it was almost 60 degrees today, almost

Uhhgg I don't feel so hot. I got something lodged in my throat while I was eating an apple (possibly a bit of the apple) and I've been feeling off ever since. Maybe I'm just tired or something. Worn down a bit. I'll be going to bed soon, hopefully sleep will resolve whatever it is.

Today was a shorter work day. It started a bit later too, which was nice because it gave me time to run my errands. Got to Trader Joe's and got some snacks and got some cash back. I included some money in my print portfolio, to cover the cost of mailing me my portfolio when they are all assembled. I figure that giving whoever on the other end some money will make it a better incentive to mail me it, as opposed to expecting them to foot the bill. I went to the post office and got even MORE stamps and sent off my package. I'm so set for stamps, except now I'm running low on envelopes. Not dangerously slow, but I'll run out of them before I run out of cards.

At work I burned a bunch of screens, and then taped up those screens. More printing is on its way! And we are printing another seasonal run of the stuff that I first printed when I was hired! Oh how time flies. 9 months? Dang.

Went home. Worked on my correspondence. Went to CTV for movie night. Though it turned into watching Mr. Bean with Ryan, Sarah, and Vietta and then going to see Warm Bodies. So that was nice, despite my cough.

Warm Bodies was very delightful. I had quite a few good laughs, and it is always nice for the heroine in a horror film to 1) not die 2) not run around in heels 3) not have a full face of makeup ALL THE TIME. Anyway, I enjoyed it and the company was good.

Not sure what will take place this weekend. Depends on how I wake up feeling.

carded

Today was super good! My alarm went off at the not so agreeable hour of 6:10am. I got out of bed at 7am, showered, opted not to eat breakfast, put makeup on, and headed to the DMV at about 7:35ish. I arrived at just a bit after 8, which was exactly when they opened. My appointment was at 9, but I was put to the front of the queue, or rather near the front, so I got in at 8:15ish to deal with paperwork, so all was good! My paperwork was approved, I didn't even need to prove my address! Maybe people move more in California. Oh, and I didn't even need my Social Security Card...but it is good to have it, just in case. Then I got my picture taken. I don't know what I look like in it, so hopefully I look good. Then I took the test, and that was nerve wracking! I did pass, though there were some stumpers. The phrasing is what gets you. Still, I passed, and my new license should be to me in a week or so. Hurray!

I returned home, had breakfast, and then went in to work, and I arrived at work at my usual time! All that activity before my shift even starts. I'm very thankful for my 10:30am start. But due to the fluctuating nature of my work, it ended up being that there wasn't much for me to do that day. So after an hour and a half, I went home. Hours will be coming soon, this week was heavy on the off site install stuff, which I don't help with. At home I had a burrito, and set up my screen for printing. It went a lot easier this time around, because I was just using white and black ink for my prints. I printed the white on the card and the white on my "Luck" print portfolio print, and then washed the screen, and then once it was dry, I printed the black on the card, and then washed it out again. And that was it! A good days worth of personal work. Got another batch of cards, and my prints all ready to go. Popping the portfolio in the mail tomorrow and a few cards as well.

For dinner I had an eggy scramble. It was tasty. So all in all, a very good day for Trillian. And tomorrow is Friday. And then the weekend! Wowza.

yup

I reviewed my DMV booklet and took a bunch of the online tests and did really well! Hurray common sense and 10ish years of driving experience. Has it been 10? Well if I got my permit when I was 15 1/2, then yeah. Dang. I filled out the form, got some mail to prove this is my address (hopefully it is legit enough, I don't have any bank docs or bills in my name here).

9am. Tomorrow. DMV. Gettin' it done. I'll have to wash my hair and make myself all pretty for the license...and then show up at work looking all pretty, instead of my usual scruffy self.

I did some banners at work, and ran some shirts with Stu catching, weeded some vinyl, and cleaned screens and floodbars. After work I chopped paper down to size, now I just have to print it! That is exciting.

At home I made some burrito fixings and had some burritos for dinner. Also did my laundry and put the trash and recycling out (as well as emptied the trash and recycling, I'm such an adult!).

Hope all goes well at the DMV tomorrow. I wonder if Ma and Pa are proud that their daughter is growing up to be a Californian.

Ozma is a nice name. Time to listen to some Oz audiobooks!

