It is now after the end of the Spring 2012 semester here at UAF. The calendar date is May 23, 2012. It has been roughly an entire semester since my last major post. Sigh.
That said, here is some update/news:
First, let's start at the end - grade-wise the Spring semester has turned out pretty okay. The current tally is as follows:
ART 262 - History Of World Art (~1300 to contemporary) : A-
(I blew the last test....and screwed my average)
FLM 427 Studies in Film: Film Noir And Neo-Noir
PHIL 322x Ethics
THR 235 The Collaborative Process
THR 291 Audition or Portfolio Review Participation P (it's pass/fail)
PHIL 322x Ethics
THR 235 The Collaborative Process
THR 291 Audition or Portfolio Review Participation P (it's pass/fail)
and
HIST 100x Modern World History
HIST 100x Modern World History
The reason behind the grade in HIST 100x is (short version) that I blew the last test and my prof has offered me a chance to submit a paper and punch up my average back towards the B+ level it was prior to the exam. He has even implied that, should I do well enough on the paper that I might pull something better than a B+ out of the class.....maybe.
As for prior grades, I missed a deadline and screwed myself on another course from last Spring so that is now one of the two F grades I have received since returning to school. But even with that and with the current Incomplete in HIST I still have a 3.06 cumulative GPA (not Deans List but.....) and a 3.92 GPA for the current semester which (once the Incomplete is dealt with) MIGHT just get me on the Deans List, if only for the Spring 2012 semester.
So the GPA's per semester have been:
Fall 2010 (1st semester back): 3.42
Spring 2011: 2.14 (adjusted for the 'uncompleted incomplete' - OUCH!!)
Fall 2011: 3.00
Spring 2012: 3.92 (current, before HIST 100x grade included)
CUMULATIVE: 3.064 (current, before HIST 100x grade included)
So I am still in the running to have a 3.0 (or better.....hopefully better) GPA for when I apply to grad schools. Since most (all?) of the schools I am looking at have a cumulative GPA requirement of 3.0 (minimum). There have been some I have seen that say that you have to have a 3.0 for each semester for (at least) the four semesters leading up to admission. If that is the case I might be screwed for applying to those schools due to the Spring 2011 debacle. BUT the school that is my current "primary"(University of Kansas at Lawrence) only has the cumulative 3.0 standard for admission to their MFA scenography program. At least, that's the departments standard. I still need to make sure that the Graduate School itself doesn't have something different......but I doubt it.
On the subject of grad schools: I had a list of about 6-8 that I was really focused on. Sadly, that list and it's affiliated research seems to have up and vanished. It's probably on my old laptop, which suffered a variety of issues (including the loss of several papers) during the last semester or two necessitating my replacing it (or at least adding in a better, newer one to my mixture of technology). So I don't have ALL the info to post here BUT here is the list as I can currently recall it:
"Primary":
University of Kansas at Lawrence
"Secondaries":
University of Iowa
University of IL: Urbana-Champaign
"Tertiaries":
City University of New York: Brooklyn
University of Texas at Austin
University of Florida: Gainsville
Yale
Temple
The breakdown between "primaries", "secondaries", and "tertiaries" is not based on the quality of the programs but rather my feeling (as of this moment) as to my ability to "fit" at the school in question.What I am looking for is a school that will work with my aspirations as a scenographer. Which is why UK: L is at the top of the list. Because that is the only type of design MFA they offer - an MFA in Scenography. And, I have to admit that as far as some of the schools go there is a component of location involved with some (eg: CUNY: Brooklyn....etc), as well as some faculty connections with others (eg: the UT: A scenic design contact for portfolio submissions is listed as Richard Isackes, who was one of my professors when I was at UI:U-C in the 1980's....etc). It's important to me to admit these reasons upfront, so that when/if I do go and tour the school(s) I'll be able to (hopefully) see things clearly.
I'll probably post more on just grad school stuff later in another entry.....eventually. BUT until then I would be VERY grateful for any suggestions, comments, etc from those who have them regarding schools, my planning, etc......Really. I could use insights from those who have gone through the process. Thanks!
Getting back to the "here and now"......
Did two lighting designs for Fairbanks Drama Association this Spring. I think I previously mentioned Picasso At The Lapin Agile. And then, most recently, Leading Ladies. And during Leading Ladies I was approached by one of the directors for next season who said she wanted to 'pencil me in' as her lighting designer for The Diary Of Anne Frank. Which will go up next February-ish.....
I'm directing a show for Winter Shorts in the Fall. The Veldt by Ray Bradbury. And I'm also designing the set for it. AND that set will also be used as the base for the other show which will be being produced for Winter Shorts. So it's interesting.....And, as a consequence, I will not be doing any mainstage design work in the Fall. Plus, with the class schedule I have I will be scaling back my work schedule in the scene shop as well.....sigh.
I need to tweak my class schedule for the next couple of semesters if I want to graduate in the Spring of 2013 and then start grad school that Fall......I suspect that that will be yet another, longer and specific to that subject post....As opposed to this long rambling update.
We've sort of segued into dealing with this posts title....about my mood.
The whole 'needing certain classes and not having time' issue is part of it. But that is really a 'cart and horse' situation, compared to another issue: Summer Gig(s)
Here is a VERY abbreviated version of events (do I EVER write those?) ---
I got a lead on a gig working as a TD at a Summer theatre 'camp' down in Palmer AK. I applied and was hired, with the idea that the gig would last 8 weeks and that we would end the 'camp' with two shows, which I would design (scenically and lighting). A win/win if you would have asked me. A job where I would get some 'teaching experience' under my belt. Plus two more design packages for my portfolio. Sweet. However.......The interest level for the project was much less than the planners had hoped. So first they decided to scale things back from 8 weeks to just 4. And they were potentially only going to do shows like Quilters or The Fantastiks due to the limited interest. And they were even considering doing The Fantastiks with mothers rather than fathers, since virtually all the interest (such as it was) had been from female students. Sigh yet again. They finally had another audition session last week Saturday. And only one person showed up. So they cancelled the whole thing. And now, since I thought I had a gig and so didn't put out that many resumes/applications I am stuck scrambling for a gig. Pheh. I submitted a couple of carp resumes and a TD resume or two and had at least an initial email back from a scenic design resume I submitted....But I'm still waiting to hear any more. The scenic design gig would not start till nearly the end of June (6/26/12) and would run till the end of August. But I think I could potentially tweak an earlier out date on a contract there, since as a designer I'd be done on opening night......
So yeah. Money. And work. That's basically the major part of my mood.
Plus I've been fighting yet another cluster of migraines and some hypertension. And being sick makes me worry about my reputation and such. Sigh yet again.
Well. That's been a long involved spiel hasn't it? I think that I shall close now and get this posted. Then off to eat something and maybe accomplish a few tasks from my to do list for the day.....
More.......eventually.
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