30 June 2017

Life of Art SitRep #385

Went to a lovely botanical garden and shot a bunch of photographs. (257 photographs for the whole week, culled 123.) Need to do another pass and then some rating. Think I'm done keywording though.

When I look back at the week, it seems I spent most of it troubleshooting issues which required dealing with customer or tech support. A few things resolved but not entirely satisfying results. Hopefully a few more things will be sorted tomorrow.

Looked through my collection of potential photographs for my store and reordered them some to help me decide which to add next.

How was your week?


10 years ago on TTaT: Let The Pictures Do The Talking: A Road Trip, iii

24 June 2017

Dinner conversation snippet

Dad: I'm not that social.

Me: It's OK, T*, I'm not that social either.

Dad: You are my guiding light.

Made me laugh so hard.

Me: I'm not sure that's what you should be going for.


10 years ago on TTaT: The Longest Journey

23 June 2017

Life of Art SitRep #384 More Gift Bags & Favor Boxes

Started the week off with a trip to a museum to see a guitar exhibit. It's always fun when you can photograph inside museums even if it's dark and the results aren't great. Shot 104 photographs and 8 videos. Culled 2 videos, 33 photos, rated rest.

Also shot 10 thunderstorm videos. Culled 6, rated rest.

Expanded my lines of Gift Bags, Tent Favor Boxes, and Gable Favor Boxes a bit further:

If there's a design at Rocklawn Arts you'd like on a gift bag or favor box that isn't, just let me know and I'd be happy to make it for you.

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Gift Bags at Rocklawn Arts! and New Favor Boxes at Rocklawn Arts! (latter posts next Tuesday).

Updated some wrapping collections to include items above.

Learned that collections now need a minimum of 7 items to be viewed on product pages, so I created another Rainbow Bullseye shirt for the Geometric Rainbow Pattern LGBT Pride T-shirts collection.

How was your week?


12 years ago on TTaT: Not cutoffs

21 June 2017

A Low Growl

Went for a walk today and when I reached the top of the hill, I heard a low growly bark. I paused scanning the area but couldn't see the dog past the bushes and landscaping.

I continued, slowly.

I heard the jingling of dog tags and paws on the driveway to my left jogging towards me at a good clip.

"Rosco, no," said his owner, also out of view. However, I could hear that Rosco was still coming.

When I reached the opening to the drive, I saw the sizable black dog charging towards me.
Here it's worth noting that I've had issues with dogs in my life. I like them but the first dog I gave a hug when I was little bit me in the forehead. The dobermans next door used to chase me up trees. The airedale we had was as tall as I was standing when he was sitting down, and he terrorized me, no doubt, for the sake of play but it was never fun for me.
I stopped at the end of the driveway, and in a calm voice told Rosco, "Hey, you know me. It's fine."

For once, the mantra "show no fear" didn't even cross my mind because I didn't feel it. Nor was I tensed and prepared to fight Rosco if he were to attack. I didn't even feel my heart rate pick up.

Rosco slowed down and stepped right in front of me blocking my path. He leaned into me, and I tentatively patted his head with one hand and petted his back with the other. The dog shifted and I said, "So you want to step on my foot?"

His owner having caught up to us said, "That's what he likes best. Sorry about that. Rosco."

Rosco took a few steps away from me.

"You can't lie down in the road," his owner said and Rosco turned around.

I continued walking, we were right by the circular turnaround at the end of the road. Rosco was lying in the shade under a bush at the end of his drive when I passed him on the other side of the road.

He didn't bark or growl at me that time.


10 years ago on TTaT: Noticing oddities

17 June 2017

Mae, Volume 1

Mae Volume 129. Mae, Volume 1 by Gene Ha

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Sisters with complicated history embark on an epic adventure to a fantastical world that one has lived in for years while the other never knew it existed.

Talking animals, scifi pop culture references, young women leading the action: what's not to love?

Fun.


10 years ago on TTaT: And there it is

16 June 2017

Life of Art SitRep #383 Gift Bags and Favor Boxes

Was inspired to add some of my designs to Gift Bags, Tent Favor Boxes, and Gable Favor Boxes to complement other wrapping supplies in my shop, Rocklawn Arts. Save yourself the hassle of wrapping and make your gifts and party favors memorable.

Gift bags are available in matte or glossy papers:

See more Gift Bags and Favor Boxes.

Shot 38 photographs. Ditched 28 (getting ruthless indeed), rated rest.

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Incipio DualPro Shine iPhone 7 Plus Cases at Rocklawn Arts!

Reorganized collections.

Watched "Confidence is Overrated": Great short video!

Watched "Staying Focused & Mastering Storytelling" | Daily Creative with Chase Jarvis.

How was your week?


