There's a breeze blowing up my tailfeathers
. . . or something like that. You’ll have to see AK’s blog entry for the poetic justice. Suffice to say that the winds of change have their ears to the grindstone and their birds in bushes when in Rome around here.
See, we had concluded months ago here at Muppet Labs. . .er. . . Hults Headquarters, that custom airbrush painting – as many interesting doors as it’s opened for us – would not be my next career. No, the market is small, especially here in Central PA. So that left me, here after I feel I’ve used up my Career Grace Period, right back where I was 2 years ago: with the intoxicating yet paralyzing freedom of choosing ANY career I wanted. Kind of like deciding where in the U.S. to move when you really could move almost anywhere. Remember? Oh, but whatever I picked, I had the overwhelming feeling I really had to make money. More money. Like, tomorrow.
AK has always pushed me to go back to photography, I suppose based on my college work, the remnants of which she’s helped move all over the country for 11 years. I did enjoy it; it was my creative outlet when I soured on theater life. But for some reason, in my mind, there were always dark clouds of doubt over this idea. Then recently, for some other reason, the clouds cleared away and I could start to see the possibilities (upon reflection, I think it was actually some lessons I’ve learned as an entrepreneur these last 2 years, so maybe all that’s not been a waste).
We researched all the necessary equipment, JC classes, seminars & other ways to learn everything there is to know about today’s photography. Because, you know, the last time I really did it we a) used something called film and b) dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Through all the research I was thinking how I’d like to go back to formal school for this -- I am an auditory learner and just do so much better with the whole forum/critique thing – but I just figured the time & money commitment was out of the question. Well it turns out (Communication. Check it out. Highly recommended. Part of this nutritional breakfast.) that AK is all for it.
I immediately started looking into Penn State’s MFA program, just for information you understand. It turns out that the deadline for application was ONE WEEK AWAY. Great. So now just keeping that door open meant I had to assemble the entire application package in one week. At least it’s only art school & I didn’t need GRE scores! Well, that was just over one week ago, and I can assure that I didn’t accomplish one darn thing between then and 3pm Wednesday the 17th ASIDE from assembling an MFA Grad School application package.
It was NOT a solitary effort. No sir. I must give gratuitous gratuities and thankalations to the following:
-Thank you Alaska for supporting and encouraging me and having unshakable faith in my abilities. Not just this week, but for the entire 23 years I’ve known you. You have always been able to convince me of my own potential, and whenever you do I am always surprised at the dragons I can slay.
-Thanks to all of you who not only wrote me letters of recommendation but did it REALLY QUICKLY and even FedExed/UPSed them to me Super Overnight Turbo Priority Red Label. And thank you for humoring the silly Academia people and sealing the envelopes, then signing over the seal, and using your special sealing wax and ring stamps for ultra 007 secret security and, um, secrecy. Dr. Doug I haven’t read yours yet because I’m afraid to break the seal, but I’m sure it rocks and you knew to use the Penn State Poly Sci. stationary. Bueno! Richard thanks for the extra mailing effort and also for casually mentioning your Supremo Importante status in Academialand. LORs from Associate Vice Chancellors usually get read, I think J. Ed, when I read the letter that you wrote, I wanted to divorce my wife so that I could meet me, date me, then ask me to marry me. THAT is a letter of recommendation!
-Thanks to Mom, for giving me a day of your life and a tank of your gas. Thank you for driving all the way to SSU to deliver chocolates and pick up transcripts that we didn’t even know for sure would even be ready to pick up.
-Thanks to the SSU Transcript Registrar, who was impervious to my super ‘Nando sexy phone voice charm but DID succumb to the power of chocolate. Thank you for going against all of the “NO ONE WILL GET ANY SPECIAL RUSH SERVICE OR LOVE OF ANY KIND FROM THE TRANSCRIPT REGISTRAR IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY BECAUSE SHE IS SO BUSY DEALING WITH ALL OF THE OTHER REQUESTS” warnings on all the request forms. Was it my desperation? Was it the promise of chocolates? I was explaining all of this to Max on the way to school the other day: “Son, people who get things done in this world do so to a great extent by buying chocolates for the women who matter”.
