I'M BACK.

Hi everyone.

There haven't been any 'endless hours' of free time yet even since finishing finals, but I DID finish! And I DO have at least a bit of blogging time. I finally got to do some Christmas shopping YESTERDAY... and right now at work (Law School again), since I've been through all the admissions mail & entered the info & filed away, I can post all that I would've posted. And I can tell you the outcome of some of my projects, eh?

• joytoeveryone.com has been a hit. Over 120,000 visits from 145 countries. People leave really nice comments on the blog. Someone even made some parody already on YouTube. It was really good to learn how to work with many different committee members, and it was nice to participate in something with such a pure purpose. We were gifted some copies of the DVD/card. Some of you might see one in the mail, but the rest of you can see it here:

• oliviation.com is live and kicking. You can go visit it on one condition. You may not use Internet Explorer to view it. IE is dumb and won't read my coding so it won't work. Use Firefox or Safari for a more usable experience. This is by far not exactly how I want my portfolio site to look like, but it's something. I owe much thanks to Calvin for his dear counsel, teaching, advice & time to help me finish this. I love my family! (You may see updates of the magazine re-design & Blade HQ re-design there under the "See what I do" tab...)
  
• In some "spare time", I quickly designed a card to accompany a lithograph print as part of the gift/Christmas card sent out by the Department of Visual Arts (one of the departments in the College of Fine Arts and Communications, who sent out the DVD above for their gift/Christmas card.) It was letterpressed beautifully by Rob Buchert of Tryst Press:

The print is a lithograph after a 17th-century Chinese painting by Mark Graham and was printed by master lithographer (is that even a word?), Wayne Kimball.

• Our Puppetry teacher was so nice to allow for an all-day presentation for BYU's Mask Club count for our final! I didn't have to worry about anything for that class during the rest of my intense projects. I'll miss that class. It was a nice 'break' and creative outlet. I also learned a lot! See our first 3 presentations HERE. And here's a blurry picture from our class show number, "Stone Soup." I'm the baker up in the little house. The poor traveler below is sitting on my longboard for easy-moving below the low stage...

• I liked the direction of my book jackets for Just So Stories, but it will still need refining over the next months, and I already have ideas of how to do so. For now, these are the documents... as if the jacket were unfolded with the back on the left, spine in the middle & front on the right... (got that?)

(If you haven't read those stories yet, you really should. The Armadillo, Leopard & Elephant stories are my particular favorites...)

As for everything else... it worked out. I'm still alive. Trying to tidy at home & maybe even put up some Christmas Decorations. I actually got to put lights on the banana tree on Saturday! FUN. Anyway, Merry Christmas, bloggers!

DEFINING THIS BLOG

This has potential to be a long-y. And perhaps has potential to offend some. I hope no one takes it personally... these are just my feelings. ;) (Intrigued yet?)

I returned from my mission to find that everyone and their dog had a blog. I soon caught on that, at least with a bunch of my friends, it was a common newlywed thing to keep everyone updated on their new life--especially if there was a new baby included. Except it usually wasn't the newlyweds updating everyone. It was typically the girl. It was the girl telling about what the two of them were doing and how they were feeling. I thought about how if I were to do that, I think it would be pretty biased. I decided then that, as I was getting married soon, I would ensure that I was telling about my thoughts, my favorites, my feelings on my blog. And that if anyone wanted to know about Ben, they could learn from him so they could get it straight-up. Ben was just going to have to start his own blog. For the time, I was proud to get back to my blog--one I began back in '05, and somehow abandoned by '06. And it worked... especially since I wasn't really married yet.

But then two important factors hit me... well, one is a factor and one is a moment. I'll start with the moment. It happened on the very morning of our wedding. Kurt invited our siblings to stand at the mic and give whatever mini-speech or words of love they desired. I think Katy was one of the first to stand & I loved what she said. Of course I can't remember it exactly, but it was something like,

"...and we love Olivia because she tells us what Ben is thinking..."

or

"...because she tells us about Ben..."

or

"...because she tells us what Ben doesn't."

