I have finished my first year of grad school.

Love,

black sheeped

The last week at school has been busy busy busy.

Illustration One: I keep having dreams that I am bleeding profusely, my head is draining of all blood, or that I am in tornadoes.

Illustration Two: I have not vacuumed in two weeks, and the dogs are shedding. EVERYTHING IS COVERED IN A THICK COATING OF DOG HAIR, AND I KEEP FINDING IT IN MY BACKPACK AND IN MY CONTACT CASE.

Yesterday I got over a big school hurdle, and now I have six days to prepare for the end of semester grad review and take a final. I’m doing two installation pieces for the review, one of which is (sort of) large and involves lots of hanging paper components. This means I still have a lot to do, but my final class critiques are finished and I don’t feel quite so much like I am dying of art.

Today’s grateful list:

The surprising but cheerful result of finding a dog hair in your contact case is not blindness.

It’s supposed to be in the sixties today and it’s not supposed to rain.

Did I mention I’m finished with final class critiques? I’m finished with final class critiques!

I was able to change my watch battery by myself, which means I can wear my watch again. I missed my watch. I love my watch.

We might have tulips blooming in the next week.

I planted a birdseed sunflower in a coffee can in the studio window. It gets taller every day.

Love,

black sheeped

HUSBAND.

Love,

black sheeped

Giant bags of peanuts.

Cereal for meals other than breakfast.

I’ve been painting for hours and my brain hurts. I assume that’s good for my brain, so I’m putting it on the grateful list.

Earlier this week, in response to a conversation his coworkers were having, Jut said, “I have no complaints about my wife.” I thought that was pretty good.

Love,

black sheeped

THE SEMESTER IS ALMOST OVER.
Love,

black sheeped

Awesome Easter cakes.

A brief appearance of the sun while I was driving home.

The approaching bedtime. Especially on evenings when I can barely keep my eyes open.

Love,

black sheeped

A fat purring kitty on my arms while I type.

The tax refund that allowed us to put new tires on the car this spring. They came in very handy during this morning’s commute, when we had thundersnow/windy/sleety extravaganza.

Interesting lectures and good teachers.

Hot Zen tea (green tea with lemongrass and spearmint).

Umbrellas.

Friends who have pots of hot coffee ready when I arrive at the studio in the morning all wet and frozen from the thundersnow.

Love,

black sheeped

Stephen Colbert.

Love,

black sheeped

Podcasts.

Listening to podcasts with my husband while I’m painting.

Leftover waffles.

Old Calvin and Hobbes books in bed, before I fall asleep.

Love,

black sheeped

Paint, paint, paint.

Love,

black sheeped