a cute little Pirate Flag under the Czech Flag.

Prague, what an amazing city.

Me and Laura (Brittish)
Laura and I met when we went to Karlovy Vary.

James (Scottish) and Me
I met James at the first PM Bar.

Varie (Scottish) and Lukas (Czech)
Don't they make such a cute couple?

Iain (Scottish) and Monkey
The monkey went missing.

JR (Scottish) and James (Scottish)
Re-enacting Titanic.

JR (Scottish) and Me
JR is a friend of Iain's and James'
who was visiting this week.

Me and Iain (Scottish)
I met Iain at the first PM Bar.

Varie (Scottish) and Me
Roomies and Great Friends...I'll miss her so much!

Iain (Scottish), Ben (Brittish), and Me
Cute parrot Ben. I met Ben at the first PM Bar.

Me and Lois (American)
Lois is also from KSU...we both love vino!

Sun is sinking below the horizon.

Passing under a bridge.

Petr (Czech)
Watch out for him!

Petr (Czech) and Me
One of the first Czechs I met here.

Mathieu (French), Michal (Czech), Me, Unknown,
Liana (American) and Petr (Czech)
A bunch of people I met the first time I went to a club in Prague.

Fireworks! Our surprise for the night.

WHAT I DIDN'T SEE
Well I went home after the boat trip, since I had enough drinking for the night. But I did get this pic from a friend.
Naked run across Charles Bridge!

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

How to Speak Like a Pirate

In addition to plentiful cursin', exaggerations, blasphemies, fish tales, and e'en bad grammar, pirate talk in parts resembled readin' loudly from a nautical dictionary while garglin' with rum. So here is some rules, tips, and jargon that will help you sound like a pirate.

Startin' Rules
Double up on all your adjectives and you'll be bountifully bombastic with your phrasing. Pirates never speak of "a big ship", they call it a "great, grand ship!" They never say never, they say "No nay ne'er!"
Drop all your "g"'s when you speak and you'll get words like "rowin'", "sailin'" and "fightin'". Dropping all of your "v"'s will get you words like "ne'er", "e'er" and "o'er".
Instead of saying "I am", sailors say, "I be". Instead of saying "You are", sailors say, "You be". Instead of saying, "They are", sailors say, "They be". Ne'er speak in anythin' but the present tense!

Hints an' Tips
If it be helpin', start yer sentence wi' a "Arr, me hearty," in a deep, throaty voice — ye'll find that the rest be comin' much easier.

Jargon
Ahoy: Hey!
All Hands Hoay!: "All Hands on Deck!", everyone on the ship called to the deck, usually for action.
Arse: behind; fanny.
Avast: Stop!
Aye: Yes
Black spot: to be 'placin' the black spot' be markin' someone for death.
Booty: treasure
Buccanneer: a pirate who be answerin' to no man or blasted government.
By the Powers!: an exclamation, uttered by Long John Silver in Treasure Island!
Cat o' nine tails: whip for floggin' mutineers
Corsair: a pirate who be makin' his berth in the Med-...Medi-...that sea 'tween Spain and Africa, aye!
Dance the Hempen Jig: To hang, (rope was often made of hemp fibers)
Davy Jones' Locker: the bottom o' the sea, where the souls of dead men lie
Dead Lights: eyes.
Dead Men: empty bottles.
Doubloons: pieces of gold
Dungbie: rear end
Fiddlers Green: the private heaven where pirates be goin' when they die.
Furner: a ship which be yer own, not one ye steal an' plunder.
Gentlemen o' fortune: a slightly more positive term fer pirates!
Go on the account: to embark on a piratical cruise
Grog: A pirate's favorite drink.
Hempen Halter: The hangman's noose.
Hornswaggle: To cheat or defraud, often of money or belongings, Yosemite Sam knows a lot about it
Jack: a flag or a sailor
Jolly Roger: the skull and crossbones, the pirate flag!
Keelhaul: a truly vicious punishment where a scurvy dog be tied to a rope and dragged along the barnacle-encrusted bottom of a ship. They not be survivin' this.
Landlubber: "Land-lover," someone not used to life onboard a ship.
Lass: A woman.
Lily-livered: faint o' heart
Loaded to the Gunwales (pron. gunnels): drunk
Matey: A shipmate or a friend.
Me hearty: a friend or shipmate.
Me: My.
Pieces o' eight: pieces o' silver which can be cut into eights to be givin' small change.
Pipe down!: Shut up!
Privateer: a pirate officially sanctioned by a national power
Savvy: to understand; comprehend.
Scallywag: A bad person. A scoundrel.
Scurvy dog!: a fine insult!
Shiver me timbers!: an exclamation of surprise, to be shouted most loud.
Son of a Biscuit Eater: a derogatory term indicating a bastard son of a sailor
Sprogs: raw, untrained recruits
Squadron: a group of ten or less warships
Squiffy: a buffoon
Swaggy: a scurvy cur's ship what ye be intendin' to loot!
Swashbucklin': fightin' and carousin' on the high seas!
Sweet trade: the career of piracy
Thar: The opposite of "here."
Walk the plank: this one be bloody obvious.
Wench: a lady, although ye gents not be wantin' to use this around a lady who be stronger than ye.
Wi' a wannion: wi' a curse, or wi' a vengeance. Boldly, loudly!
Yo-ho-ho: Pirate laughter

