Sweaters for Dragons

Hyvää päivää (good day)!  It’s been awhile since I’ve updated so, in no particular order:

• Classes are going well.  All As based on the grades I’ve received so far.
• I got to use a bit of the Finnish I’ve learned, much to the surprise of the Finn I was introduced to.
• I am going to be St. Urho in the Heikinpäivä parade on Jan. 20th.
• This Wednesday, I walked into the fiber studio, took off most of my clothes, and got duct taped…OK, perverts, we were making body doubles
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• Audrey and I have started the Finlandia Fiber Society, an informal collection of fiber enthusiasts of all types.  We meet on Saturdays from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the fiber studio, and will be in the fiber demonstration room at Heikinpäivä.
• It has been in the 20s and 30s lately, but it’s supposed to drop down into the teens for the parade…of course.
• I haven’t made much knitting progress on anything, although I am working on my next design.
• It’s really, really dry up here.
• I haven’t made it to any of the LYSs yet.
• Phyllis, my advisor and the fiber instructor, has apparently been spreading the word. People I haven’t met say, “Oh, you’re the knitting guru,” when I introduce myself.
• I need to go eat lunch so I can get to the fiber studio and put up some more Finlandia Fiber Society flyers.

Nähdään (see you)!

As promised, here are pictures from the fiber studio at Finlandia University:

The looms in the hall outside the studio:

The view from the doorway:

The Jukis:

The sergers:

Loom, looms, and more looms:

One of the walls o’ yarn:

The drafting, crafting, and surface design tables:

The reference library:

And finally, the Louets:

This is going to be a fun couple of years!

Here are some pictures of my dorm room.  I still don’t have it setup quite right, but it’s getting there.

No, nothing to do with classes, at least not academically.  Just a few social issues I need to deal with.  And yes, I remember being in college the first time and no, I don’t recall having to deal with these specifically:

• Slamming Doors.  I hate slamming doors.  The doors in the dorm slam shut if you just let them go and it seems that most people do.  It sets my nerves a-jangle every time.
• Kids With Attitude.  The Geometry instructor is obviously used to teaching grade-school and high-school students, but so far she is very good.  Yet there are a couple of students, one in particular, who make a snarky comments after everything she says.  I wanted to walk over and smack him on the back of the head.
• “Quiet” Is a Relative Term.  I am supposedly on the 24-hour quiet floor.  So far, this isn’t the case.  Granted, it may be quietER than the other floors, but it is by no means quiet.

I have discovered as well that I was matriculated in as a Senior, but I’ll be a Senior for about 2 years.  All of my credits transferred, but most did so as electives so don’t count toward my core graduation requirements.

And by the way, I am making some (slow) progress on Rustic Log Cabin.

…about the stairs and my trek to student parking, I offer proof:

Out the dorm and down the sidewalk to the next building

Up set of stairs #1

Up set of stairs #2

Up set of stairs #3

Across parking lot #1

Up set of stairs #4

And finally to my car…that would be the one on the other side of the white bus

Who needs a workout program?

Instead of answering questions individually, here are some random observations about my current living situation before classes start:

• OMG, the stairs!  The University sits on a hill and there are stairs EVERYWHERE.  I’ll photograph my trek to student parking later this week.
• “Spacious” must mean something different in Finnish.  To be fair, now what I’m settled the room isn’t all that small.
• I have a room to myself for the time being.  I still may get a roommate at some point this semester.
• I brought far to much stuff.
• The supposed 15 minute walk to the other campus took me a little over 7 and a half minutes.  Good thing I walk fast.
• I’m going to have to eat dinner much, much earlier than I’m used to.
• Here is the view out my dorm room window:
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• This town appears to shut down completely on Sunday.  Something to keep in mind.
• Although there is no Target nearby, there is a Wal-Mart (shudder).  It really wasn’t that bad, but I still hate the place.
• Two days without Internet access is enough to drive me batty(er).

