100 Year Starship Study

Here's a little something my blog has been missing for too long: science.

I just spent the weekend at the 100 Year Starship Study Symposium, and wow. I shook hands with scientists, engineers, and astronauts (even got one's email and phone number!), talked to science fiction authors (got a hug from Stephen Baxter! and had a nice conversation with Vernor Vinge) and lamented the currents state of education and inspiration for the communication of the vision of space exploration with several experts in the field--Luke Blaize, who argued for the use of video games as inspiration, June Scobee Rodgers, who founded the Challenger Center for Space Science Education in the wake of her husband's death in the Challenger Accident, and even Jeff Silver, who produced Tron: Legacy, Terminator Salvation, 300, and many other box-office hits. The weekend was amazing; I just wish I could have spent more time networking and listening to panels on propulsion, terraforming, genetic engineering, and the like. I know everything was video taped, hopefully they'll release the videos soon. And if they don't, I took copious notes.

The most important thing I learned at this symposium is that I need to get myself business cards.

I asked a lot of different people questions about what upcoming artists can do to help this vision of the future (which I want so badly, and part of the reason why I switched away from physics is because I know I'll be more useful in creative writing) and they all basically told me the same thing. Start with producing lots of little works, get known that way, and self-promote like nuts (hence the business cards). Which doesn't necessarily change much, except, well, maybe everything.

I was just talking to Boyfriend the other day about how I thought I was probably going to focus on Graphic Novel as an area of interest in my studies, and I actually have to write a pedagogy paper (that I am intending on turning into a conference paper, if I can get together a multi-generational group of panelists to go to AWP with me next year) and I was originally intending to argue for why Graphic Novel (in particular, and to a lesser extent, screenwriting) need to be taught in introductory-level multi-genre creative writing classes, but now I'm considering arguing for allowing genre-work (particularly science fiction) in those beginning classes, too. Those are two separate papers, so I'm going to have to choose, but still, it's worth a thought. Especially since I have been sort of building a syllabus and reading list in my head for the past few years for planning a science fiction creative writing special topics class. Although it will probably be a great many years before I get to implement it. I know eventually I'll write both papers. It's just a matter of which one I write first.

And speaking of graphic novels, the Multiverse Theory one I'm working on, it's focus is now probably going to go towards something bigger than myself, which is great. I've been kind of lacking focus for where to go with it, and the symposium has given me a lot of great ideas. :) Also--I have come to the conclusion that I need to really identify a specific art style for myself to make my art distinguishable and recognizable. Practice helps, yes, but I'm really seriously thinking about needing to take a digital art class or something just to refine my skills... because while raw talent and self-study does help, without formal training I'm really limiting myself. (Enter the half-baked idea of pursuing a second MFA--this one in art--after I get out of this program.)


Either way, we'll see what happens. Sorry for the brief and vague as usual; because of the Symposium I'm behind on homework and I really need to get to get moving on it.

Happy October <3!

Decisions, decisions!

In less than three weeks I'll be a happy graduate! There are only two official weeks of class left. This is mildly terrifying.

But! I have good news. I made my decision on where I'll be for the next three years of my life.

Last week the Director of Graduate studies at Florida International University called me personally to tell me that the school has accepted me and said I was eligible for an assistantship, but it wasn't 100% because they weren't sure what their budget was. I declined their offer as I had already gotten better offer at UCF.

Then, Friday morning, the Dean of Graduate Studies at Savannah College of Art and Design called me personally to tell me that he and the Board were very impressed by my phone interview the day before, and that they wanted to award me with the prestigious Dean's Fellowship. As appreciative as I am of this offer, I had to tell him I respectfully decline. I made my decision the day before after the interview, based on the fact that even if I got the Fellowship I still wouldn't be able to afford to go to school there. Tuition-only does not give me a place to live or food to eat.

So I am pleased to announce that I has finally made her decision, and accepted the school of my choice. Starting in August, I'll be a Knight, at the University of Central Florida. I couldn't be happier with my decision. I'm currently waiting to see what I'll get for my Graduate Teaching Assistant position (I'm really hoping for an editor position at The Florida Review), and I need to start figuring out what classes I'm going to take in the Fall and send in the request the day after I graduate. :)

In other good news, my thesis is finally completed! As promised, here's a sneak:


I ended up titling the work "Pancakes and Parallel Universes."
The whole work is drawn in that style... with a few extra surprises. :] Throughout the process I could tell it was going to be a much larger piece of work than I anticipated, so it is more like a "chapter one" of something much bigger. I'm really liking playing with this idea for a graphic novel, so I will probably work on it more over the summer.