Avast Ye!

Ahoy maties! Ok, so tonight is the big Farewell Boat Party themed "Pirates"! I have everything ready, well except for some rubber bands or as the Brits call "elastics" for my hair. I want to put my hair in small braids to give it a dread look :) So I will be posting pics of what went on at a later time, but here is the run down that they sent us of what is going on:

1830 Meet in the lobby of the Masarykova dormitory.
1930 Embarment (The ship is at the dock in the Palackeho Square).
+Welcome drink.
+Vote for the best presentation.
2000 Set sail (we are not waiting for anyone).
2010 Buffet opening (dont worry it is enough for all).
2100 Awards of the best presentations and language teachers.
2200 A surprise!
2230-0000 End of sail.
0030 A traditional run through Charles bridge. Say good bye to Prague a.k.a. Naked run (I don't think I'll be doing the naked bit).
Then we will continue in the club Zlaty Strom (Golden tree).
***Free fun during whole sail :), take your pirate clothes.

Well I'm off to finish getting around and then heading out to get some rubberbands. As well as some drinks and food for our Pre-Pirate Party tonight before we leave (rum, juice, and snackies). Ahoy!

Happy 21st Birthday Ryan!

Birthday Boy

Ok well today is my little brother, ok so he's not little, 21st Birthday! It's such a shame that I'm missing it, since it is one of those "big" birthdays. Well I hope you have a great birthday Ryan and I hope you'll be surrounded by your friends and our family! Just like Papa always said you are 21-Beers old! Here is th Czech Birthday Song and a Czech Birthday Wish for you...

Hodne stesti zdravi
Very much luck health
Hodne stesti zdravi
Very much luck health
Hodne stesti mily Ryan
Very much luck dear Ryan
Hodne stesti tobe
Very much luck to you

Vse nejlepsi k narozeninam!
The best for your birthday!

Have a great day, don't party too hard! ;) And I'll help you celebrate it in Aggieville when I come home!

Lots of Love from Your Sister!
~Mandy

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Day at the Zoo

So, today I went to the zoo with four Scottish lads. I had a lot of fun, and it was such a nice cool day to spend it out at the zoo. I can't believe I took so many pictures (ok yes I can, but still, *sigh*)...so sit back and enjoy!

Four Scotts...Iain, Will, James, and JR

Very kewl bridge we went over!

Me with the penguins!

Boys with penguins

Flamigos!

An elephant never forgets!

Me with gorilla!

Gorrillas will be...no wait! Boys will be boys!

Ok so maybe kids are the same no
matter what species they are!

Cat nap!

Wow look at those eyes!

More big cats!

What is JR feeding that lion?

Of course I had to get my picture taken with the cat!

Monkeys and Goats

Now that's what I call monkeying around :)

I promise Mom, it was completely safe!

James on skylift

JR on skylift

Look at that view!

Reminds me of recess after lunch!

Architecture picture no. 1 of the day.

Architecture pic no. 2 of the day.

Awww...poor thing. James kept
teasing it with a bottle cap!

Baby giraff!

The boys...resting on the rocks

The Jungle glass dome!

Waterfall inside jungle.

More jungle.

Waterfall

Me and waterfall

Creatures of the night!

Unfortuantly it's not Batman!
It was scary having bats flying towards you though!

It's not a full day without my picture of stairs!

Photoshopped image of the jungle and dome.

Boys on tetter totter.

Feeding the animals!

Awww, now that is really sweet!

This one ate all the food!

Iain got eaten by the gator!

Iain's ok!

Boys in a fish!

Ride 'em cowboys!

A very kewl sheep.

Monkeying around.

JR hanging out

Will

Me :)

Exit or The End