I am a constant user of Google Maps, and for the most part, I’ve very happy with them.  So, I used GM to plot my route to the UP.  I didn’t use the route it suggested (around the west side of Lake Michigan) but switched it to up through the center of Michigan.  Everything went well until I got about an hour or so from my destination.  I should have known something was wrong when I missed one of the turn offs because the road wasn’t marked.  This was the “fastest” route…a shortcut.  And I’m sure it is a faster route during the Spring, Summer, and Fall.  I ended up on a one-lane road through the woods.  It was beautiful and I would have taken pictures if I could have pried my hands off the steering wheel.  This road may have been plowed 3 days ago.  I drive a Saturn Ion.  You do the math.

But, all’s well that ends well.  I got stuck only once on a hill and was able to back up, get a running start, and make if over.  I discovered, too late, that I could have taken state roads and probably would have made the same time since I had to drive about 20 along the road I was on. 

Moral of this story:  Check your maps, especially if you try to customize a route.

In past few weeks I have had to give up my 3 furkids.  All have gone to loving families, but it still hurts to give them up.  I know that 2 of them are sulking and I can’t help but feel bad.  Granted, it’s better than having them languish at a shelter, but it’s still tough.  I find myself doing those habitual things you do when you’ve had a furry companion for 2/4/11 years.  And it does hurt.  I hope and pray (?) that they all adjust and adopt their new families. To d’Artagnon, Allie, and my most beloved B’ehn:  May you all be well loved and happy.  Your “daddy” will love you always.

I received my course schedule for the Spring semester.  All 100 level courses and I seem to have long gaps during the day with no classes, as opposed to 8:00 – 4:00 that I had the last time I was in school.  My classes are:

Digital Imagery – This one should be fun.  I get to learn the basics of graphic design and play with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

College English I – Nothing fancy about this once.  I’m not sure why I have to take it, other than I haven’t taken an actual English course since 1989.

Elementary Finnish I – That’s right…Finnish.  This is not considered a language course but part of Finnish Studies and applies toward the humanities requirement.

Geometry for Art & Design – No, not math for poets.  This is geometry geared toward art & design.  Which is apropos.

I’m still missing some vital information and I have a few questions, but the offices are effectively closed until 1/4.  The admission rep I’ve been working with said she would be in at least part of next week, so I’m hoping I can catch her.

Since my job search has been fruitless I decided to pursue getting my degree.  As I am also losing my house, I decided to look into going back to school full-time.  I knew it was going to take at least two years to get my degree no matter what I did, so I researched schools that offered degrees in Fiber Arts.  One that kept coming up was Finlandia University.  Before you ask, no, it is not in Finland, it is in Hancock, MI.  I read through their website and decided to look into it further.  Here is the timeline of what happened:

Oct 29th – Emailed the admissions office to ask a few questions, specifically about returning adult students.

Nov 17th – Spoke with Joanna in the Admissions Office who answered all my questions and let me know that if I applied for the Spring 2010 semester (which starts on Jan 11) and things didn’t work out, they could transfer everything to Fall 2010.

Nov 18th – Filled out the application for Finlandia, the FAFSA, and requested copies of my transcripts.

Dec 2 – Received a call that I had been accepted to the University and that I should be getting my financial aid package the next week.

At this point I was fairly certain I would have to start in the fall as I didn’t think I would get the financial aid that I needed.

Dec 12 – Received my financial package, which covered tuition, fees, room & board, and had enough left over for books.

Dec 16 – Sent back my signed paperwork and acceptance.

That’s right.  Seven weeks from initial inquiry to taking life-changing steps.  At the age of 39 I will be returning to college, living in the residence hall, etc.  And studying something I actually enjoy and am passionate about.  Within two years or so I will have a BFA in Art & Design with a concentration in Fiber Arts & Fashion Design, and most probably a minor in Business Administration.  What will I do with the degree?  Who knows?  I’ll worry about that at a later date.  The doors it will open lead a world of opportunity.

Unfortunately I have to give up my furkids, but my furboy will be waiting for me after I graduate, Universe willing.  I have less than two weeks to pack up a house during the holiday season.  Stressed?  Oh, you bet.  Excited?  Tremendously so.  Scared?  Out of my wits.

Oh, and just so you know, Hancock is in the UPPER peninsula…like on Lake Superior…so I made myself this: