|
Lady
Roxanne and Me at home
|
Whoever
said the city of Savannah, Georgia, was filled with mystery, a story
to tell behind every door in each of the historic homes found among
the town’s 20-something squares…wasn’t jesting anyone.
True, there is unspeakable beauty in the gardens and architecture
– but one would suspect there is something amiss or something out
of place. I can feel it too. It was
what caused the emotional imbalance I had upon my moving to Savannah…but
like Maria von Trapp (at least, the SINGING Maria) said: “Let’s start
at the very beginning…a good place to start…” For those
who aren’t familiar with my story, I graduated from California State
University at Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree in art, specializing
in Graphic Design (bless my parents’ hearts!
They’re reading this too!)
I decided that this “buck doesn’t stop here” so I decided to
pursue a Masters of Fine Arts degree with a slightly different twist
– I would be getting a degree in Painting (if you’re thinking of asking,
“But what are you going to do with a MFA in Painting?” – DON’T!).
So I applied to a total of five different graduate schools
that offered the MFA program. Four
schools declined my application. The
only school that accepted was the Savannah College of Art and Design
(SCAD).
|
|
They
invited me to attend their “winter visitation” which I went with my
father during the beginning of the year.
As absolutely doubtful and tentative as I was, I decided to
go for it. SCAD, in turn, wanted
me to start immediately – in time for spring quarter which was … two
months later. Needless to
say, it was a mad scramble; me packing up and moving out of the house
I was living in (with two of the greatest, sweetest roommates anybody
could ever have – Sherman and Jessie Keyser).
Then driving to Las Vegas where I stayed a couple nights with
my sister and brother-in-law (Thanks for the “gift” – Stacy and Steve! You
know what I mean!), then to New Mexico, where “home” was.
Leaving “home” was especially hard for me since I was able
to see that I wouldn’t be able to come home or be with my family as
much as I did when I attended CSUN.
However, like the saying goes: the show must go on.
Looking
ahead to a very long drive more than halfway across the country, my
dad, myself, and a VERY crammed Nissan Sentra drove and drove and
drove…(you get the idea)… About sixteen long hours later, we stopped
for the night at the Glenhaven Youth Ranch, also home of Jeremy Simons,
my friend since preschool days and his parents.
I had a wonderful time catching up with stories and time with
them and so did my dad.
|
"Killer
Legs" and "Jer" - at GlenHaven Youth Ranch
|
|
Quick
- who wrote "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"???
|
The
very next day, we took off to Atlanta, Georgia (I would say something
about the Waffle House, Dad, but I won’t!) then it was another 4-5
hour drive the next day to our final destination – Savannah.
I
guess it was my arrival to Savannah when I had my “emotional imbalance”
– I had a longing to catch the next plane to Albuquerque – or even
to Burbank, CA. However…my parents and my friends (whom I
talked with online) encouraged me to “give it time…give it a chance”…I
slept in the apartment I was to live in the night my dad left and
it was hard. So I told myself I needed to get used to the
town, get to know the area, people, and so forth.
I met two deaf girls that were attending SCAD – and they didn’t
bite (they didn’t bark, either)! And as the next few days turned warmer and
school started…I guess I will be able to manage it after all…
Stay tuned until next week when I tell about…Savannah and its
secrets…
|