9 years ago on TTaT: Humid!

15 June 2017

Things In Common

I've seen the extrovert at the library a couple of more times since last I wrote about her. Both were brief and she didn't make an effort to overly extend our interactions, so I concluded that she's not interested in me, just friendly with people in general.

Today I stopped by to pick up a couple reserves that had come in. She didn't refer to me by name but she knew without asking which items on the shelf behind her were mine.

She placed them on the counter and said, "May I ask where you heard of this book?"

"Which one is it?"

She flipped it around so I could read the cover. "Amanda Palmer," I said.

"Yes!" She was genuinely excited which made me smile. "She was so great on Tim Ferriss' podcast."

I don't listen to his podcasts but elaborated, "She's great. I love her. I saw it in Tools of Titans, probably what I got most from that book is a lot of other books I want to read."

She nodded and asked, "Have you seen her in concert?"

"No, well, I've seen her webcasts live."

Another enthusiastic, "Yes! I just ordered one of her CDs, Theatre is Evil."

"It's really good," I said.

She looked me in the eye and said, "I knew it," as she raised two fingers below her eyes and flipped them out towards me in an I'm-watching-you gesture that in this case conveyed we are simpatico.

Dig it.

I nodded and smiled, returning the gesture.


10 years ago on TTaT: Not quite the breakfast of champions

10 June 2017

Tao Te Ching: A New English Version

Tao Te Ching: A New English Version28. Tao Te Ching: A New English Version by Lao Tzu

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


If you are looking for a literal translation of the Tao Te Ching, this is not it. Stephen Mitchell takes liberties which make it more readable but always points out in the notes where he's improvised.

I did appreciate that he alternates use of he and she when referring to The Master since in Chinese, the 3rd person pronoun is not gender specific.

Mitchell, having spent over a decade in zen training, has aimed to interpret Lao Tzu's meaning rather than always sticking to archaic imagery.

The foreword and notes are definitely worth reading as well.


11 years ago on TTaT: Original Broadway Cast Recording

09 June 2017

Life of Art SitRep #382 Hosta Leaves with Raindrops

This week, I edited a new photograph, Hosta Leaves with Raindrops, and added it to my shop on custom wall art, cards, iPhone cases, throw pillows, wrapping supplies, and other select items:

Check out the rest of the collection of Hosta Leaves with Raindrops products.

Rocklawn Arts blogged New Hosta Leaves with Raindrops photograph at Rocklawn Arts (posts next Tuesday).

Added hosta items to appropriate collections.

Created some new templates for favor boxes and gift bags.

Added a couple of designs to tent favor boxes:

Reorganized store categories.

Watched "7 hidden tricks/tools in Photoshop" and read "How to make the colors match between different photos in Photoshop" from Colin Smith of Photoshop Cafe.

Watched "6 Things I Do for a Happy + Productive Day" —Chase Jarvis RAW

Made end of month backups. Have you backed up lately?


12 years ago on TTaT: It's a fat girl's name

02 June 2017

Life of Art SitRep #381 Soaking In Art

Over the holiday weekend, I went to an art museum's opening of its expanded campus. Music, food, performances, cool art and architecture. Good times. I'll have to go back to soak more of it in.

While there, I shot 203 photographs and 13 videos. Culled 74 photos, rated the rest.

Selected a photograph for my shop and am just about done editing it. Going to take a fresh look at it tomorrow before I call it done.

Rocklawn Arts blogged Get Ready To Celebrate Your LGBTQ Pride.

Watched Going Mainstream & When to Upgrade Camera Gear | Daily Creative by Chase Jarvis.

Updated LOA file for end of month.

How was your week?


12 years ago on TTaT: Day 2- Umbros

01 June 2017

The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It

The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It27. The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It by W. Chris Winter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


So is my sleep totally awesome now that I've finished reading this book? Not yet, but I feel more confident that I'll get there. In addition to more in depth sleep hygiene tips, the book spends a fair amount of time addressing attitudes towards sleep. I understand how some people will push back on those ideas, but I do find that shifting my expectations has helped.

The Ice Bucket Sleep Challenge sounds brutal but effective for resetting your brain to sleep well. I'm starting with less drastic measures, but I may try a less extreme variant of it down the line. Counter-intuitively, you restrict the window of time during which you'll sleep. Sleeping more is not necessarily better if you spend all the extra time trying to fall asleep or get back to sleep; it makes your sleep less efficient which makes you feel worse.

Board-certified neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Winter has a sense of humor, so the book is an entertaining read as he describes how sleep does and doesn't work and what to do about it.

Not everything is a simple fix, but it makes sense to start with what you can control.


10 years ago on TTaT: So much cooler than a spreadsheet (GoodReads, as it happens)