...and then I was a slug

The time came and went when my friend, Jeff, came to visit me for Christmas. I thank his gracious mother, Linda, for agreeing to it since that is usually the time when she gets to see him. My friends that I live with went off to NYC to have a grand time: eating, walking and breathing all things New York. I got to stay here in Dallas where it decided to snow, again, for the second time in about ten years.
Here are a few pics and a video from my Christmas:

a short video shot from  Deerfield neighborhood while driving around looking at Christmas lights:

They also have a house on Quincy street just off Ohio that has the lights adapted to the music! It's really cool because they didn't just play Christmas music, they had a Michael Jackson mash up while I was there. The video that Jeff took didn't come out very well because you can't hear the music at all, but still worth a visit. That house also had a hot chocolate stand set up and all the proceeds went to Support the Troops.

two videos from the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert: (I put them on YouTube because I thought it loaded a lot faster than from my link)

In the beginning (click here for awesome video)

 and <click here for this awesome video!>> 

toward the end (I love the lightning bolt-like effects especially when the dancers come out)

We also took a visit to the Sixth Floor Museum downtown at Dealy Plaza. In case you don't know, this is the old school book depository building from where JFK was shot. The tour was actually an experience I did not expect. If you get a chance to visit Dallas, you should go there, it will change your life.

Here is a picture of me looking out the window down at the intersection where our president was assassinated. 

a view of the old courthouse from the side of the JFK memorial

And, finally, Christmas dinner. I thought "Let's get a whole roasted duck like from 'A Christmas Story'". I found one at an Asian market near my house. We went in to order it and when they brought it out, it was beautiful! The skin so crispy, the head attached. But when they prepared it for us to take it away, they chopped the head off! Not very Christmas Story at all, but I still ate it and enjoyed it. I think Jeff did too.

our Christmas dinner: roasted veggies, duck (head removed) cakes and rice balls

do I twiddle my thumbs?

So, as you know classes ended Friday and I'm sad. I love school. I got a call today from one of the counselors from school. At first I thought, "Uh-oh, what did I forget to do?" but she was just calling to check up on students. She told me congratulations on my perfect attendance so far. I said, "Well, I'm paying way too much money to miss anything." I was hoping my perfect attendance would result in some money off my tuition, but nothing yet.

Well, what have I been doing then, since class let out? Working, of course, at the cash register at JoAnn's. It's so monotonous it gets on my nerves, but it's only temporary, so I'm okay with it. I went with some friends from school to take a shy guy into one of the adult stores here. I tried on this apron and he did too, but I promised I wouldn't show his.

I ventured out one day to a costume shop here and found Huggy Bear's new pimp shoes. They didn't have my size, but I could soooo rock these.


And I've been on a short hike out to the nature preserve near the house and found this HUGE acorn!

Tim advised me about the squirrels that hang out at that place and how big they are. "They're like the ROUS's...Rawwwrrr!!" (see a video of the ROUS's here from the movie "The Princess Bride")

I said I'd just punt them if any bothered me.

And, since I've been driving around town and it's been warm - it was just about 80 degrees today! - my little hula girl looks like either she's about to blow chunks, or just blow, not sure about that.

I hope everyone has prepared for Friday, 12/21/12, the end of the Mayan calendar. I am, I have my sunblock on hand. But for now, I will be preparing to bake cookies for my friend that is coming to visit me for Christmas. I'm pretty excited about it!

ok, just some pictures and captions

my final drawing for Observational Drawing class

my final project for Design Fundamentals class

me making a snowman ornament at ArtLoveMagic in Deep Ellum
last Friday outside of Buzzbrews

inside Buzzbrews music plays

"the game" Valerie and I have been sending back and forth through
the mail since May! Now she's in D.C. so we will continue...

how I'm feeling...listen to it here