-Thanks to Amy at the School of Visual Arts office, for loving the ‘Nando and finding me some common sense amidst the Academia Sillyness when I had some simple, reasonable but apparently outside-the-box questions last week.
-Thanks to Aaron, the Google Fu Master, for finding me the one camera shop in Philadelphia that was a)open on Sundays and b)offering rush slide processing! I knew it existed, and I Googled my brains out, but for the life of me I couldn’t find it. Is it just me or is Google becoming increasingly useless as advertisers become better at manipulating it? Also since it favors volume of hits and links, the sites at the very top of my search, the first (and what is implied to be the most relevant) among millions of sites, are often dead links or totally outdated. Indeed the more I rely on Google the more I rely on Aaron and Henderdog, who somehow instinctually must think themselves as a search engine does in order to always get what they need from the information abyss.
Alas, the slides/portfolio, the letters of recommendation, the transcripts, the resumes, the Statement of Purpose, the online forms, the assistantship applications and the cover letter (AK made me delete the cover letter sentence where I told them I was not only relatively handsome but very good at reaching things in high places) all came together and were handed over to Amy with great relief.
On with life! I’ve gotten good luck wishes and great goings and support from a lot of people. And that is fabulous. Though I hope people understand it’s by no means a done deal. Even if they accept me, well THEN we sit down and go over just what they offer, and what I’d get for the big bucks we’d surely have to take out loans for. And if they do sell me on the program, well just HOW MUCH do they want me and what kind of assistance can they offer and can I teach for them or help or somehow work for them. And how long can I keep that job because my little baby will be Penn State age in 8 years and relatives get BIIIIIG tuition discounts. It may be the case that we don’t have to spend all that money to get the education I want (though it would sure simplify the education-getting if it worked out. . . . . ). So “on with life” means we will now go forward as we would have without the application interruption, with intensive self-study, JC classes, seminars and perhaps apprenticeships with local photographers.
What the heck else is going on? Well, Lux is plodding along with a little less work and a little more money. Though my heart is not as in-it as it was before the direction change. But the income becomes more important every day. Alaska is still working her tail off and whipping our finances into submission like a top-dollar dominatrix. She knits so well it’s almost not not-sexy. And HOO the cooking! 5 Pupdogs have never eaten so well.
Max is wrapping his brain, slowly, around his own identity as a 5th grader. I can see him trying on new ideas and attitudes for size every few days. Some are terrifying, some reassuring, some hilarious. He continues to display musical talent and is often even interested in doing the work. Mostly I notice – and I’ve said this before – how comfortable he is being himself. Sometimes it comes across as naïve lack of self-awareness, but lately more often it comes across as unshakable, easy self-confidence. I give you his essay, “My Pet Lizard”
“Three years ago I got a lizard and all the supplies I needed for my birthday. I named him after my imaginary friend, Jax. My Mom went to get the stuff, and I gave them to him (being only seven). We both enjoyed reading History and sitting around playing with Legos. I got him in two thousand three, he lasted all through two thousand four, but two thousand five spelled the end for my scaly little friend Jax the lizard”
Ben and Milo are trading viruses. Right now Milo has it worse and stays home from preschool, swimming and piano. Ben feels fine but he makes Milo – with his baggy eyes and hungover been-in-my-jammies-all-day pallor – look like the picture of health. How does Ben do this? He’s got a hickey around his whole mouth from sucking on a cup too hard for too long. It looks like a moustache and goatee until you get up close and see its perfect circular shape and grape juice purple color. It wigs AK out a little (I was not allowed to post a picture of Captain Hickey piloting the HMS Green Recliner across the living room last night) but I think it’s mostly hilarious. There is the chance someone will call Child Protective Services on us, I suppose, since it is in fact a bruise. How funny would that be?
It’s very late. And to be honest this is the 3rd time I’ve blogged today, the first two attempts were foiled by errant electrons. I will try to blog a little more now that the minor crisis has passed. . .
See, we had concluded months ago here at Muppet Labs. . .er. . . Hults Headquarters, that custom airbrush painting – as many interesting doors as it’s opened for us – would not be my next career. No, the market is small, especially here in Central PA. So that left me, here after I feel I’ve used up my Career Grace Period, right back where I was 2 years ago: with the intoxicating yet paralyzing freedom of choosing ANY career I wanted. Kind of like deciding where in the U.S. to move when you really could move almost anywhere. Remember? Oh, but whatever I picked, I had the overwhelming feeling I really had to make money. More money. Like, tomorrow.