You get the jist/gist. It hit me: it was true. And this brings up the "factor": Ben isn't going to start a blog. (Believe me, I asked.) It's just not him. It's just a fact of his personality that he isn't the most open; most outgoing person. Of course, if you get to know him, he doesn't remain quiet all the time. He certainly knows how to carry on a conversation. And he can talk about very interesting things, and throw in amazing jokes that you can miss if you're not intelligent, or have a good sense of his humor. ;) That was one of the first things that tipped us off that we were a good combination. To this day, Ben says one of his favorite things is when I laugh at his jokes. It's something he wrote to me on a birthday card long ago--something about how I'm a "tight" girl, because I laugh at things "when other girls would just get mad." Now, I'm sure he meant that in the best way; not like I would laugh if he made some dirty joke! He wouldn't make a dirty joke like that!

Anyway... so no offense to you women who hold down the fort AND a good updating blog. I'm just a prideful person, and wanted my own blog. The url, afterall, is OLIVIAinprovo... but I've been humbled. (Thanks, Katy!) I think I can do this. Ben is certainly a big part of OLIVIA. And as a service to at least Katy, I'm happy to update the world on him too. Even right here. And, in an effort to avoid me describing his feelings, I'll try to pass off Ben-post by Ben himself so you know it's legit. Because we all know he probably won't be commenting or posting to tell you all if I report something with a bias.

So, welcome to the new "I HEART PROVO"... about what Olivia AND Ben are doing in Provo. (I guess I'm going to have to check if he really 'hearts' Provo too...)

THE COOL THING ABOUT STAYING ON CAMPUS ALL NIGHT

IS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO LUG YOUR BACK PACK ALL THE WAY HOME & BACK. YOU CAN JUST LEAVE IT IN THE NEW CUPBOARDS IN THE STUDIO BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY YOU'RE GOING TO NEED ANY OF IT BEFORE WAKING UP IN AN HOUR...

(I tried to find some positive things about the crazy lifestyle...)

thoughts from dec 9

i'm glad it's at least sunny. it's freezing cold, but it's possible to feel warm with the bright bright sun.

sun chips taste 10 times better when you're really hungry.

my jaw hurts & I feel like I can't open it.

how is it that one day the periodicals lady says i can't check out magazines, then the next day, another periodicals lady says 'ok, but only for two hours,' then the next time, a periodicals guy says, 'sure, yeah, take them for the whole day.' ... ? ... i think i hate inconsistency.

i've continually maintained my gmail inbox at 1000 unread messages for the past 3 or 4 days.

i am freezing inside the HFAC

joy to everyone never ends

adrian buys us yummy truffles from the MOA (made by some utah company). i love truffles.

TAKING PICTURES OF PEOPLE TAKING PICTURES

So I have this favorite spot in the studio. It's been my favorite since before school started. I wondered if there was a way I could 'dibs' it. But there wasn't. So sometimes I sit there, and sometimes I don't.

But since most normal people don't come to the design studio over a holiday break, I get to sit here as much as I want. The fun thing: the holiday break seems to be THE time for taking family pictures for the next holiday. It was quite entertaining to watch the different photo shoots out "my" window that looks out onto the sculpture garden (named after my great-grandma!).

It may be creepy, but I had fun taking pictures of them taking pictures, and I was really mad when I didn't have my camera because I probably saw about 5 times as many... My favorite was when the Mom was the photographer & set it up all herself...

BEN + ILLUSTRATOR

Every so often I persuade Ben to just come surf the 'net while I work on projects. I don't know why I love it so much more - even if we don't talk, but I just like it when Ben is next to me...

Except this last time, he got his fix of ESPN.com, and opened up Adobe Illustrator - one of my 'best friends'. He remembered some basics, and decided to have some fun for our upcoming turn to host the Knudsen siblings. He made this all by himself, with a few questions every now & then of "how do i do this" and "why is it doing this". I felt knowledgeable, but Ben is an awesome student. As you can see from his fancy invitation above. I think he was proud, but so was I.