Speaking of the summer, I went to a part-time job fair and filled out a few applications for seasonal employment... I also have an interview for Monday morning, so I'm excited. I hope I get the job, it will be something fun to do and help pay the rent.

Until then, I just need to finish the last three essays of my undergraduate career and take two final exams... and that's it. I'm done.

And onto the next step in my life.

Interesting Predicament

This week has been ridiculous. I had an interview for a prestigious award (which I didn't win), won a science fiction writing contest, sent out four new submissions, and got accepted into another grad school. Oh, and I've made some decent headway on my thesis.

Basically, everything in my life is going to converge on April 15th. That is THE day. And it is two weeks from now.

I have two awards ceremonies to attend that day, my thesis is due that day, and that is the day I have to accept or decline my invitation to UCF. I wanted to make my final decision by next week, but I got an email from SCAD stating that I am in the running for a full-tuition fellowship; my phone interview is on the 14th. So I'll have to wait. And today I got a call directly from the Graduate Director of FIU, stating I was unanimously accepted, and I was highly recommended for a teaching assistantship. I should know by the end of the day if I got it or not. All of the sudden, I have incredible opportunities. UCF is still the only one set in stone, but if FIU and SCAD go through, there's going to be some heavy competition. This is a good problem to have, but still, it is nerve-wracking.

I need to fill our all of the financial aid stuff for all three schools now. Soon. On top of all of the rest of the things I need to do... Homework, projects, extracurriculars... It just never ends. I am excited, but also mildly terrified. We'll have to wait and see how things go.

Spring Break

So my last undergraduate spring break was not nearly as awesome or productive as I would have liked. I wanted to get at least 6 more pages of my thesis done (to total 10) and I got like 2 pages done. Sorta. And by that, I mean I've been working on it mostly just all day today. I am rather pleased at how it is turning out. it has taken forever but I think I'm finally getting back into the hang of drawing on a regular basis. the only issue is that coloring things in, too, it making the process a million times longer. :/ When I think I've got a good scene to show what I'm doing, I'll be sure to post it here so you all can sneak peek. :)

Ama and I have been keeping dream journals as a part of an extra-credit assignment for a class we are both a part of. The results, on my part, have been... interesting, to say the least. At worst, the dreams are just strange. At best, they're awesome story ideas. I woke up one particular morning and I thought--finally. This is it. This is what I'm waiting for. I've been struggling with how to balance a character-driven story in a science fictional plot... and my subconscious gave it to me in the form of a post-apocalyptic dream. :) I look forward to pursuing it more once I graduate and have more free time.

Speaking of writing more, I didn't really get to work on any of my upcoming submissions, and I was once again rejected by the undergraduate literary magazine run by my university. Ugh. And I still haven't gotten any new acceptances, in terms of MFA programs. I decided not to go to Denver this year, and got the good news that I can defer my enrollment to next year. (Yay!) And as for more good news, I was just notified that I will get to present two works (one being literary criticism on Shakespeare, the other being magical realism flash fiction) for an Undergraduate Symposium held this Friday by my chapter of Sigma Tau Delta. :) I wish I had a little more time to prepare (I need to figure out how to correctly pronounce some stuff in the lit crit paper) but I'm still rather excited. :)

As one more down side, my spring break is over, and I haven't started any of my homework for this upcoming week. I am also missing a book that I need for a paper. :/ Hopefully I find it soon; the paper is due next week. Getting back into the swing of the semester isn't going to be easy (I'm definitely suffering from senioritus) but the semester is already half up. :] There's less than 2 months between me and my degree, and then onto bigger and better things. :D

Good News and Bad News.

We'll start with the bad.

