Things Accomplished in the Last 7 Days

In chronological order:

1. Combated a pink-eye infection induced by sadness about leaving.
2. Gracefully introduced many extended family members to the many extended family members of my good friends and everyone seemed to get along and even enjoy themselves!
3. Designed and produced a fancy dress personally tailored and fitted to myself to wear to Graduation.
4. Made matching handkerchiefs for special people in my life.
5. Cleaned the living room after my sweat-shop dress-making-and-moving-out-of-art-studios hurricane.
6. GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE AND RECEIVED A BACHELORS OF ARTS DEGREE.
7. Moved out of my home for the past year, The Castle, Mod 66. With lots of assistance and patience from my mom (thank you).
8. Gave away and sold and distributed and pawned-off and threw away so many things I've accumulated. Starting out with a clean slate [except for the two boxes of fabric and project-pieces in the car right now...] so I can start collecting new things.
9. Said goodbye to Hampshire College.
10. Cleaned the Art Barn and found new homes for my enormously inconvenient sculptures.
    
11. Requested transcripts from Central Records so that I have paper evidence that I did something these past four years. As I turned in my papers, the lady behind the desk cooed, "Oh, it's our artist! I just loved your poster. It was just beautiful."
12. Began planning parts of our upcoming Ireland trip.
13. Found on Craigslist, Obtained via exploring parts of WMass I haven't been to, and Installed even without knowing how it actually attaches, a car bike-rack onto my car (and have successfully navigated with the bike on the car not hurting the bike, myself, the car, or other people!)
14. Returned a bottle of "Great Stuff" [please ignore the kinda-duche-y guy in the video] that I had high hopes for but realized I didn't need. Was reimbursed $4.49.
15. Obtained a new notebook and new organizational system for my new life.
16. Got the car looked at because of the rumbling I've been ignoring. Received an OK for Long Drives nod from very experienced mechanic.
    
17. Became 2/3 protected against HPV.
18. Fought a battle against the American Health Care System and lost.
    
19. Learned lessons about the American Health Care System.
20. Scanned all the notes and pieces left by people from my Division 3 show so they can be better documented later.
21. Found a maybe-awesome-but-maybe-it's-actually-hideous-I-can't-decide-yet? bridesmaid's dress for Kerianne's Wedding next week.
22. Went on adventures to Greenfield, Turners Falls, South Hadley, and Springfield MA. Was amazed at how green everything is in the summer.
23. Said goodbye to western massachusetts and all my friends and familiar things there. Began a new wander-y portion of my life.

I will post soon about the conclusions of my Division 3 project, and some photos and documentation! So much to say. Thank you all for your support and presence in my life this year. Thank you for assisting me to accomplish so many things and adventures and projects and beginnings and endings. I wish I'd taken more photos this past week. I wish I could hold onto more parts. I feel sad, but good. I went on just the right amount of walks in the Hampshire Woods, I packed just the right amount of sweatshirts, I said just the right amount of goodbyes, I kept with me just the right amount of projects, I left at just the right time.

love,
aliya