BY THE WAY

I've been OUT of the blogosphere, because I've been IN the following:

• Letterpressing 600 wedding announcements for dear Maglebys.
• Designing the deans' Christmas card/DVD packaging
• Designing posters for visiting artists.
• Trying to re-design the magazine Frankie.
• Re-designing (over & over) the identity for the online company Blade HQ.
• Designing 3-book-set of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories.
• Trying to design & code a personal portfolio website.
• Making puppets.
• Cleaning.
• Laundering.
• Not cooking (thanks Ben, for taking over that one).
• Sleeping.
• Watching Lost - one episode at a time, just before bed, or while 'designing'.

So I'll see you when all this is over. This post made me waste enough time, so I think that should cover me until Christmastime--when I'll be posting everything under the "would've posted" label, I'm sure.

GRANDPA'S AWESOME SEATS

On November 8 - the last home game, Ben & I got to go with Josie & Ashton to sit in Grandpa Ord's prized seats - 2nd row on the 40-yard line - at the Lavell Edwards Stadium.
Ben's pretty big-into Cougar Football. We're glad Grandpa is too.
Thank you Grandpa!

FULL, LONG DAYS...

and

the

weeks

are

just

flying

!

NEW: "I WOULD'VE POSTED..."

As I've mentioned before, I'm good at blogging in my head. I do it all the time. I record posts in my mind of things note-worthy, funny, interesting, telling-of-Provo or of myself... and I post pictures, too. But about 10% of it actually makes it to the blog-o-net.

In an effort to save some of these would-be posts, I've created a new label for them. Then, if ever I am able to find the time/the photos, or even just basically remember them when I'm actually in front of the "New Post" screen, I will post things that I would've posted when they actually happened.

If they pertain to certain dates, I'm going to post them where I would've posted them, and maybe even write as if I were writing that very day. So they will appear back with the archives under their corresponding month.

This is all basically for me & perhaps my prosperity... I just don't want to leave anything out... I want to get this little online history as accurate as possible. It's kind of all I've got going right now. (I lost my current journal last week and have not been able to find it anywhere.) :(

YEAH, WE'RE WATCHIN' IT

I wouldn't say we're hooked... but I do admit I've had "LOST" dreams.

My favorite is Hurley. Ben doesn't have a favorite.

Special thanks to Meg & Jake for lending us Season 2.

NOVEMBER'S GALLERY STROLL

We like Greg Caldwell, so we went to see his show that went up on Friday with the Gallery Stroll. We'd never really seen his work and we were very pleasantly surprised.Ben picked out his favorite, which I adored as well, and we bought it.
Here it sits on our coffee table.

Good job, Greg.

I'M SISTER KNUDSEN

Last Friday, on Halloween, I marched up to the name tag room at the MTC and picked up my shiny new placa, this time with a different name! I now officially volunteer at the MTC Referral Center taking and following up on Spanish calls. I love it. I've already spoken with someone that moved to Pennsylvania right from the DR--very very close to my first area. (Which was Las Caobas, she lived in Herrera.) I LOVE walking around & being in the MTC. Though they're about to set me up with a system to do the calls from my own cell phone and my own computer. Cool. This is the Lord's church.

{ I find it ironic, however, because the referral center was my least-favorite thing while in the MTC 2 years ago. I could understand what people were saying, but wasn't good at being eloquent or professional with my broken Spanish. It's a little better now, though it's still a challenge. But challenge is good, I suppose. }

C & P 12X18 CLAMSHELL LETTERPRESS: OURS

At a high school art workshop, I saw my first letterpress at the University of Utah, where I also learned to bind my first book.

In Spring 2006, I took a Letterpress Class. I made olive oil bottle labels, thank you cards, and an artist's broadside of Leslie Norris' poem, "Hippopotamus".

During my mission, Meredith Jones Hendricks, my good pal from graphic design classes (including letterpress) told me about a new addition to their family: A Vandercook flatbed letterpress. She & her husband fixed it up to working condition.

Over the Fourth of July Weekend, Meredith & James stepped us through the process of ordering paper & photo-polymer plates, mixing inks, registering & printing & cutting, which produced a little treasure called "Our Wedding Announcement".