I found out this week that Vanderbilt rejected me. On top of that, I had to pull my first all-nighter of the semester. I went to sleep around 8am, and woke up at 11am, so I guess it wasn't a true all-nighter, but it could have totally been prevented. Deadlines just snuck up on me; it seems that on top of midterms, EVERYTHING IS DUE this week. Including submissions to awards that I've been putting off. I have almost everything I need for the award about being an outstanding graduate (just missing a recommendation letter I'm going to pick up tomorrow), and for the creative writing awards, I finally have a piece written, I just need to edit and expand on it. I'm behind on my thesis--I wanted to be pretty much done with drafting all of the pages by now--so if I'm lucky, I'll get all of my midterm and studying stuff done early in the weekend, so that I can spend the rest of next week creating formats. That way, when I meet with my thesis director next Thursday, he can tell me yea or nay before I commit the comic to detail and color over Spring Break. (so much work!! >_< ugh.)

And as for the good? I got accepted into UCF's Creative Writing MFA Program! Yay! I have choices (Now I just need to get an assistantship or something somewhere to help offset the cost...) I'll have to spend my Spring Break getting all of my financial aid work together to start submitting to the schools I got accepted to, so that they can start processing the fact that I absolutely need their aid or I won't be able to attend. :/ (So somehow, I turned the good news into bad news again.)

Next week I get to order my cap, gown, & tassel, along with my honors medallion (for attaining a 3.5+ GPA) and hopefully my honors society sash (for my participation in Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honors Society). I've registered for Commencement through the University and the Honors College, and I'm planning on signing up for membership at the Alumni Society soon, too. I wanted a class ring, but they're just too expensive, and since my Bachelor's degree isn't going to be my last degree, I figure I'll just wait until I finish my MFA (or even my PhD). Graduation is so close, I can almost taste it! I just need to survive the rest of this semester first!

Admissions List is Finalized!

So this is the final cut:

• University of Denver Summer Publishing Institute
  
• Savannah College of Art and Design
  
• Vanderbilt University
  
• New Mexico State University
  
• Georgia State University
  
• Georgia College & State University
  
• University of Miami
  
• University of Florida
  
• University of Central Florida
  
• University of South Florida
  
• Florida State University
  
• Florida Atlantic University
  
• Florida International University

This is it. Thirteen universities. Five states. One publishing institute, and the rest are MFA programs. If I do not get accepted (with a full ride) to at least one of these programs, I am going to cry. Briefly. And then I'll apply for real jobs (I've heard the government is looking for writers...) and try again for academia next year. :)

I'm not 100% done with admissions... I still need to request some transcripts and GRE scores and send some of my portfolios away... I also have to put together a massive portfolio for SCAD, which is going to be interesting, but all-in-all, I'm happy with my final list. Iowa and Texas-Austin aren't on the list, which is really just because I didn't get anything productive done over winter break, but there's nothing I can do about those two but wait until next year, if at all.

It seems like loud drunkards partying in my apartment complex have finally quieted down. Time to get some sleep. :) More work in the morning. (Or afternoon.)

Happy New Year!

I did not get nearly as much done over winter break as I wanted to. My room is a wreck, I didn't get any new grad school applications done (and therefore missed out on a lot of deadlines to good schools), I've hardly written at all, and I didn't really read anything either. :/ Shame on me.

I've got a long list of Resolutions to get me back on the right track, and I was going to post them all, but that seemed kind of pointless. Rather than telling you about what I plan to do, I should just notify you all about what I've already done. For example, today I scouted through the out-of-state schools that still have manageable deadlines, and once I finish packing my stuff to go back to school tomorrow, I'll apply. I have reconsidered applying to all three summer Publishing Institutes, and now I may just apply to one or two. I'm leaning towards U of Denver over NYU, but even so, I know I won't be able to attend either unless I have a full ride, and I know they won't give me a full ride. Not for a short program like that. I might save my money and apply to another MFA program instead. I'll be sure to let you all know what I've decided.

Lately, I'd been thinking that I really wanted to teach after finishing my MFA, to be a professor and stay in academia, but I was looking at SCAD: Savannah and their internships for Cartoon Network and Marvel Comics and other awesome places like that.... and you know what? That sounds awesome. I think I'd love to work in industry, at least while I'm still young. I can teach later, when I'm old(er) and want to settle down. And after I've learned some tricks of the trade. :)

I've been working on a few essays on craft and focus for a couple of weeks, hopefully you'll see them soon. Until then, enjoy the rest of your first week of 2011. :)