Buuhhh. It always seems like I have tons of time, and then I start in on a portrait and then BAM it is midnight. Oh well.
At work I caught shirts, mostly. Ran the front of one job, and then the front and back of another. Boxed em. It was windy and rainy. There is a lot of cleaning to be done. Squeegees. This big CMYK simulated process job is happening soon, so we'll need every squeegee we got clean and ready for use.
Got out a bit early and went home and ate the avocado before it went bad. I hung up my travel postcards. I try to get a WPA inspired (or reprint if the National Park actually had a WPA poster) postcard from the National Parks I visit, and they are the perfect size for the 4x6 Ikea frames. I bought 10 frames and had 11 postcards, so the Shasta Caverns one will have to wait till I get four more postcards. I have them in two rows of five above my bed. They are ordered in order of visit to location. My room is really coming together...course now I can't leave for a while seeing as how it has come together. And by leave I mean move out...but I don't see that happening for a while.
Anyway. Drew. Kept warm. Ate food. December is upon us!
OOHHH I got my ticket to see The Hobbit. IMAX! 3D! BOOYAH!!
Man. I need to really buckle down and get my Christmas stuff done, and done quick. Waaah! Time will go by so fast. But I'm going to take it easy first for a couple days.
hi
Friday, November 30, 2012
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Punctuation Mark in Restaurant Name.
We ran hat transfers in the morning, and boss and Andrew went off to install some things, so I was left to do solo things. I finished Well of Lost Plots, which was excellent. The Thursday Next series just builds and builds and builds upon itself. I love it! Then I started listening to Joe Hill's Heart Shaped Box and got genuinely scared a couple times and had to switch to Spice Girls just to sort of..not be scared. It is a scary book, and I'm just starting! I wonder how much more frightening it will get.
So while they were gone, I did the hats, and coated some screens, and unboxed some shirts, and there were more things I could have done, but they returned and set up the backs to the job and we ran it. Gold ink smells funny.
Did I mention that I've given up cut offs? It is pants season. Boo!
I spent a lot of time thinking about my Christmas print. Maybe I should make a Christmas card as well? A simple two color thing. Or maybe...a Christmas zine! Ahhh I don't want to over tax myself...or do I?
After work, Steve and I met up and went to Burger. It is a restaurant. Named Burger. It did not disappoint. They also had a massive beer menu. Where you order and the service style, and prices, were very accessible and unfancy, but the dining interior and bar were very lovely. A bit loud but overall a nice environment. Would return!
It was a cold night, but not rainy. I wonder how long winter lasts in Santa Cruz? It seems to start around the start of December, lets see when I'm back in shorts on a regular basis.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Tuesday Meatballs
Starting to feel like I'm not catching up on sleep. Even though I did get in bed at a good enough hour last night.
My body was hurting less today, so that was good.
At work I, you guessed it, taped screens! And I burnt some more screens. And since we are clearing some space out of the exposure room, I finished up my shift by reclaiming screens. Not all the ones waiting to be reclaimed, but half of them. Tomorrow they shall be coated. I also cut some stickers and other things. Some shirts came in, so a job shall be run soon. Such a fast turn over!
After work I decided to go to Ikea, because I wanted to get frames so my Christmas print will go into a frame and be all nice and lovely. So I drove on up, and missed the traffic. Had some meatballs and then went to get frames. Though I made the mistake to walk through the store...so I also got a magnetic board, hand towels, napkins, note pads, wine cozies that are shaped like a cockatoo and a shark... hahaha. But yeah, yay Ikea!
Now I have plenty of frames and all is well. Now to make art to go into them!
Back at home I worked on tidying things away into my new shelves. Want to get rid of the presence of boxes, so I'm full and properly moved it. I'm getting there! Tomorrow I think I'll put up my shelves. That red shelving unit is one too many and I have nothing to really put in it, so I might stow it in the basement for the time being.
Yaaawn. Ohhh. Time to go to sleep.
Blehhh just looked at my bank account. Time to be frugaler! Except I need to get my ticket to see The Hobbit in Imax. Ohhh 3D or 48fps? I just don't knooow.
My body was hurting less today, so that was good.
