I suppose this might be step "Two" if I count Cartoon Camp this past summer as my first step.

Today I am up in White River Junction, VT for Portfolio Day at the Center for Cartoon Studies. I haven't shown an actual portfolio in twenty years! I was so incredibly nervous that I almost let the winter storm that woke me up, serve as a sign from The Universe... "Go back to bed! You are too old to go back to school!"

"No!" I shouted!

Well, maybe I whispered it.

I'm glad I showed up. Sometimes a storm is just a storm. I chose to take the next event as the real sign from the Universe. My interview with Jason, a teacher at the school, went something like this:

Him: "wait- did you say you went to RISD? When did you graduate?"

Me: "1992, I think."

Him: "I was '91! Illustration?"

Me: "yes! Wow! So you had classes with Judy-Sue and ...?"

That's a pretty good start for an interview!

With everything I learned about the school, the teachers, the community, financial aid and applications... I no longer have any excuses to put off making my decision. It comes down to - if I do my best with the application materials - I will make the cut. But I have to do it soon since it is rolling admissions and only a very small group is selected.

Then I can start thinking about how to pay for it! If you are interested in an adorable cottage on a lake in New Hampshire - please buy mine so I can go to cartoon school! And you will notice me selling off more things from my studio too.

I can do this. I want to do this. I KNOW I can do this. I will find a way to make this work.

Oh  - and we had dinner at Tuckerbox Cafe tonight - Turkish food, as the name suggests ;-). This place is across the street from MY school. Yet another reason I want to come here. Yummy.