Like so many times before, I did my laps around the main floor and 30 jumping jacks to warm up for my bodyweight workout.
I went into my first squat and was suddenly in so much pain, I wondered if I'd ever stand up straight again. I carefully unfolded part way up which was also painful. Tested going back down. Nope. Stood up as much as I could and hobbled back upstairs.
That's enough of that.
Instead, I went to the floor and tried to roll out my lower back, but my body wasn't having it.
I hate that I don't know what triggered it, what was different this time versus all the other times I was fine.
It's been a few days at this point, and my back is doing much better (heating pad, rolling on Yoga Tuneup Therapy balls). By the time this posts next week, I hope I'm back to the status quo.
Fingers crossed.
10 years ago on TTaT: It'd be nice...
14 September 2015
13 September 2015
Days and Daze
After I finished lunch, I walked towards the kitchen. Mom and Dad were still at the table and she said, "Claire, speaking of old age..."
I sighed and wondered, What now?
As I set my plate in the dishwasher, Mom called after me, "Do you know what today is?"
"Thursday," I replied.
Silence.
Clearly not what she was going for. Grandparents Day? I think that's in the spring sometime. For once I actually knew the date. As it came to me, I called out, "Happy Anniversary!"
"Very good," Mom said, "Thank you. I'd forgotten it too."
A year ago on TTaT: Evening Snack
I sighed and wondered, What now?
As I set my plate in the dishwasher, Mom called after me, "Do you know what today is?"
"Thursday," I replied.
Silence.
Clearly not what she was going for. Grandparents Day? I think that's in the spring sometime. For once I actually knew the date. As it came to me, I called out, "Happy Anniversary!"
"Very good," Mom said, "Thank you. I'd forgotten it too."
A year ago on TTaT: Evening Snack
12 September 2015
Batgirl, Vol. 5: Deadline
67. Batgirl, Vol. 5: Deadline by Gail SimoneMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
A meaty read with a lot of issues and a variety of stories. Lots of great female characters with some of my favorites back including Black Canary and The Huntress.
One of my favorite graphic novel reads this year.
A year ago on TTaT: Life of Art SitRep #240 Wrong tool for the job, argh
11 September 2015
Life of Art SitRep #292 The Back End
The mysterious changes I alluded to a couple week's ago are now live. Please stop by my store, Rocklawn Arts, and let me know what you think of the redesign. Do you like the order of the sections? Or would something else be better on top?
It's a significant shift to the layout but should be mobile-optimized and also shows my curated collections of items. E.g.,
Realizing that if I only updated one design description a day, I wouldn't be done until well into next year, I decided to up my pace this week. It's still taking longer than anticipated but I'm nearly done with phase one for all of my photographs. (Alas, I'm sure I have at least 3 times as many pattern descriptions yet to do.)
Also for the first time I'm actively culling certain product types that are dated (like old phone cases) or no longer seem like a good fit for my images. Previously it hadn't been worth the time, but I believe it will ultimately help optimize my store and items in search. Here's hoping less is truly more.
Finished reading The Small Business Online Marketing Handbook: Converting Online Conversations to Offline Sales.
How was your week?
A whopping EIGHT years ago on TTaT: Floor time
(Apt this week as I have been spending time on the floor since I threw out my back.)
It's a significant shift to the layout but should be mobile-optimized and also shows my curated collections of items. E.g.,
Realizing that if I only updated one design description a day, I wouldn't be done until well into next year, I decided to up my pace this week. It's still taking longer than anticipated but I'm nearly done with phase one for all of my photographs. (Alas, I'm sure I have at least 3 times as many pattern descriptions yet to do.)
Also for the first time I'm actively culling certain product types that are dated (like old phone cases) or no longer seem like a good fit for my images. Previously it hadn't been worth the time, but I believe it will ultimately help optimize my store and items in search. Here's hoping less is truly more.
Finished reading The Small Business Online Marketing Handbook: Converting Online Conversations to Offline Sales.
How was your week?
A whopping EIGHT years ago on TTaT: Floor time
(Apt this week as I have been spending time on the floor since I threw out my back.)
10 September 2015
The Small Business Online Marketing Handbook: Converting Online Conversations to Offline Sales
66. The Small Business Online Marketing Handbook: Converting Online Conversations to Offline Sales by Annie TsaiMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
The subtitle is key in this case as it really is focused on brick & mortar businesses that want to develop an online presence. If that's you, I'd give it a 3 or 4.
If you're strictly online, chapter 5: Optimization Tips for Email and Social Marketing is worth a look. There's also an index in the back so you can pinpoint bits that might be useful to you.
A good intro to social media and email marketing if you're totally new to the space. Also several tips for service based businesses that use appointments.
Two years ago on TTaT: Best voices from television
04 September 2015
Life of Art SitRep #291 Headway Against Prevailing Winds
No matter what I decide regarding tags and descriptions, it seems as soon as I've starting making headway, I learn something new that means what I've done should be yet different again. Ah, the zigs and zags. This time I'm continuing forward because I already know there will be much individualization to be done after I finish this lengthy pass.
