5 years ago today I was doing this:

and a little bit of this:

and Kyle was sooo small…

Happy Anniversary Chris. I don’t do mushy.

Have a safe and happy holiday~ HoHoHo!

Dawn, Chris, Kyle and Erin

2 weekends ago we went to Santa Cruz. I double checked my calendar to confirm this because it sure doesn’t feel like I’ve been to Santa Cruz recently. We drove down Friday night as usual, got up Sat morning and drove down to Monterey and went to the aquarium. I took a few pics but most were slightly out of focus because we cruised through the place at break-neck toddler speed! I think we may have seen a couple fish. And Sunday we were back home. The whole weekend was a blur.

And then came Monday. It started out so promising… until my computer wouldn’t power on. In case you missed that – My computer, it would not turn on. I nursed an Elevated Level (that would be a nice DHS yellow) panic all day telling myself that my hard-drives were probably ok and it was just a broken On button right? RIGHT?! Chris had to talk me down several times during the day and that evening I drove downtown to hang the new show at Vox. Before I even got out of the car I took a Maxalt for my looming migraine. And that was my world until Saturday afternoon. Dead computer and a migraine. I was even too sick to go to the Artist Reception Friday night. I was not happy. But, our personal IT guy,Victor, ran some tests on my computer and declared the mother-board dead. I think fried was the term he used. But more importantly, both of my hard-drives were ok! So, Saturday morning Chris and Victor went to Fry’s and bought me a new computer. And that afternoon, while Victor was transferring my data to the new machine, my headache finally went away.

Coincidence?  I’m not so sure…

So, I got dressed, grabbed Kyle, and we headed downtown for Second Saturday and the Urban Landscape show at VoxSac! And it was fantastic – so many great pieces. And I had a blast talking with Jill, Jill, Lawrence, Chuck, Curtis, and Amy, and anyone else who would listen. Apparently I also chatted with Eric and volunteered to re-do their website! I told Chris this afternoon that in the future it might be prudent to keep me in the house for an additional 24 hrs after a multi-day headache.

And of course I took some photos at the gallery, but since I am still trying to find my way around Windows 7 and installing programs everytime I want to do something, it might be awhile before I get them online. Check out the photos from everyone else at the VoxSac Flickr group site.

This is so flippin’ funny!! **warning: Adult Content**

Legend of Neil, Season 2, Ep. 3 — The Musical

And if you don’t “get it” and have never played Zelda, well, as Kyle would say -
“You don’t know the Joy!”

Much thanks to the Bloggess and her Advice Column, for the link to The Legend of Neil! See the whole series here.

I know, I’ve gone quiet again. Sorry. And I hate to keep repeating myself, but I’ve been busy. Brain-busy. But don’t worry. My next programming class starts next week, and I’m sure I’ll have plenty to complain talk about then.

In the meantime, some updates:

Things I learned this morning – I need to have more phone conversations during the week. If not, one poor innocent caller will get all my pent-up ramblings thrown at her all at once. Especially if it is early in the morning and I’m over-caffeinated. So, for the greater good, you should call me. Often. And don’t forget to remind me to eat lunch.

Vox show is in 2 weeks and I’ve just finished cutting the mat boards so I can start framing the prints. Very exciting. I’m sure all you out-of-towners have already purchased your plane tickets to get the 2 wk advance discounts. You’re so smart.

Kyle started school last Thursday. I just found out he has already got his first detention! What am I going to do with that kid?! And while Chris was talking to the math teacher, I was on the phone with the band teacher. Oh I definitely got the better deal on that one. My conversation was about Kyle switching instruments. He will now be learning the tuba! And I’m all for it. Ya can’t march with an electric bass guitar. OOM-PA!

Erin is… nuts! I so need to get a video of her saying ‘Rock On’ in her demon voice (complete with goat horns hand gesture of course). And when her head is not spinning around, she is. Usually while wearing a pretty dress. She likes to dance around, spin her skirts, and she does a pretty mean arabesque. Thanks a lot Barbie videos. She’s also chatting up a storm and can now open the fridge. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – we’re doomed.

The majority of my time has been spent working on the HS Tourney site. I ended up stopping mid-build and starting from scratch using Drupal. All because of a random status update on Facebook by Scott of Lightroom Lab fame. 20 days ago I had never heard of Drupal –with its silly name and incredibly steep learning curve. Now, I am living and breathing Drupal. And as difficult as it has been, it was the right move. It is a very powerful web framework and I think the site will ultimately be better for using it. It’s just been a typical Dawn mind-bend. ‘Hey, I have a site to build, for a paying client no less, why not try something new. And if it’s extra difficult to learn, all the better!’

I have issues.

I hate when that happens. But I’ve been so busy and have so many things to do, well, my hand was forced.

Happily I just managed to cross off a couple things (and one that wasn’t even on the list – hey there WordPress upgrade). Let’s see, I gave Chris the money to deposit into the bank (delegating tasks - check!) and was then able to pay my tuition for the Fall semester’s class. Fees went up $6 a unit. I picked up the text book earlier in the week (along with Using Drupal, which I will tell you about later as I’m not sure which way that rant is gonna go). And I paid from my annual Artist Membership at Vox Sacramento! Wait, now I have to add to the to-do list: write post about the upcoming show and Artist’s Receiption (you are all invited) complete with the flyer!