At work I, you guessed it, taped screens! And I burnt some more screens. And since we are clearing some space out of the exposure room, I finished up my shift by reclaiming screens. Not all the ones waiting to be reclaimed, but half of them. Tomorrow they shall be coated. I also cut some stickers and other things. Some shirts came in, so a job shall be run soon. Such a fast turn over!
After work I decided to go to Ikea, because I wanted to get frames so my Christmas print will go into a frame and be all nice and lovely. So I drove on up, and missed the traffic. Had some meatballs and then went to get frames. Though I made the mistake to walk through the store...so I also got a magnetic board, hand towels, napkins, note pads, wine cozies that are shaped like a cockatoo and a shark... hahaha. But yeah, yay Ikea!
Now I have plenty of frames and all is well. Now to make art to go into them!
Back at home I worked on tidying things away into my new shelves. Want to get rid of the presence of boxes, so I'm full and properly moved it. I'm getting there! Tomorrow I think I'll put up my shelves. That red shelving unit is one too many and I have nothing to really put in it, so I might stow it in the basement for the time being.
Yaaawn. Ohhh. Time to go to sleep.
Blehhh just looked at my bank account. Time to be frugaler! Except I need to get my ticket to see The Hobbit in Imax. Ohhh 3D or 48fps? I just don't knooow.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
I need my hands to work!
I was fighting super soreness all day. I woke up and my hands felt funky and stiff. Plus my knee feels out of whack. Need to get to bed a lot earlier than I have been. Like, once I blog I am going to bed. Might read a bit, but for sure going to bed.
It is starting to get chilly. Starting to think about wearing pants over cutoffs to work. Hmm. Starting to think about switching to pants when it is almost December. Ha!
Work was a bit slow. A lot of housekeeping. Refilled the press wipe bottles. Refilled the glue bottle, which was a pain because the problem with things that contain glue is their caps get way stuck on. Cleaned screens, didn't reclaim them though. Will probably do that tomorrow if the weather holds up. Taped some screens. Listened to a good chunk of my audiobook. Burned some screens. Tomorrow will be more taping and reclaiming. Hopefully my hands will feel better, it's tough to do a job that needs your hands when you hands are hurting for some unknown reason.
Back at home I just drew and ate leftover crab stuffing. Uneventful day and night. Back in the swing of things!
It is starting to get chilly. Starting to think about wearing pants over cutoffs to work. Hmm. Starting to think about switching to pants when it is almost December. Ha!
Work was a bit slow. A lot of housekeeping. Refilled the press wipe bottles. Refilled the glue bottle, which was a pain because the problem with things that contain glue is their caps get way stuck on. Cleaned screens, didn't reclaim them though. Will probably do that tomorrow if the weather holds up. Taped some screens. Listened to a good chunk of my audiobook. Burned some screens. Tomorrow will be more taping and reclaiming. Hopefully my hands will feel better, it's tough to do a job that needs your hands when you hands are hurting for some unknown reason.
Back at home I just drew and ate leftover crab stuffing. Uneventful day and night. Back in the swing of things!
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Holly is a sensitive dog
Said goodbye to Ma & Pa. That was such a fun little vacation! Lots of roaming around my city and food and fun and a bit of shopping.
They said they'd get me a mattress for Christmas, and right on cue my bed is starting to feel really uncomfortable. Haha. You'd think the futon would be trying to win me over or something.
Met up at the motorhome at around 10:30. Pancakes for breakfast! Yay! The first stop, after dropping Holly off, was Lighthouse Field State Park. We found parking at the museum, which didn't open till noon, so we got the binoculars and watched the surfers. And I say that in a non creeper way. They were really good surfers! Binocs just make it easier to appreciate their skills.
It was another beautiful day. The weather has been amazing during my parent's visit. Now they are going back to sucky Seabeck weather. California is curing my Pacific Northwest Stockholm Syndrome.
The Surfing Museum was pretty cool. A little place, with lots of boards and history. From there we walked down to the beach and then walked back because there were quite a few dog poops on the beach. I drove and parked downtown and we walked up Front Street. I was able to point out some shirts I had printed in a shop window. We checked out the Museum of Art and History, which had an exhibit of Collections. Like, different things people have collected over time, like skulls, old drills, burnt sculptures, computers, etc. And each collection had a blurb about the collector, which I really liked.
