Hello all! Have I got news for you. I have successfully graduated from St. John Fisher college with my literature major. What will this give me? Friends.

Let me explain. I went to this dinner with my literature professors at my college. They cried over us as if we were family to be parted and carted off to the four ends of the world. All of them hugged me. It was nice feeling loved by people with doctorates, to know that they are not coldhearted beings of the education board. The associate dean, I am sure, hugged only me, for he ran up to me before I left just FOR the hug. I'm glad he did. Those papers I wrote for him were difficult to say the least.

Onto more things. I will be working slowly on another degree now, in art. This will be a mixed program in SUNY Brockport (yay, I save money) that includes but is not limited to: fine art, studio art, art history, photography, digital art, printmaking, etc. etc. Something well-rounded. Perfect for me, because as one may notice I would like to do it all. After that, a master's or a doctorate is actually feasible for me. I am fortunate enough to not have loans on me now, so it is as if I merely graduated out of high school just now.

I decided to not get a bird for my graduation gift, and instead proceeded to grovel for a rather nice hobbits/photographer's SLR camera. Something affordable, with many features, but not something so expensive that as a first-timer I'd be too weary to tough the thing. Therefore I purchased the Nikon D5100 with my graduation money. It came with an 18-55mm and 55-300mm lens. I will be later getting a bag and tripod for it, rather soon actually. I will also be picking up some screw on filters for both lenses, and some screw-on macro lenses.

I enjoy versatility, you see. I prefer being as educated as possible so I have options open for me. I also enjoy the fact that with this Nikon camera, and the availability of different lenses, I can change them out as I would a paintbrush for different shots. I also think as a constantly learning artist who prides herself on picking up as many media as possible on her own, I've come a long way from when I was younger. I used to only have the colored pencils and basic watercolors that my grand aunt gave to me. Now, it seems any art supply is within reach.

I still work with watercolors, but have also picked up acrylics and tempera. My pencils have upgraded to a full set of Prismacolor Premiers for color, Derwent graphites, and good old Germanic favorite of mine, Staedtler. I have also moved onto charcoals and oil pastels, with Conte crayons on the way. I'm practiced in wood burning, basic printmaking, and clapboard. I can also make my own jump rings to make maille jewelry. I taught myself Photoshop and Illustrator respectively, and am working on photography.

What's next? Beats me. I still need to try Conte. I have a set. I am looking for inspiration. After that? I don't know... glass etching? That's one thing I have not done. No worries though. I will always go back to them all. When I get sick of one form or art, I move back to another. I have a rotation.

What's next on my life? I will go with the flow. It's not in me to look too far ahead. I can't imagine working on another degree yet, even. However, it is happening. What happens, happens. If my life changed tomorrow, oh well. We take what is given, we should not ask for more than what is absolutely needed. But if the chance arises, maybe we are blessed with more than what we ever dreamed.