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Friday, February 6, 2015

Cartoon School… Step Two

Well, the second step, after Applying, would be Getting In….

I GOT IN!!!!

Since I can't throw confetti or glitter on my blog, I did the next best thing and embellished my acceptance letter…


I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am. And terrified. Going back to school… have I mentioned it has been a really long time…? With all the crazy stuff going on right now - financial aid forms, a really big illustration assignment (kids' book!) with a deadline next week, the kids' stuff… anyway… I have to remember to actually CELEBRATE this major achievement!?!
I want sushi. And a movie.

I have a really bad habit of throwing the water (my attention) wherever the major fires are. As soon as one thing is checked off the list - I'm on to the next - without even a pat on the back.

I just called Bonnie - who was busy building Lego - and when I rattled off all the things I had done in the past two weeks, I realized I hadn't rewarded myself for any of them. Here are a few things I did that were really quite difficult, mind-numbing, or just WAY outside my comfort zone:

• Applied for a property tax abatement. I now know everything about my own and all my neighbors' property taxes.
• Gathered and brought all my tax info to my accountant.
• Filed financial aid forms for my son's colleges.
• Had an interview for cartoon school.
• Redrew 20+ pages for the kids' book project.
• Painted 5 pages out of 20+ pages (all due next week). And shared my drafting table with my little art director who wanted to learn to use the lightbox and Inktense pencils - so we each had about a foot of space to work in. There's a funny story there too - another time.
• Applied for ISBN numbers for my ebooks and self-published books so I can list them on Amazon.
• Revised The Tangles of Santa Fe, added new artwork (DREW the new artwork), and sent it off to the printer (yes! the printer! That's another party we need to have!)
• Worked out with my wii every day this week.
• Took the new cat to the vet. Then had a family meeting to vote the cat off the island. :-( Also a good story. Actually, that one might be a comic book.
• And a hundred other things. 

Point is - I'm not just sitting around eating bon-bons and watching the soaps.
[Bonnie said, "No, that's me."] :-)

It's important not to see everything as just another item on a To-Do List. This is my Life. Some of the items sucked, some were exciting - but all of them taught me something new. I think that would qualify them all as "Experiences." 

When I was working on my cartoon school application, I had to draw a comic that included myself, a robot, a piece of fruit and a snowman (?!). I also had to write an essay and all the other usual stuff. Since this is graduate school - I had to include a CV. A list of my Experiences. The last time I had updated mine was in 2008 so I made myself nuts trying to figure out what I had done in the past 7 years. I eventually went through all my blog posts to recreate my life in list form. 

And since anything worth doing is worth overdoing… I decided that I would do an extra comic, using the same characters, to explain my CV. I thought you might like to see a page from that...

© Sandy Steen Bartholomew
 (Yes, the blog version is intentionally a little blurry.)

The Lilah Bean on the bottom is holding a pack of my Tangle Cards in one hand and a copy of Marvin the Martian in her other hand. I had forgotten that I had illustrated a couple of activity coloring books for the Childrens Museum of RI - about 20+ years ago! I forgot I had been an exhibit designer there…
I felt like a cat with so many different "lives". Sometime I will have to share the CV here on the blog - and the rest of the comics too. At the very least it will help anyone who has been following this cartoon school story and has been thinking "Cartoon school?! Where is this coming from!?"

Way back before Zentangle. Before blogging. Before kids. Before marriage. Before Egyptology and photography… I drew cartoons and dreamt of animation and writing and illustrating children's books. At the risk of sounding philosophical… sometimes you need to have your world come crashing down to see what it is built upon.

And one more time - "WoooHOOO! I got accepted!!!"

32 comments:

  1. Doing a little happy dance here for you - congratulations!

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  2. Such a whirlwind of events!!!! So excited and happy for you!!!!

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  3. Congratulations. Well done and well deserved.

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  4. Congratulations, Sandy! I'so happy for you.

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  5. This is indeed a glorious day! Congratulations. This is the beginning of many good things in your life. Wish I was in NH to come give you a hug. WhaHooooooo!!!
    Bette

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  6. Sandy, I feel the excitement in your blog and it's coming right through my screen!...so very happy for you in that you are following your bliss. You go girl!!!

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  7. Yes, you can throw glitter all around and all over. Congratulations. Don't forget to take the time to B R E A T H E. Marty

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  8. Congratulations, Sandy, on such wonderful news! It IS so important to acknowledge what we do. Enjoy and savor this great achievement. And yes, breathe.

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  9. I am so very happy for you, Sandy. Congratulations and enjoy! I love that cartoon and can't wait to see more from you.

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  10. Yay! Yay! Yay! Now get some sushi and chocolate... And keep going.

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  11. Congratulations!!! You soooo deserve this! Enjoy your celebration!!

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  12. Congratulations, you go girl, keep reaching for the stars.

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  13. Congratulations, this is great news and well deserved.

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  14. Congratulations, Sandy. "Thoughts become things ... choose the good ones."™ Best wishes for your exciting future! Cheers, Linda

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  15. Congratulations, my sweet friend! You deserve all of the wonderful things that you've worked so hard for. I'm really proud of you. And doing a Snoopy happy dance!
    ...Raine Phoenix

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  16. So very glad to hear this! Congrats to you Sandy. Enjoy! Work hard! Have fun! don't forget to smile and breathe! Break a pencil!

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  17. WOW! I am in awe - I really am- all that you have accomplished! I have always loved your work! Congratulations!

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  18. Yeaaah congratulations Sandy! So so happy for you! I actually bought your books about zentangles because of your great cartoony way in them ❤️ Hope you have lots of fun! Love your CV by the way! So great!

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    1. Thank you! I find it easiest to teach - and communicate - with words and pictures mixed together. And I adore your artwork too! :-)

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  19. Many congrats and well done with all the achievements, pat on the back and chocolate is in order 😊

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  20. OMG you have been busy! Congrats on all your achievments! Looking forward to seeing all the new comics.

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  21. Yay Sandy!!! I can't wait to see what you do! Congratulations :)

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  22. How very, very, exciting!!! I am so happy for you and proud of you!!! It's amazing when your passions become reality!!! That's when you know a true balance and peacefulness, within!!! You are a true Inspiration to all!!! Go celebrate!!!!! ;0) Annette (((hugs)))

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  23. Congratulations, Sandy! Thank you for reminding me that "all these things I do" are actually the events of which my life is made. And, most of all, thank you for doing what you do and for sharing your achievements, triumphs, projects, and warts with us, your adoring public! Stay the course!

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  24. Congratulations! You've shared so much of your creativity and talent with us, now it's time for you to focus on yourself! Selfishly, I hope you will still have some time free for us! Be joyful! Be happy! And continue to show your wonderful kids just what it means to be a person with dreams and the courage to follow them.

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  25. Congratulations and major applause form this corner of the world!
    May it be all you want it to be and more!

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  26. Sandy, Congratulations! We met last summer at CCS at the Create Comics workshop (and your daughter told me I draw good zombies :). It's so cool that you will be attending the Master's program. Will you need to relocate to White River Junction or is there a distance learning option?

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    1. Hi Matt - my little art director is always right. You do draw good zombies! ;-D And, yes, I need to relocate to WRJ for the program. I am already eyeing everything in my house trying to decide what I will need to take and what stays behind. You know… comic books, toys, art supplies…oh, and maybe some furniture? :-)

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