Friday, May 22, 2009

I'm Much Older Now!

CXXVIII Days Later...


After a mere 128 days without updating my blog... I am back. This moment has been waited for by many people anxious to hear the next exciting babble that I have to blabber. For others, it wont be so exciting.

My apologies for all who have gone to my page looking for another update and have found nothing...sorry.

Anyway, I will start from the present day and work my way backwards as far as I can remember:

I just started school again this week. For those of you who aren't in the know, I have been trying to get back into the student thing for the last year. I have literally registered for classes every semester for the last 12 months and later having to withdraw from classes for a different reason every semester. I have finally gotten my status as a resident and am now a full-time student once again at the University of Utah. My class schedule is quite fun really...I am taking a Political Science class where our focus is the U.S. Government. I am also taking a writing class that hasn't really sparked my interest yet. So far this class has given the impression that we are going to be interpreting the writings of other people more than just writing out own stuff. I'm not really into critiquing the work of others. I prefer getting my own work critiqued. The other two classes I am taking are Basic Drawing and a Nutrition and Health class...fun.

I have taken up the art of swimming as a way to exercise. Every Tuesday and Thursday I make my way up to the pool that is so conveniently placed near my first two classes and swim until I either can't breath anymore or my muscles don't keep me afloat, then I get out and head over to my last class of the day. It is quite a workout. My goggles are sweet.


(This picture isn't recent)

I am still working as a valet at the Hotel Monaco. We just got new uniforms for the summer. Tell me if you think this is smart: For the winter we had white shirts and black pants, for the summer we just switched to black shirts with black shorts (the shorts look like black dress pants cut to be shorts. They are pleated and cuffed.) We also have to wear white socks. How gay (bad [gay meaning bad, not gay being bad, even though being gay is bad {bad meaning bad not
 bad meaning cool}]) are we going to look?
I recently went to Champaign/Urbana Illinois this past weekend. My older brother gradumacated from law school. Congratulations to him!! I got the opportunity of hanging out with my little niece Cadence and her little brother (my nephew) Jack. I will include some pictures.

I got to Chicago on Friday the 15th at approx. 11:15am. I knew that I was going to be waiting for my parents for a few hours before they would show up so I decided to do some site seeing. I got on a train from the airport and heading downtown with the idea of walking a couple of miles to The Navy Pier, which is a big touristy spot on the edge of Lake Michigan. When I got off the train it was raining, so after hoofing it for the two miles I was soaking wet. I got inside and found a bathroom where I spent 15 minutes drying off with the paper towels that were provided.

I walked around and found a nice little hotdog stand where I decided to have lunch. They messed up my order.

I was very bored, for what seemed to be a long time. I knew exactly how long it was, it just seemed longer.

After talking to my dad, we decided to meet at the Union Station, which we did. Then we got aboard and rode for what seemed like a long time. I knew exactly how long it was, it just seemed longer.

We spent the rest of the time at Zach's place where we enjoyed the company of everyone that was there. Then, after what seemed like a long time, we went home. I knew exactly how long it was, it just seemed longer. Just kidding, it was fun. It didn't seem that long.

Chicago is a really cool place. We walked right by the Sears tower, which seems to be really tall. I know exactly how tall it is (1,450 feet), it just seems taller. 

Okay, enough with the "seems like" jokes.
So, I did the math, and it turns out that if I go to school every semester until I am done with school, I will be done in the Spring time of 2011. That is better than I thought it would be. Well, that is for my undergraduate, its another 2 years after that to get my Masters. So, after all is said and done I will be 27 years old when I am totally done. That isn't bad considering it took Zach until he was 29 to finish. I am feeling pretty good.

I am taking a drawing class right now. For our first assignment we were asked to draw the person that we had previously chosen to be partners with while keeping our eyes off the paper. It is a form of art called "blind drawing." The guy next to me named Dan asked me to be his partner and I accepted. We each had 10 minutes to draw the other person while at the same time trying not to look down at our paper. It was pretty hard at first but after being told that the point wasn't to be accurate with the positioning of each facial feature, but to get the details, it got easier. Here is an example of what I am talking about:



After drawing with your first partner we were to switch and do it with somebody else. The rules changed the second time, now we were allowed to look at the paper occasionally to put the pencil in the right place. It didn't make the drawing look great, just a little better.

My second partner was a girl that was semi-attractive (6.5). She started by drawing me. I didn't mind that she was staring at me for 10 minutes...I'm pretty sure I knew what she was thinking anyway, right? Her drawing was pretty good, except for the undeniable fact that she over-exaggerated on my front teeth. At any case, I was next. While I was drawing I struck up a conversation with her and found out that she was from Jackson Hole, Wyoming. That isn't really important to the story, but it is important to know that we were having a pleasant conversation (you know, one with few awkward moments). Remember that I wasn't looking at the paper the majority of the time that I was drawing. I started with her eyes and then went on to her nose. She had big lips so I made sure to take my time in making them look 10 times bigger. Then, as I was drawing her left cheek I looked down and realized that my pencil and strayed from the line I had intended to draw which made her look bigger than she actually was, I just looked back up at her and said "oops, I made you a fatty." She just looked at me. I think she might have half smiled...or maybe she gave me a dirty look, I don't really remember. I do remember that the "pleasant conversation" turned into no conversation. What made it worse was that I still had 7 minutes left to finish drawing her. I had to stare at her while she modeled for me. It seemed longer (j/k).



I couldn't remember further back than last week. So, when I said that I would start from the present and work my way back...I lied.

7 Comments:

Blogger Zachariah Parry said...

1) I hope fatty doesn't find your blog and see that you rated her looks.

2) It's spelled C-H-A-M-P-A-I-G-N.

3) I took most of the pictures on your post, including the one of you underwater.

4) I think you meant "approx."

5) You have a comma splice in the sentence that begins, "I am also taking a writing class."

6) You made two "Weird Al" references in your penultimate paragraph. Were they on purpose?

7) Why can't I click on the pictures to see them bigger?

May 22, 2009 at 11:14 PM  
Blogger Jacob Parry said...

I was wondering if you would pick up on the "Weird Al" references...good job.

May 22, 2009 at 11:46 PM  
Blogger Jessica said...

You are less nice than you could be.

You are funny.

When are you going to come over and visit?

Good job on finally being in college.

My mom used to go to college.

May 23, 2009 at 4:49 AM  
Blogger Zachariah Parry said...

Nice fixes.

Mom has two "Weird Al" songs on her iPod--"Trash Day" and "White and Nerdy."

May 23, 2009 at 8:52 AM  
Blogger Becky said...

I would like to have Amish Paradise too but we don't have it on our computer. I need to get some songs off of Zach's computer. I think the cartoon drawing should say, "I am still awkward as a man." It is one thing to have an awkward conversation but quite another to tell everyone about it :)

May 27, 2009 at 9:30 PM  
Blogger Zachariah Parry said...

There is a kid in our new ward named "Jacob Parry." When his name was called in primary, Cadence and I looked at each other then looked around to catch a glimpse of him. I found out later he spells his last name with an "A."

May 31, 2009 at 8:23 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Jacob! It is fun to read about your art class. A pre-requisite for the Architecture program is a class called Architectural Graphics (but is basically the same class as Basic Drawing). We also had to do the "blind" drawing and stare at another person without look down at what we were doing. It is hard, but it gets easier in time! Your art looks good. Ever since you made that bridge I have thought you should incorporate art or architecture into your classes so I am glad you are! Anyways I hope you are doing well - I never see you anymore! Don't be such a stranger.

June 6, 2009 at 10:16 AM  

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