Okay, what’s left… I still need to pick the prints for the Vox show. And once that decision has been made, buy the frames. Make a couple doctor appts. Routine check-ups so no worries. Figure out an excuse to reschedule next weeks dentist appt – again. Really, I don’t need to make excuses, the way my life has been going – something will come up! I need to sew the patch on my taekwondo uniform for tomorrow’s night Belt Test. Man, that’s not even on the list. I’m going to have to do a re-write. So yeah, busy.

I actually managed to blow the dust off my camera and take some pictures last weekend (it had been well over a month!), but who knows when I get around to uploading them to the computer. Oh so behind on photo editing.  The only things I’ve uploaded to flickr lately have been cellphone pics. And may I just state for the record – I love my new phone!  Anyways, I need to get back to it…  ‘it’ being all of the above and more. Call me. Someone needs to remind me to eat!

I think I just broke my toe!

Which makes perfect since as I’m trying to pack for Santa Cruz. And I think we have more than enough evidence to prove that ”life” doesn’t want me to go to Santa Cruz.

I’m not going to say anything more for fear of jinxing myself further…

Hey, right before I innocently went into the laundry room (of course it is a laundry related accident!), I stumbled upon (HA!) this bouncing blast from the past -  

Enjoy your weekend!

Wow. I bet you’re starting to feel like the plants on my front porch – neglected! Sorry. My <head> is still completely wrapped up in <html> and I’ve been ignoring my blog, flickr, etc. I am completely sucking at “keeping in touch” lately.

But have no fear! Chris is here to fill the void. He is finally jumping on the social media bandwagon and signing up for a Facebook account. Be his friend – the check is in the mail.

The left hemisphere of my brain has been ruling the roost lately and it’s left me very quiet. Not one little ounce of inspiration to write anything about everything that’s going on. My creative muse has been trapped under my 5 lb Dreamweaver book. And then, last Friday morning, the right hemisphere of my brain tried to stage a coup and almost killed me in the process with another wicked migraine. Stupid brain. But on Saturday the visual part of the design process kicked back into gear, so maybe we can get a little balance here.

I’ve been immersed in pools and code. Car pools, swimming pools, test servers, databases! No wonder I’m feeling a bit stretched out. And I went and signed up for another class at Sierra College in the fall. Web Programming with PHP. Oh yes, this should be fun for all of us. JavaScript was fun right?! It only broke my brain and ruined my eyesight. But apparently everything I want to do is done with PHP, so what’s a girl to do but learn another programming language. Joy.

But classes don’t start until next month. Before then I really need to get my shit together. Life without Positron is turning out to be a hard adjustment. I don’t know how to manage my time yet. With swim lessons and soccer camp complicating the mix, I haven’t had a chance to get into any kind of routine. I feel like I should be “working” at every minute. I’m still trying to do too many things at once and am not getting anything finished. Well, I’ve gotten a few tasks completed, but not that damn resume.

Damn. I have been unemployed a total of 10 days and I’ve gotta tell ya – I’ve never felt busier. And this isn’t a good happy busy – as in conflicting lunch dates. It’s not even the generally dreaded “work” busy. It’s more like a “soccer-mom” busy! And that becomes an all too real description tomorrow when Kyle starts his week-long soccer camp! A not-so-small part of me is dying here people.

So, adding to the now longer drive to the babysitter’s new house in Roseville (20 minutes each way!). I will have to drive Kyle across town to the other end of Lincoln by 9:00am and then go pick him up again at noon. Throw in week #2 of swim lessons on Tue, Wed, and Thurs in Loomis and I’ll be driving back and forth and back again from about 8:30am to 3:00pm. And that is going to suck. I’m not going to be able to get anything done with that kind of schedule. And I’ve suddenly got a lot to do. 

All the work I’ve been doing on designing the new website for dawnblanchfield.com is going to have to simmer on the back burner for a bit. A gentleman that Chris works with has hired me to build him a website! And that is fantastic of course, but (there always is one) the site he needs is not a simple static HTML site. This one will need log-in capabilities, a data-base, forms for user data input, and searchable results. Woo boy. Luckily I’m a learn as you go kinda gal, cause it looks like I’ll doing a lot more programming right out of the gate.

In addition to all that, I still need to update my resume, edit photos in Lightroom, choose the photos for the VoxSac show to print and frame, and do the always present laundry. I haven’t even thought about picking up my camera to make some new images. And I have that Lighting Workshop with Joe McNally at the end of the month. The day after my birthday! Damn, I forgot that I have a birthday coming up. That is bad. Oh! and my wedding anniversary is in 6 days! Crap. I am losing it people.

I keep recalling a painting I did long ago (early ‘90s) that depicted a figure being pulled in opposite directions by its arms while large blackbirds pecked at its head. Cheery no? What can I say, I was heavily influenced by the German Expressionists and that must have been how I was feeling at the time. It was never a ‘finished’ work, but a loose sketch done to ‘paint out the demons’ as I was prone to do. I ended up reusing the canvas some time later. The only evidence it ever existed is that you can see part of it in the background of a photo taken during that time. But the image keeps popping into my head. That’s probably not a good thing…