I've been a 4-Her a long time now. I got my ten year pin three or more years back. Being an alumn 4-Her it is therefore one of my obligations to give back and be a judge at the county fair. I enjoy it most days. I feel like I am giving back and at the same time I get to see some really cool stuff- like a cork board, a literal one. It was a bunch of corks hot glued into a frame. It was friggin' awesome and I loved them all! Sometimes I get to judge things I have a lot of experience with- like a piece of weaving or macreme. That is always fun because I can give really knowledgeable constructive criticism- like for a macreme hanger I judged. The knots were good, the color choice nice, but the lengths were uneven which compromises the ability of the hanger to hold something securely if the difference hasn't been made up some way. Or on a weaving I knew the sides were buckled because the tension on the outer weft strands was loser than that of the inner weft strands.

Then there are moments though when judging is painful. That moment happened yesterday: a large piece puzzle bought at Wal-Mart or the dollar store put together, glued down and then placed in a frame. SIX OF THEM! SIX! Some of them from kids that were 17!!!
We get kits but usually kits are from younger kids and require some degree of technical skill besides putting puzzle pieces together.
The most I could do as a judge was write "Nice frame. I'd like to see more effort," and give them a white ribbon instead of No-Award as I was sorely tempted.
I can be a nice judge. I can be a mean judge. This was a "I can't do anything else" situation. It was almost insulting in comparison to the work I have seen entered into the fair the past. Most people have a sense for what is good and what is not, what will get what award. The main point is to enter your best if you can and what's not the best is being given constructive helpful criticism. It's how you learn.
Entering a finished puzzle says nothing, allows for nothing.
Rant over.

I made up for the puzzles by judging more cool stuff and then going to cuddle with some baby goats. They are so frigging cute. I love when they breathe on me and I smell their hay breath and when they nuzzle and are super curious. The dams are content to stand and stare at you moonily as you scratch their necks.
Goats are great.

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New York is fugging hot right now. This heat wave is crazy. A few nights ago I could barely sleep. My southern friends pick on me for not having A/C. Fans do a well enough job and A/C isn't usually too necessary but yeah, it hot up here. I wonder how bad it will be in August when it usually gets really heats up.
...Oh yeah, I live in NY. It could snow in August for all I know. Right.

But speaking of August...I will be seeing Matt again within three weeks! The rough plan is he comes up on July 30th, we go to the Renaissance Faire together the next day, chill out Sunday and then meet his parents on Monday for the drive up to Vermont. I'll be there roughly two weeks and then on the return trip Matt will stay with me until I head back to Wells a week later. (Fuck talking in vague terms, most you know who I am. I go to Wells damn it.)
Both of us are becoming rather antsy to see each other as it will have been two months apart by the time I get to see him again. I can actually tell he misses me, especially when last night he told me that he wants to spend as much time with me while not wearing out his welcome. Once my semester starts visiting each other is going to become more challenging with me thesising/having classes and him being in Indiana job seeking and finding. We'll probably be on a few months stretch of not seeing each other again but we've weathered well so far. I have confidence in us.

The forth coming trip is a lot of time spent together. Three straight weeks and then some as we have in mind for the moment. We'll see if we get tired of each other or not. I am going in with a backup plan. I think we'll be okay as I don't feel sketched out by it at all as my instinct screamed at me about Ben (I seriously had every worst nightmare about visiting him in Texas). But it is still good to be safe.

I am counting down.

August is pretty much guaranteed to fly now with every week of it now booked.
I really need to get my shit together in the next three weeks with driving, visiting friends and making headway on my thesis. Ugh.
Oh yeah, I should probably start sorting through my stuff now as well. Packing to go home took me at least three weeks and going back to college will probably be the same as I have sworn to take as little stuff with me as possible this year. Jooooy. But it's necessary. I really have far too many possessions. Still, packing sucks.

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Speaking of driving, I have my official permit now. The photo isn't that bad. I have a huge smile plastered across my face, bright berry-red lips, hair in dire need of better shaping and a terrible glare off of my glasses.
I have driven once more but this time I had Konnor and Bizzy in the car. Not the best when practicing turns and suddenly you hear "WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF! THERE IS A CAT AND I WANT TO EAT IT!" directly in your ear. I almost hit the electrical box the first time it happened. Second time when they saw another dog I actually made the turn. I am getting a better feel for the car. It is all about practice and having willing teachers.
I'll be okay. It's about time I learned. Maybe I'll do some driving in Vermont (Haha! Okay, not the best idea seeing as straight roads are a rarity....but then again there is seldom ever traffic).

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I'm excited for this weekend when I get to see some home friends. I just had an update from my friend Mariah when I was at Fair.
My old friend Rick is confirmed gay. It doesn't shock me at all except for learning that he does have a sexual preference. My brain had him pegged as asexual. Not really a big deal. I'm happy if he's happy. He's an awesome person and his constant Facebook statuses about food always make my stomach rumble.
My friend Kyle, a long time crush in high school (and continues to be a Very Attractive Man) is still with the same chick from high school, engaged to her even. Apparently he is retarded for this because all she does it bitch, sleep, and fuck him according to Mariah. The fiance has pretty much cut Kyle off from his family, including the brother that Kyle is very close to, because she doesn't want anyone else to have the attention. So retarded. Kyle is the type of person who could HAVE ANYONE!!! and he stays with this woman because it's all knows. Ugh. His friends collectively mourn.
Mariah herself is in a strange spot in her love life. Basically she should be with this guy but he's whipped by a woman he isn't even dating. Men are retarded. I am frustrated for her even though she's like "Yeah...everyone says we should date...but I'm okay with being friends...even though I'm eighteen and have never been kissed." (Have I mentioned how many friends I know that are +20 or nearing mid 20s that have never been kissed? It's a lot and saddens me when they are awesome and beautiful people.)
Those were the main people I was updated on in the short amount of time Mariah and I talked.
Have I mentioned I'm really excited for this weekend? I can't wait to see people!!!!

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Not really all that much else to update on. My house is filled with insanity as usual. That's life.

Peace.
~Lo