"A second chance - that's the delusion. There never was to be but one. We work in the dark - we do what we can - we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art." - Henry James
The Woman
MsWhatsit is a 20 year old college sophmore at the University of Texas at Arlington. Just in case you didn't immediately recognize the name 'MsWhatsit', it is taken from a character the Madeline L'Engle children's series (A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet). She loves to read; her brother is sure that she must read by osmosis, because she finishes the books so quickly. To the normal, dry, work-a-day person she most likely seems a tad eccentric and not a little crazy, but she considers herself to be the normal one, not them. Everyone should be so well in touch with reality. She likes to sing along with classical music and film scores (go figure), and enjoys a day out bugging the friends. She wastes massive amounts of time cycling, rollerblading, and 'mooing' on the net, not to mention just daydreaming; she has also moved procrastination to an olympic category. Hey, it's a fine art. Really. She was born in Dearborn, Michigan, a city near Detroit, and she grew up in the small town of Ypsilanti, Michigan. Oh yes, I forgot an important entry, she has two cats Monster Kitty (the "cutest" cat in the world) and Whitey (the "cleverest" cat in the world) who hate each other.
The Artist
I began my artistic career while still in diapers. With my diapers in fact. I used a material readily available even to someone of my tender age, which, looking back I find to be revolting, although I had no such quibles then. I'm sure my mother was equally disturbed to find "poop" drawings on the walls as I am to think that I once enjoyed making those drawings. When I grew older, I moved on to more sophisticated materials...CRAYONS. Crayons came in lots of neat colors, and since my brother and I both had them, I could always blame him for the drawings on the walls (mischievous grin). When I was ten I took up oil painting, woo hoo, and that was fun for a while. A short while. Oil paint stinks. Really. I think gas masks should be issued to everyone who wants to try it out. I dabbled in the various mediums in junior high art class and decided clay was definitely not my thing. Everything I made blew up. Not a good sign. Going on, (are you bored yet? no?...Give me a few more minutes. Hee hee) In high school I worked on the school arts magazine as editor and artist. That was a blast, but then we moved. After the move I did mostly independent work, since there wasn't room in my schedule for art. I did a lot in the PEAK (gifted/talented english) class especially; it is a great way to get homework done. Just draw a picture and wallah! Now I am a sophmore at the University of Texas at Arlington (I would have a web page there, but the ACS doesn't allow web pages for students. The ACS department at UTA is terrible.) I'm majoring in art, and I've finally decided in what area! I'm going for the drawing and painting thing (smile), at least for now.
The Musician
A long time ago, in a far away place, the first instrument was created. Then came more and more intruments and musicians to play them. The ranks of those musicians has grown to the millions. A secret society they are, devoted to music and communicating mostly only amongst themselves. They desire ways to increase their numbers, and thus the beginning of 'THE BAND'. Yes, today in America there are thousands of seemingly normal students coexisting with the rest of society. They are in your city, even perhaps, in the house next door. They have been sucked into this society of musicians. They are devoted, perhaps even obsessed with band. These are the kids who get up willingly at 5 am to practice, who give countless hours and dollars to support their bands... to cause them to flourish. I too am a former member of this incredible institution. And I feel that it is necessary to represent my high school band here, because they certaily were, and are, the best *grin*. They can thank me later for representing them, possibly by the sending of checks and money orders:) So here they are.....
As for me, I began my band days in 5th grade, as a student at Faithway Baptist Acadamy in Ypsilanti, Mi. It was only their first year to have a band program, so I got to be a guinea pig. And, from there I went on to be a part of the East Middle School Band program. In 9th grade I got to go to the "HIGH SCHOOL" (dramatic-type music to be hummed here) where I continued on as a band junkie. I must say, though, that I really got into it the most after transfering down to Texas in 1993 and attending L.D.Bell. So, altogether I have been playing for 8 years now. I also enjoy playing the piano, but you must admit, playing the piano is a lonely existence:)
