big news(es)!

I say news in it's plural form (that I conveniently made up this one time) because it feels like a lot has happened recently. Two things are tied at the top of the list for biggest new thing:
1) I have started a second job as a barista!
2) I have acquired a long-desired possession: a Xooter Scooter!
Here's a very bad picture of Penny, my scooter. Pretty Penny is her full name...mainly because, well, she did in fact cost a pretty penny. But she's all worth it. I LOVE to scoot around on this thing! No electric powered motor or gas motor or anything, just old-fashioned kicking action. I took it to Sonoma today and really enjoyed gliding through the main square on it's winding sidewalks. As a side note to the picture, you can see all of my animation and art books stuffed on the shelf. I need more bookshelf space. (also note more books piled next to and on top of my night-stand that couldn't fit into said shelf)


I am working just one day a week at the toy store nowadays, with the exception of a shift to cover here and there. I'll have been there for three years in May! I've had a great experience there, and have made happy profits there, but college life is coming up this year, and a once-a-week job won't be getting me where I would like to be finance wise. Now I've started a second job. My second job as barista is getting better by the day. I've probably never mentioned it here at the Gecko Cafe, but I've wanted a job at a cafe for a while now, probably around a year and a half. I didn't want to be a barista for any particular reason that I can think of either (which is kind of weird)... but I guess part of it comes from enjoying spending time in coffee shops, my slowly developing interest in coffee, and just the idea of building up a different set of job and social skills. I got lucky one day when attending my favorite coffee shop. I had ordered my drink from another new barista and was talking with the shop's owner as she was getting ready to leave. I was thinking in my head "...hmm...should I ask her if she's hiring..?" But soon she turned around and walked to her truck. Shoot! Lost my chance. Before getting in her car though she turned around and said, "By the way, we're hiring! Interested?" Hoorah! What luck. Of course I took up the opportunity right away. So I've just learned the basic basic basic stuff about what it takes to make a latte and a cappuccino, and I'm getting the best kind of training there is around. It's like a full-on apprenticeship. I feel so lucky to get this kind of training that is so thorough. So wish me luck in my on-going coffee endeavors!
So more news is as follows:
3) I have started my third and final semester at the Santa Rosa Junior College! (EDIT: it's actually my fourth. I'm going crazy.) I'm taking ceramic sculpture, comparative mythology and astronomy! All of my classes are great.
4) Yesterday was SketchCrawl #17!
I haven't been able to attend a SketchCrawl since last MAY, so Saturday was a super treat. It was great to see Ronnie, Enrico, Emma and the rest of the SC crew. Somehow I missed Paul! Next time! And it was also great meeting new people, as it always is. The pigeons and Chinese lanterns are from the SketchCrawl, held this time in China Town, starting at Portsmouth Square. Mom and her friend had a good time too, and finally mom was able to hand off a work of felt-art to Enrico and his wife Marit! You can see her felted dolls on Enrico's blog :)
Also of note:
5) I FINALLY got Ratatouille! YAAAAY!!!!


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