Then just weeks ago, James & Meredith might have just been joking when they told us we should buy a press that had just gone up for sale as close as Salt Lake. But I think it surprised everyone when we got serious about it. Mom & Papá, Kurt & Becky - all highly in favor of the investment. (It was quite a deal.)

So now its ours. But getting it from one place to another is a CRAZY job. It involved A LOT: A lot of thought, a lot of strength, a lot of straps, a lot of time, a lot of pounds of letterpress (about 1500lbs). I'll let you extract what you can from the pictures below:

























A few of the perks thrown into the deal:

A guillotine- for cutting a bunch of paper at a time - and evenly.

A trash can for the rags with the cleaning chemicals.

MID-DAY REPORT

So my class got out a little early just now & I wanted to write some stuff up here on the internet before I hurry to finishing the next assignment...

Today I wore Ben's socks, and my long-lost kelly green leather gloves.

I got a parking ticket because I was carrying a bazillion bags--including 2 puppets & a bunch of props for the show. I was running pretty late. I should have just been 10 more minutes late & parked up above. I'm sad about it.

I ate a grapefruit at 3pm that Ben got at the new Sunflower Market for like 15 cents each. (Right, Ben?) We got an ad in the mail last night that was bragging a much higher grapefruit price (60 cents, was it?).

I finished all my assignments by the skin of my teeth & I was pretty pleased.

Gloria brought a delicious, nutty Korean tea for our class to share. It was more like a white hot chocolate than a tea. The best part was it's English name: Job's Tears.

I get to eat some good black beans & rice leftovers for dinner during my next class, and I'm excited. Oh, but I'm not excited that I have a cold sore. Ick.

DAY AFTER ELECTION DAY

(photo courtesy of thedailydiscussion)

My family is all about Obama. Papá, Mom, Calvin, & perhaps most especially Maya. I'm happy Mr. Barack is our president. I'm pretty sad I didn't get to vote for him. I didn't because I thought I'd missed the deadline to register. And I did. I found out that it was too late on the day after the deadline. But what I didn't know was that I was already registered! My mom went in at 7pm (with no lines, mind you) and saw my name next to hers as it pulled up her ballot!

:( Oh well.

My mom said his acceptance speech brought her to tears a few times. I watched it on CNN this morning, and though it didn't move me to tears, I was very impressed at his humility and promotion of UNITY. That's what the UNITED States are all about.

Anyway, maybe someday I'll get to vote...

Oh, and happy 3 months of marriage today. To me & to Ben.

DONE & DONE

Sorry it took so long... this happened on Thursday evening:

LONG HAIR

Yes, I was going to cut my hair. I still am going to have it cut. I've milled around the Locks of Love website & I know how it works. (It's been 5+ years since I did this last). I have been stalling. I keep noticing lovely ladies with long beautiful hair & think about how I don't want to lose that. But then I remind myself that I don't have that right now. Maybe once a week do I allow my hair (and myself) time to dry enough to straighten it with the iron so that it might reach the status of beautiful. Mostly it is up--in a "sumo bun", as Elisa named it, or in a braid.

I'll miss braids.

But I'm ready. I promise you before & after pics soon...

SENIOR MAN IN A UNIVERSITY STUDENT'S PLACE

Ok, so I'm creepy.

Tonight I was just scanning stuff at the Library. Hardly a soul there--(it's Saturday night). Except for one awesome old man, there for hours, stayed later than I did (I left at 11), typed super fast, extremely focused. It just fascinated me so I took a picture.

Sorry if that's creepy.

PBJS

Today I was really in the mood for a peanut butter n' jelly sandwich.

I remember the stage where I thought peanut butter & jelly was such a weird mix. I didn't eat them.

Then I had them again somewhere sometime, kind of by accident.

And then I knew why they were so common.

Because peanut butter and jelly taste good together.

UPDATE

So school picked up this past while, if you couldn't tell.

Puppet shows, tests, and deadlines for website, magazine, logos & book cover designs.

There have been some late nights.