I did update info on 7 photographs, and 11 before that which I'll need to take another crack at... or not if I don't want to keep spinning my wheels.
In more productive news, I shot 144 photographs over 4 consecutive days. 145 if you count the shot I took of two old women who asked if I would take their picture. And why wouldn't you count that?
Saw two cool art exhibits at a museum.
Finished creating iPad Cases. (There's no direct link to all of the iPad Air 2/iPad Air Folio Cases I've been adding at the moment, but they are currently the Newest additions and will therefore show at the top of the page on that link.) Each of the iPad Air 2/iPad Air cases is also available as cases for the iPad Mini, iPad 2/3/4, and Kindle Fire HD/HDX. Just select the appropriate model in the sidebar of the product's page.
Finished creating Pillowcases:
Red Polka Dots on White Pillowcase by RocklawnArts
View other Red polka dots Pillowcases at Zazzle.com
Rocklawn Arts blogged New iPad Air 2/iPad Air Folio Cases at Rocklawn Arts! and New Pillowcases at Rocklawn Arts!
Updated LOA for end of month.
Streamlined the back end of my store some.
Made monthly backups. When was the last time you backed up?
A year ago on TTaT: Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy
I did update info on 7 photographs, and 11 before that which I'll need to take another crack at... or not if I don't want to keep spinning my wheels.
In more productive news, I shot 144 photographs over 4 consecutive days. 145 if you count the shot I took of two old women who asked if I would take their picture. And why wouldn't you count that?
Saw two cool art exhibits at a museum.
Finished creating iPad Cases. (There's no direct link to all of the iPad Air 2/iPad Air Folio Cases I've been adding at the moment, but they are currently the Newest additions and will therefore show at the top of the page on that link.) Each of the iPad Air 2/iPad Air cases is also available as cases for the iPad Mini, iPad 2/3/4, and Kindle Fire HD/HDX. Just select the appropriate model in the sidebar of the product's page.
Finished creating Pillowcases:
Red Polka Dots on White Pillowcase by RocklawnArts
View other Red polka dots Pillowcases at Zazzle.com
Rocklawn Arts blogged New iPad Air 2/iPad Air Folio Cases at Rocklawn Arts! and New Pillowcases at Rocklawn Arts!
Updated LOA for end of month.
Streamlined the back end of my store some.
Made monthly backups. When was the last time you backed up?
A year ago on TTaT: Remix: Making Art and Commerce Thrive in the Hybrid Economy
03 September 2015
Stranger Portrait
Recently, I was at an art museum with a Van Gogh exhibit. In the area preceding the exhibit, they had a huge reproduction of one of his paintings that took up a whole wall. Probably 15 feet high and 20 feet wide. People were regularly taking their pictures in front of it as I'd done with my parents a while before.
My dad and I were walking past the wall to meet up with mom at the gift shop when two old women asked, "Excuse me, would one of you take our picture with my camera?"
Historically that would've stressed me out, but knowing how notoriously bad my dad is at capturing good expressions on people (always about 5 seconds too late), I said, "Sure."
"You look like you could have photography experience," the woman with the camera said.
I gave a half shrug and nod as she held out her camera. Portraits aren't my forte.
I was about to take it when she said, "No, put your hand through the strap."
"OK," I said. I appreciate her not wanting me to drop her camera but thought, This strap is so loose it's doubtful it'd do any good. Whatever.
I gave her little compact camera a quick once-over: it was set to auto mode and I tested the half-press focus and saw a big green box appear on the LCD. I smiled at them to cue their expressions and took the shot.
"Is it perfect?" the camera woman's friend asked.
"You can check," I said, handing the first her camera back. I wasn't sure what constituted "perfect."
She pulled up the image and they both looked at it and smiled. The first said, "I think you've got potential."
I smiled and continued on my way.
A year ago on TTaT: Scott and Bailey
My dad and I were walking past the wall to meet up with mom at the gift shop when two old women asked, "Excuse me, would one of you take our picture with my camera?"
Historically that would've stressed me out, but knowing how notoriously bad my dad is at capturing good expressions on people (always about 5 seconds too late), I said, "Sure."
"You look like you could have photography experience," the woman with the camera said.
I gave a half shrug and nod as she held out her camera. Portraits aren't my forte.
I was about to take it when she said, "No, put your hand through the strap."
"OK," I said. I appreciate her not wanting me to drop her camera but thought, This strap is so loose it's doubtful it'd do any good. Whatever.
I gave her little compact camera a quick once-over: it was set to auto mode and I tested the half-press focus and saw a big green box appear on the LCD. I smiled at them to cue their expressions and took the shot.
"Is it perfect?" the camera woman's friend asked.
"You can check," I said, handing the first her camera back. I wasn't sure what constituted "perfect."
She pulled up the image and they both looked at it and smiled. The first said, "I think you've got potential."
I smiled and continued on my way.
A year ago on TTaT: Scott and Bailey
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