Grueling
Today was a rather grueling day. I spent about ten hours at school working on projects and assignments. I am still not done with them, but I managed to finish at least three and start on a fourth. I pretty much stayed in the computer lab until they closed it at 9:00 p.m. The biggest challenge of the day was trying to reproduce a Rolex ad from a high-end magazine; this assignment involved my photographing a watch, adjusting it in photoshop, laying out all the graphic elements, choosing the right type to get it to match EXACTLY, and laying out the text correctly. I never knew that adjusting all of the various minutiae of type was so onerous, but it overwhelmingly is. Even though the only physical exertion invloved moving a computer mouse around, I felt like I had been pulled through a knothole backwards when I was done. People who enjoy this kind of adjustment of type are odd people indeed.
I took an hour dinner break around 5:00 p.m. I figured I could best relax browsing books at Borders. I couldn't afford to buy anything, even a measly cup of coffee, but I did enjoy looking. I'd rather buy used books anyway seeing as how all the worthwhile books can be had for much, much cheaper elsewhere. Speaking of worthwhile books, I did see a book of contemporary poetry that I thought I would enjoy. And as I was in the poetry section, I looked through a couple of Emily Dickinson poems. Her portrait on one of the bookcovers was striking because of her extreme skinniness and slightly odd appearance. However, as I was standing there reading, I was struck how most successful poets seem to be reaching for something beyond themselves and more substantial than the various superficial masks that their contemporary culture can offer them. I also briefly read a few poems by Lorca, Neruda, and Elizabeth Bishop.
The drive back home was uneventful. A few bites of some leftover Chinese food and a couple of mindless television programs capped off the day. Now, it is time for bed. I'm not going to work quite as hard tomorrow, but I still have a lot on my proverbial plate.
16 November 2006
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