Next Chapter in Life...

Begins!  Monday.  

Not today.  For I am way too tired.  12 hour work day, I had to OPEN and CLOSE.  I will have to pray soon so I won't type too much here.

First off, THANKS DEVIANTART FOR THE FREE T-SHIRT!  Unlike many who submitted a submission to the Above the Influence "contest" (more like campaign), I legit believe in staying about the influence and I'm glad my submission has gotten positive reception from many people.  Anyway, the t-shirt is kickass and I'll definitely rock it on my first day of school this Monday.

And yep, I'm going back to college!  Well, I've been enrolled in college for the last year but it's been online...So now going back to traditional "ground" college will be a new old experience, again.  Truthfully, I'm rather nervous.  In general, I don't know anybody out here in Deer Park.  All my friends are back out in Queens.  I dunno what it is, but I kinda don't want to make new friends.  Even though I'm ridiculously lonely here.  A lady friend is welcome .  Ahem.  Haha, umm anyway, I think I have trust issues.  Is that normal?  I mean, do Long Island students act or behave in a different way than Queens kids?  Are they more rich or stuck up?  One of my fears is that I somehow become friends with a needy individual, who thinks I'M his best mate.  And he becomes a leech.  Is that making me sound conceited or pretentious?  I hope not, LOL.  Umm, so yeah.  Another fear is that I'll find cool peeps to completely replace my old friends.  And why would that be a bad thing?  Maybe I'm afraid of change.  Maybe I'm just afraid period.  I dunno.  Regardless, it will be a new start like it or not.  I am definitely looking forward to it.  Just afraid of the intricacies, I'm afraid.  I'm afraid I've said too much.  I'm afraid I've said the word afraid way too much the last few sentences.  Shall we continue?

So, what's exciting is that this will be my first semester as a student of the arts!  I won't consider my previous semesters worth of studying as a waste, most of the classes I've taken will transfer over to some extent and capacity and fill in other requirements and prerequisites and all that.  The classes I'm taking are:

Drawing 1
Intro to Computer Art
2D Design
German

I would have taken a fifth, but I'd be overwhelmed with work and that's all I can muster for now.  All my classes are evening so that I can still make some of that green and support myself and family for incoming bills, school expenses, gas, and all that.  Besides, I'm taking one more online course in addition, and that'll be done with first week of October.  Got a lot on my plate.

I'm actually very excited to start despite my nervousness.  I'm gonna take all my classes very seriously, naturally, but I'm also looking to make an impression with my teachers.  My hopes are that one of my teachers know someone in the publishing industry and give me tips or a direct hook up for my children's book.  If not, I'm still very hyped in that I'm taking all the essential courses to hone my talents.  2D Design is perfect for a book.  Drawing 1 will be an overall strengthening course, and Intro to Computer Art?  Seriously?  It's perfect.  I've never had formal training, all self taught with the computer, so imagine the new tips, tricks, short cuts and proper ways I can go about drawing out the illustrations?  It's gotta be destiny.  3 necessary courses, one semester, teachers with possible connections and tips?  A lot to be excited about.  I wonder if I'll let my art teachers know I have an online gallery.  If you've received a link, hi professor(s)!

So anyway...What else has gone on with me?  Been wanting to draw for some more DA contests.  I'm gonna churn up something for the Scott Pilgrim and Resident Evil contest soon.  Expect that Influence Map meme to be done too.

Oh!  And I've been focusing on my young adult story.  I'm actually 3 chapters in!  I'm very proud, if I may say so myself.  I've been planning it for a while, since mid January, I believe.  It's still very much in planning, but I'm at least writing.  For a long time, I'd say "I'm going to write it today!" and postpone such writing.  I'd do more research and do more planning, and then I'd abandon starting it in favor of something trivial.  I mean, who needs a start date to write?  There are no rules to writing.  I mean, formally, yes, but I mean to say that this is just supposed to be me going with the flow of things, punching out the keys to the words that I wish to fill the page.  What's so scary about that?  For a while, it did scare me and that's why I kept delaying myself. But I started writing, and really got into it.  I felt like I was in the setting I was describing, meeting the characters I was writing about.  Exciting stuff.  Later on, my friend told me that I wasn't afraid to start writing.  He was saying that I was going about it the right way, and that I started writing when I felt comfortable writing...That the time was right to write; that my best work would come out of such a time versus forcing myself to write with no passion or drive.

What this all means is that I may just postpone that kid's series book for a bit and focus on the young adult novel, which tentatively titled the acronym would be AAHKE.  We'll see.  I'll focus on what I feel is right, and writing has become my drawing for the time being.

Anyway, I think I've gone on way too long.  Allow me to go.  Thanks for sticking with me this far if you've been reading!  

Until next time, loveandpeace,

Bonny John.