AK has always pushed me to go back to photography, I suppose based on my college work, the remnants of which she’s helped move all over the country for 11 years. I did enjoy it; it was my creative outlet when I soured on theater life. But for some reason, in my mind, there were always dark clouds of doubt over this idea. Then recently, for some other reason, the clouds cleared away and I could start to see the possibilities (upon reflection, I think it was actually some lessons I’ve learned as an entrepreneur these last 2 years, so maybe all that’s not been a waste).
We researched all the necessary equipment, JC classes, seminars & other ways to learn everything there is to know about today’s photography. Because, you know, the last time I really did it we a) used something called film and b) dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Through all the research I was thinking how I’d like to go back to formal school for this -- I am an auditory learner and just do so much better with the whole forum/critique thing – but I just figured the time & money commitment was out of the question. Well it turns out (Communication. Check it out. Highly recommended. Part of this nutritional breakfast.) that AK is all for it.
I immediately started looking into Penn State’s MFA program, just for information you understand. It turns out that the deadline for application was ONE WEEK AWAY. Great. So now just keeping that door open meant I had to assemble the entire application package in one week. At least it’s only art school & I didn’t need GRE scores! Well, that was just over one week ago, and I can assure that I didn’t accomplish one darn thing between then and 3pm Wednesday the 17th ASIDE from assembling an MFA Grad School application package.
It was NOT a solitary effort. No sir. I must give gratuitous gratuities and thankalations to the following:
-Thank you Alaska for supporting and encouraging me and having unshakable faith in my abilities. Not just this week, but for the entire 23 years I’ve known you. You have always been able to convince me of my own potential, and whenever you do I am always surprised at the dragons I can slay.
-Thanks to all of you who not only wrote me letters of recommendation but did it REALLY QUICKLY and even FedExed/UPSed them to me Super Overnight Turbo Priority Red Label. And thank you for humoring the silly Academia people and sealing the envelopes, then signing over the seal, and using your special sealing wax and ring stamps for ultra 007 secret security and, um, secrecy. Dr. Doug I haven’t read yours yet because I’m afraid to break the seal, but I’m sure it rocks and you knew to use the Penn State Poly Sci. stationary. Bueno! Richard thanks for the extra mailing effort and also for casually mentioning your Supremo Importante status in Academialand. LORs from Associate Vice Chancellors usually get read, I think J. Ed, when I read the letter that you wrote, I wanted to divorce my wife so that I could meet me, date me, then ask me to marry me. THAT is a letter of recommendation!
-Thanks to Mom, for giving me a day of your life and a tank of your gas. Thank you for driving all the way to SSU to deliver chocolates and pick up transcripts that we didn’t even know for sure would even be ready to pick up.
-Thanks to the SSU Transcript Registrar, who was impervious to my super ‘Nando sexy phone voice charm but DID succumb to the power of chocolate. Thank you for going against all of the “NO ONE WILL GET ANY SPECIAL RUSH SERVICE OR LOVE OF ANY KIND FROM THE TRANSCRIPT REGISTRAR IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY BECAUSE SHE IS SO BUSY DEALING WITH ALL OF THE OTHER REQUESTS” warnings on all the request forms. Was it my desperation? Was it the promise of chocolates? I was explaining all of this to Max on the way to school the other day: “Son, people who get things done in this world do so to a great extent by buying chocolates for the women who matter”.
-Thanks to Amy at the School of Visual Arts office, for loving the ‘Nando and finding me some common sense amidst the Academia Sillyness when I had some simple, reasonable but apparently outside-the-box questions last week.
-Thanks to Aaron, the Google Fu Master, for finding me the one camera shop in Philadelphia that was a)open on Sundays and b)offering rush slide processing! I knew it existed, and I Googled my brains out, but for the life of me I couldn’t find it. Is it just me or is Google becoming increasingly useless as advertisers become better at manipulating it? Also since it favors volume of hits and links, the sites at the very top of my search, the first (and what is implied to be the most relevant) among millions of sites, are often dead links or totally outdated. Indeed the more I rely on Google the more I rely on Aaron and Henderdog, who somehow instinctually must think themselves as a search engine does in order to always get what they need from the information abyss.