It was a short, self motivated day at work. But that gave me ample time to do what needed to be done. Which was just get my screen exposed. I coated it with the rest of the stack, and exposed it with the others that needed exposing. I also cut stickers, both vinyl and not vinyl. And emptied the trash. And some other tasks. Oh, taped screens!

After work, I swung by the art store and got paper. I'm printing white on black, and it turns out that black paper is more expensive. But I still only needed to buy two sheets. I also got the paper for my next set of cards. Going with a slightly less saturated color scheme this time.

Now I just need to cut the paper down to size, but I'll do that at work tomorrow after my shift. I don't have a proper tear bar, and I don't want to muck up the paper. Cutting printmaking paper isn't quite the way you are supposed to go, but I'm doing it anyway. I'm getting more precise with my measurements...at least I think I am. Maybe I'm just more precise with my cuts.

Anyhoo. At home, I made myself some garlic bread after doing some shopping. I have a shopping run where I get bananas and apples and the things I eat within a week, and I do a shopping run of things that take me 2+ weeks to go through. So now I have more bread, and burrito fixings. I enjoyed those burritos, so I think I'll make another batch of the filling (it's just meat and beans, nothin' fancy).

I'm nearing the end of the Tobolowsky podcasts, and Snow Crash. I don't know what will come next. Maybe some Oz stories?

Can't wait to get printing!

I wonder how affordable scanners are...

My eyes hurt because I've had the desk lamp on while I work on my print for the upcoming print portfolio. But now I've completed it! Hurray! Well, completed the thing to expose. Now I just need to expose it. I'll only need one screen for the print and the new card, so that is nice.

I started the day with reclaiming. 11 screens, all pretty and awaiting emulsion! Perfect timing, because I'll coat my screen with them tomorrow. I also helped cut down these big prints for an install and weeded more vinyl. It's nice to not constantly be removing ink from my fingers. Good to give the skin a bit of a rest.

At home I worked on art. Got that painting done, and it is ready to be sent to it's owner. Did some magnets. Ate dinner. Then I got to work on the transparency for my print. I cleaned off three films that were left over from my Christmas print. Saving the film from the first card. Might be worth it to hang onto my stationary films, in case I want to do another run.

Not a bad Monday. Tomorrow is looking to be a solo task day at work. I am still not done with Snow Crash. Damn you Tobolowsky, you are too good to listen to!

sketch, sketch, paint, soak, draw, sketch, sleep

It's 1:30am and I just spent the last few hours working on a little portrait of Bofur for a friend (their birthday is coming up, and they don't read my blog). I really dig the portrait, but I'm not going to push myself to finish it tonight because I don't want to overwork it. It's a combination of watercolor with ink line art, a style I really dig.

Earlier in the day I designed my next card to mail out to people, and I worked on my design for the upcoming print exchange. I need to buy more transparency to draw on. I should just get a sheet of mylar, because even at a couple bucks a sheet, it is a lot larger than the smaller stuff, and I can just cut off to size what I need. Too bad the art store closes so bloody early, and Kinkos is open whenever.

Option B is to just use rubbing alcohol on the sheets that I do have and remove the images that are already drawn on it, which are the separations for the Lighthouse Field State Beach print and my last card. That makes them even more special, because I absolutely cannot print them again. Hmmm. Might just do that. I have no desire to print them again, and I have copies of the prints saved for my archives.

So yeah, very productive art day! I also took a bath and read my book and watched Groundhog Day and Pitch Perfect while working on stuff (and watching Walking Dead and Shameless in the evening).

That is it. Trillian out!

Burns always gets under my skin, but in a good way

I spent a good portion of the day sitting on the couch reading Charles Burns comics (X'ed Out and The Hive) and then I got really weirded out by all of reality. So I spent a few hours in a funk and did that drawing as a reaction to the whole experience.

Joey got some morning snuggles in.

I had eggs for breakfast and dinner. I went to the Santa Cruz Diner for dinner, because I was feeling lazy and I wanted an omelette. I had the Capitola omelette, which has bacon, ham, and cheddar, with hash browns and pancakes on the side and hot tea. Mmmm. I read NOT Charles Burns and took it easy.

I was supposed to run errands, but I read instead. Not the worst decision I've ever made.