From my two weeks here at Ringling, here's a list of what I've picked up:

1.) I'm not as good of an artist as I think.

2.) I'm not nearly as bad of an artist as I think, either.

3.) Superglue is a good thing to have on hand.

4.) Wire sculpting. I don't care if it never comes in handy, because it's really fun.

5.) John Lasseter was once fired from Disney. Fun times!

6.) There is a lot more to learn than I have time, and this may present a problem in the future, but for now I'll just let that thought go.

7.) There is so much good music and art. Sometimes I think humanity has more to offer than I give it credit for. This is really saying something, because I'm fairly optomistic.

8.) I don't care if they're ugly; comfortable shoes are gifts from God.

9.) Computer Animation is hard, but manageable at a primitive level.

10.) No matter where you go, people are still people, and some of them just suck.

11.) I am not ready for college. Convieniently, I still have another year of high school to get through.

My dorm room is freezing, but that's okay, because I bought an ugly, five-dollar sweater from Goodwill yesterday, and it's now my prized possession. My roommate is amazing and has great tastes in music. Going to art school seems like the best thing to do, the thing that would really test me and stretch me and make me a better stronger, artist.

But then again, you don't have to go to art school to be a great artist, and I'd probably be a lot more comfortable somewhere with more to offer than only art.

As homework assignments, I created a new mascot for Frosted Flakes and a new direction for the video game, "Tetris." It's a lot of fun. I feel really geeky saying this, but I'm excited to draw things I've never drawn before.

I feel a strange, faint homesickness, but only sometimes. Eh, it's just a part of everything. I'm happy to be here.