Alas, the slides/portfolio, the letters of recommendation, the transcripts, the resumes, the Statement of Purpose, the online forms, the assistantship applications and the cover letter (AK made me delete the cover letter sentence where I told them I was not only relatively handsome but very good at reaching things in high places) all came together and were handed over to Amy with great relief.
On with life! I’ve gotten good luck wishes and great goings and support from a lot of people. And that is fabulous. Though I hope people understand it’s by no means a done deal. Even if they accept me, well THEN we sit down and go over just what they offer, and what I’d get for the big bucks we’d surely have to take out loans for. And if they do sell me on the program, well just HOW MUCH do they want me and what kind of assistance can they offer and can I teach for them or help or somehow work for them. And how long can I keep that job because my little baby will be Penn State age in 8 years and relatives get BIIIIIG tuition discounts. It may be the case that we don’t have to spend all that money to get the education I want (though it would sure simplify the education-getting if it worked out. . . . . ). So “on with life” means we will now go forward as we would have without the application interruption, with intensive self-study, JC classes, seminars and perhaps apprenticeships with local photographers.
What the heck else is going on? Well, Lux is plodding along with a little less work and a little more money. Though my heart is not as in-it as it was before the direction change. But the income becomes more important every day. Alaska is still working her tail off and whipping our finances into submission like a top-dollar dominatrix. She knits so well it’s almost not not-sexy. And HOO the cooking! 5 Pupdogs have never eaten so well.
Max is wrapping his brain, slowly, around his own identity as a 5th grader. I can see him trying on new ideas and attitudes for size every few days. Some are terrifying, some reassuring, some hilarious. He continues to display musical talent and is often even interested in doing the work. Mostly I notice – and I’ve said this before – how comfortable he is being himself. Sometimes it comes across as naïve lack of self-awareness, but lately more often it comes across as unshakable, easy self-confidence. I give you his essay, “My Pet Lizard”
“Three years ago I got a lizard and all the supplies I needed for my birthday. I named him after my imaginary friend, Jax. My Mom went to get the stuff, and I gave them to him (being only seven). We both enjoyed reading History and sitting around playing with Legos. I got him in two thousand three, he lasted all through two thousand four, but two thousand five spelled the end for my scaly little friend Jax the lizard”
Ben and Milo are trading viruses. Right now Milo has it worse and stays home from preschool, swimming and piano. Ben feels fine but he makes Milo – with his baggy eyes and hungover been-in-my-jammies-all-day pallor – look like the picture of health. How does Ben do this? He’s got a hickey around his whole mouth from sucking on a cup too hard for too long. It looks like a moustache and goatee until you get up close and see its perfect circular shape and grape juice purple color. It wigs AK out a little (I was not allowed to post a picture of Captain Hickey piloting the HMS Green Recliner across the living room last night) but I think it’s mostly hilarious. There is the chance someone will call Child Protective Services on us, I suppose, since it is in fact a bruise. How funny would that be?
It’s very late. And to be honest this is the 3rd time I’ve blogged today, the first two attempts were foiled by errant electrons. I will try to blog a little more now that the minor crisis has passed. . .
posted by Chris at
11:45 PM
4 Comments:
I commend you for the courage it takes to go back to school. You will be a great portait photographer. You will have no problem making the kids smile. You've got a great back yard for that, you know! What fun. I think that Justin would love to do something like that. But he hasn't had any schooling, and his photography training was in high school. You can learn something in high school, but probably not enough, and besides it's been almost 15 years. If I could get him to go to school for that I would. Of course, I would need to find a place near by that offered classes. So maybe I'll look and see if google will help me or shut me done. Anyway, bet wishes from the Webb's. You're in our prayers.
A top-dollar dominitrix, eh? This does sort of border on the very edge of TMI.
Effective imagery, though, no?
Congrats on the courage to contemplate another major life change, and on managing to get everything together in time!
I'm sure that things will work out for the best, no matter what. The happiness and confidence in this post are heartwarming, and pass on those feelings of confidence about you and your abilities.
Definitely keep us in the loop about how things shake down!
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