Also, I realized something about myself. I think I always knew it, but I realized how this thing about myself affects others & I've been thinking about how to control it. While thinking, I've refrained from posting (not that there's been much time lately either). This 'thing' is that I'm honest. I know that sounds kind of cocky, but I don't mean it all in a good way. I am often too honest. Not that I'm a big mouth either, I just don't 'hold back'--I like to share. Is that the way to describe it? Maybe some of you who know me well can describe it better.

...It's not a conscious choice I make either, I feel like it just happens. Which is why I want to be more conscious about it.

That is my epiphany. I feel like there's a lot more I want to say about it, but expounding on the thought is perhaps exactly what I'm trying to avoid. Plus I'm supposed to be fixing my css/xhtml family website & I need to finish the Spanish exercises. I only have about 3 hours. . .

Oh, but one honest thing I won't withhold: I love Ben more than ever & that feels good.

FORESHADOW

Last night I hugged Ben in the kitchen.
He playfully picked up the Wüsthof knife
(ahem, thank you to Ords & Becksteads) off the counter.

He teased & said,

"Should I cut off your hair?"

I smiled. He teasingly made straining cutting sounds. I smiled & turned around.

He wasn't teasing.

He chopped off a good 3 inches of split-ends.

???

Oh well, I've been wanting to cut my hair anyway.
But it's going to be a lot more than 3 inches...

I TOLD YOU IT WAS REAL

Puppetry 452R.

It's ligit, and here's PROOF.

We made "Action Puppets", also called "Mr. Rogers - like" puppets for our fourth project. We had to write a 3 min. script with no words - just sound effects. Our teacher recorded them all and posted them at the link above. Fifth project: "Wannabe puppets", where we take cut open stuffed animals, take out the stuffing & give them movable mouths (because stuffed animals want to be puppets.)

FOUND

Yep, it's 12:35am, and I just found my yellow tape. I couldn't find the toothbrush Ben brought home from the dentist, and the last place I could think of was that it might still be in the car. I ran out in the cold with the keys and pierced the dark with the new Muir Woods keychain flashlight that my Mom brought home for Ben from their NorCal trip. I shined the light under the passenger seat and there it was. I'm a happy girl.

(Because when I came back inside and double-checked the bathroom, I found it on the floor under the cabinet!)

MY LITTLE BROTHER & MY COUSIN'S CAMERA

ASHTON SKATEBOARDS BAREFOOT
©2005

ASHTON STANDS WITH DIGNITY
©2008

jordan captured 2 quite-classic moments of ashton.
i love these 2 juárez boys!

WHAT DO LITTLE PEOPLE WANT WITH YELLOW TAPE?

Last week I had to buy stuff at the bookstore for work but I found nice things for myself too: a small Moleskine planner that I expected to be $15, and it was $8. It has time zones, metric conversions, a ruler & many other fancy features I adore.

I also bought some nice painters' masking tape - perhaps it was even artists' masking tape. It was bright yellow. For about the past four years, I have always carried with me a roll of colored masking tape. I'm always glad & it has come quite in handy for a variety of purposes. First I had dark green, then red, then orange, then light green, and I was quite excited about my YELLOW.

I used it to decorate a letter to a missionary, then the next night I needed it for what it was made for: masking paint. It was late at night, and I looked everywhere. Twice. Ben even stopped playing Nintendo & helped me. No luck. He went to the store & brought me home some regular old beige-ish masking tape. I did my painting but haven't used it since.

The funny thing is that just days before my tape loss, Ben & I were in a very similar situation late at night looking everywhere for tape. But that time, it was his tape. No, he doesn't share my same fettish with colored masking tape. It's the clear packaging tape that he bought for his plant identification class. Every other day he sits to tape different 13 new leaves onto flash cards for a quiz the next day. He needed that tape, and ended up running to the store to buy more.

Except then we FOUND his tape. Mine is still gone.

I told Ben The Borrowers must have taken it. He doesn't know who they are. I grew up with recorded tapes of the BBC miniseries & I love the films and the idea. I keep mentioning that The Borrowers are taking our stuff. Ben says he hates when I say that.



Anyway, that yellow tape was expensive. I wrote this post right now because I was just about to do something that required that tape, but it is not here. I really miss it today.