Like Pulling Teeth!

Ok. So. I am done all my EXAMS, now just my practicum left.

It seems so easy right, thats nothing. Just a month and a half, and I am home free.
But that seems like so long to me right now. This is what I'm dealing with:

1- The number of years my husband put off school so I could finish first
2- The number of cats we have that I can't be away from for a long time
3- the number of months of an internship with the store I work with now may be able to give me
4- the number of countries I would like to visit if I had the opportunity to go on a trip
5- the number of job postings just within my stores corporate office that I think would be fun
6- the number of months I think it takes (at least) to find jobs within my field of practice when graduated

I am so anxious to be done, but I have no idea what will happen when it occurs. I want so badly to be there already! I want to work work work! Building success starts with a first step.

I still feel far away.

Grad Night!

Yesterday was my Graduation Dinner, which is more exciting and emotional for me than my actual convocation, which will occur in November. My parents were there, which was fabulous, and I ended up with a whole table of people on my side: my husband, his parents, my sister in law and my grandma in law... It was a big turn out! The food was good, the ring ceremony and pledge of human ecology was good, and I made a toast to the textiles grads, which went... OK. I was super emotional, because I believe so strongly in Human Ecology as a positive approach to the textiles world, so it was a little shaky. I persevered, and here's what I said (more or less):

Good evening grads. I was asked to toast this evening because I am inspired by the human ecological perspective and its role for Textiles graduates. Some may call into question the relevance of the `fashion designers´, the 'merchandisers´, the `museum conservationists´ and the `Interior designers´ within Human Ecology. This is where I feel that it´s important to remind all of us grads where our responsibility lies.

The fashion and design industry has always played a formidable part in bringing about change and social understanding. Think about the feminist movement, and how strongly fashion influenced, was influenced, and continues to evolve based on the changing roles of women.

Consider the landmark awareness campaigns:
The red ribbon for AIDS in the 90´s
The pink ribbon for breast cancer
The live strong bracelets
Campaign Project Red
Each movement is strongly supported by designers worldwide, and is integrally linked to clothing, style, and aesthetic to market these important awareness and fundraising tools. As graduates of a program which fosters the idea of bettering humanity as a whole, we are the new generation entrusted with continuing this support.

As innovators, motivators, and passionate professionals, we are being handed the responsibility to forge ahead into our careers as responsible agents for change.

Interiors minors: you have an integral impact on how people interact with their environment everyday. You can influence peoples ethical choices for design in regards to sustainability, choosing to encourage choices such as LEED building.

For conservation graduates: you are the people who will represent and acknowledge the changes which have occurred, and tell the stories through the things which remain.

Merchandisers and Product Development minors: it will be up to you to convey conscious messages from whatever company you work for, and advocate for equality and dignity from design, sourcing, down the line to delivery to the consumer.

We are qualified for choosing safe reliable textiles in all our endeavors, and this knowledge should not be wasted.

In short, it is our job to work together, and make the world better.

To our families, friends, and beloved faculty members who have met with us tonight: for the past years you have supported and cheered us on through the ups and downs of group projects and unending lab hours. You have watched our projects come together, or be ripped apart. You have seen us at our best and our worst, and now you watch it come to fruition. Thank you so much for your unfailing support, and please continue to challenge us to live our lives to our full potential. Please raise your glasses and join me in toasting the graduating class of 2010.

I toasted the Textiles grads, and a Family Ecology grad toasted her side of the department. It went well, and (hurray and thank goodness!) it's now over.

The next step of the journey is my practicum. The good news for you all: I have to blog at LEAST eighteen times about my transition from student to professional. Aren't you guys excited? Check back soon!

Textiles Full Steam Ahead

Soooo..... Today is the second last day of class. I worked closely with two other girls on some fabulous papers... and we started to call ourselves the Textiles Team... but when that's on a wiki page address it looks like textilesteam which could also be textiles steam... steam... steam engine.

Like a train. Moving forward.

I Like it.

Congratulations everyone who has finished some big stuff lately- onwards to the next amazing destination.

Putting Stuff in the Room!

Here are some photos and a link to the blog describing my class where we are building an exhibit about material culture in the home. It opens after the weekend, so we are so tight for time! A few other students and myself decided to do a big push today, so lots of the goodies are in the room. This means I only have to worry about two other projects, dinner with the in-laws and my parents and sister being in town for the weekend.

Here's to making it work!