Hello, deviantART. It's been a while! I see some 6k messages and artwork and such waiting for me ... you my friends are so very productive and talented! Hopefully I'll be able to look through some of them soon.

So, life. My last update was in April; much has happened since then. I found summer love that ended entirely too soon, but was full of happy memories, good friends, and self-realizations. I passed my qualifying examination (barely), so I am officially a PhD candidate in the field of Computer Science. I began a new semester of university; I have three jobs now as an academic -- student, teacher, and researcher. I'm experiencing the joys, sorrows, and initial strangeness of being "Professor Boston". I'm facing again the hardships of balancing life and work and expectations. My four-year roommate moved out to be closer to his job in NYC, leaving me facing new living arrangements. Money is tight. Yet through it all, life moves on.
My art has not progressed much recently. I've got a few projects; one involving my coin collection and finally making proper mounting plates for them. I've got most of the tools I need now to get the project under way, now I just need the time. I've still got my 35mm vs. digital project to embark on. I want to get some lamps and some boxes and do some DIY projects on photography gear for lighting and shadow control. I'd like to do more carving. I have some sketchwork projects I'd like to start/complete, including some gifts for family members. So far, though, all I have done is an impromptu-photography event with members of the Star Wars costuming group the 501st Legion. They are wonderful people, and a blast to photograph and hang out with. I've begun posting a few selected images from that event here. A few selections:

I'm teaching a largely freshman class all about the joys of programming. They are a good crew; by and large dedicated, interested, and sincere. It's been quite an experience, however. I can remember the first day of class, someone shouted out "Professer!" and it took me a good thirty seconds to realize they were talking to me. Quite a paradigm shift. I gave them their midterm recently; it's fascinating being on the other side looking in. I can only hope that my instructions and example is a positive influence in their lives, and regardless of their grades they can look back on the class and say "I learning something useful."
I've been doing some tutoring and consulting work on the side when I can, although nothing regular yet. I may need to find some more regular work for a while, at least until I can secure a new roommate. We'll see what happens.
I wish you all the best, and those of you who still remember me and bother to read this, I thank you. Say a prayer or send a good thought my way, if you think of it! Life is ever moving on, and while sometimes the directions it leads aren't what you would initially have picked for yourself, there is always the room for self-determination. These next few years are going to be intense and full of change, I can feel it in my soul. So I face each day with a smile and a renewed sense of adventure, and look forward to where life will move next.