My boss is taking a visual literacy course for her master's degree, and one of her assignments happens to involve the visual communication of gravestones. While some may find this morbid, I was curious. The 10 year old me who still believed in hidden staircases and other Nancy Drewisms was really interested. It was decided that we would trek to a local cemetery for recon.
The cemetery we decided on was one in a town called Hygiene. Apparently someone had a sense of irony back in the late 1800's; it turns out that Hygiene was so named because it was the location of a tuberculosis ward. The word is that they would send people there from all over the country because the climate of Colorado made it easier on those that had tuberculosis. The cemetery was particularly interesting because there were many gravestones of people that died at the ward that were hand scrawled or unmarked (I assumed it was because they were poor). Of course, I had my camera at the ready and took several pictures. Here are some of them:
That's fascinating. I should show you sometime the bazillion Buchanans we found on our trip to West Virginia last year- we went there just to look at the cemeteries.
As of right now (Wednesday) I do not have my loans or petition for residency approved. The semester starts soon (soon = Monday), and I can't even buy books because I have been dropped from my classes for non-payment so I don't know if the classes I initially registered for are even open. It is even more frustrating because I registered for classes and processed my financial aid stuff back in May so I could be sure I was ahead of the riff raff. The same sort of thing happened to me last semester- I bought a book months in advance from the school bookstore and it turns out they sold me the wrong one, only to not have a replacement when I noticed the error right before classes start.
I know that colleges and administration always run on their own time and never take into account how their policy has an effect on their students, but come on. There are a scant 2 business days remaining until the next semester starts. I have decided to let them go until tomorrow, then I am going to go over to the admin building and stand in line for 5 hours, with people who waited to the last minute, to see if I can find out any more information.
In other, more positive, news, I got an A in all the classes I too over the summer. Yay!
I have started working with some people at my work to put together a conference this October. It is going to be in Second Life, and it is going to be centered on using comics in education. I love it when I get the chance to be a dork and get paid, all from the comfort of my home!
There are many things that have yet to be done, but if there are any of you out there that are interested in attending (it is free, you just need to download the Second Life client to participate), or are interested in speaking / presenting please let me know. Remember, this is all going to take place on the Internet, so there is no expense involved.
Presenters don't have to be educators, they can be people who have a self taught "expert" knowledge of comics. There are no qualifications to be an attendee, so any who are interested can sign up to attend.
I was supposed to go to Wyoming for a long weekend at a remote cabin. In fact, I was supposed to go more than one time. The reason why I didn't make it there this time is that there was a bridge out due to surging rivers that grew from a high amount of rain. So we decided to find a place more local and camp there.
We ended up in South Park. Yes, the very same South Park that is featured in the cartoon of the same name. Apparently South Park (along with Middle Park and North Park) is an area not an actual specific city. Either way, it was really pretty.
We stayed in a cabin at the local KOA which was surprisingly small but nice. I think that the cabin was the size of my bedroom, and there was six of us. We still had fun and enjoyed ourselves. Of course, now everything I packed for the trip smells like a campfire, but whatever. It is nothing a nice round in the laundromat can't fix.
I am off to Philly on Wednesday, and I can't wait. It is in the 90's there (in South Park the nights were in the 30's), so I am not looking forward to that. I don't really have any summer clothes anymore, so I figure I can just wear black (I usually do anyway) and be all sweaty with it being less noticeable. I think it will work. I will have to get some extra deodorant and some perfume also I suppose...