There was a history exhibit as well, and Santa Cruz strikes me as very prone to natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. Well, maybe not PRONE but they have had a few in the past 100 years. There, like at the Surfing Museum, was some history about Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian surfer who spent time at Santa Cruz. I wonder if he has a cool biography about him-NO! TRILLIAN! You have ENOUGH to read.
After the museum, Ma and Pa were hungry, so we stopped at a Thai food place on Pacific. I moved my car because the time was starting to run low. Ma and Pa ordered for me, which was fine because between Ma's soup and Dad's squid salad and spring rolls and side of rice and chicken satay, there was more than enough food for the three of us.
We walked down Pacific. Dad got a swell shirt at O'Neill's. We went into Logos and I found a copy of X'ed Out by Charles Burns for SEVEN BUCKS! Sweet deal! Ma got some vinyl, Dad got a CD. Then we all got froyo! And they got some tea at Trader Joe's.
Then we swung by my house and picked up a very excited and enthusiastic Holly and went to Seacliff State Park, or Cliff Sea Park. Something with a cliff. Holly was a good dog. One of the other little dogs went after her. What a jackass that dog was. Every other dog was mellow and Holly was mellow. That one dog though. Boo! Holly went down all the steps and all the way onto the wharf. She may be an old dog, but she can tromp with the best of them. The sunset was pretty. Holly went up the 149 steps like a trooper. She just likes attention.
At my house we picked up the remaining pie, Holly's food and blanket, and then I took Ma and Pa home and hugged them goodnight and goodbye.
Back at home, all by myself, I drew my portrait for the day and ate cookies.
They said they'd get me a mattress for Christmas, and right on cue my bed is starting to feel really uncomfortable. Haha. You'd think the futon would be trying to win me over or something.
Met up at the motorhome at around 10:30. Pancakes for breakfast! Yay! The first stop, after dropping Holly off, was Lighthouse Field State Park. We found parking at the museum, which didn't open till noon, so we got the binoculars and watched the surfers. And I say that in a non creeper way. They were really good surfers! Binocs just make it easier to appreciate their skills.
It was another beautiful day. The weather has been amazing during my parent's visit. Now they are going back to sucky Seabeck weather. California is curing my Pacific Northwest Stockholm Syndrome.
The Surfing Museum was pretty cool. A little place, with lots of boards and history. From there we walked down to the beach and then walked back because there were quite a few dog poops on the beach. I drove and parked downtown and we walked up Front Street. I was able to point out some shirts I had printed in a shop window. We checked out the Museum of Art and History, which had an exhibit of Collections. Like, different things people have collected over time, like skulls, old drills, burnt sculptures, computers, etc. And each collection had a blurb about the collector, which I really liked.
There was a history exhibit as well, and Santa Cruz strikes me as very prone to natural disasters like earthquakes and floods. Well, maybe not PRONE but they have had a few in the past 100 years. There, like at the Surfing Museum, was some history about Duke Kahanamoku, a Hawaiian surfer who spent time at Santa Cruz. I wonder if he has a cool biography about him-NO! TRILLIAN! You have ENOUGH to read.
After the museum, Ma and Pa were hungry, so we stopped at a Thai food place on Pacific. I moved my car because the time was starting to run low. Ma and Pa ordered for me, which was fine because between Ma's soup and Dad's squid salad and spring rolls and side of rice and chicken satay, there was more than enough food for the three of us.
We walked down Pacific. Dad got a swell shirt at O'Neill's. We went into Logos and I found a copy of X'ed Out by Charles Burns for SEVEN BUCKS! Sweet deal! Ma got some vinyl, Dad got a CD. Then we all got froyo! And they got some tea at Trader Joe's.
Then we swung by my house and picked up a very excited and enthusiastic Holly and went to Seacliff State Park, or Cliff Sea Park. Something with a cliff. Holly was a good dog. One of the other little dogs went after her. What a jackass that dog was. Every other dog was mellow and Holly was mellow. That one dog though. Boo! Holly went down all the steps and all the way onto the wharf. She may be an old dog, but she can tromp with the best of them. The sunset was pretty. Holly went up the 149 steps like a trooper. She just likes attention.
At my house we picked up the remaining pie, Holly's food and blanket, and then I took Ma and Pa home and hugged them goodnight and goodbye.
Back at home, all by myself, I drew my portrait for the day and ate cookies.
Saturday, November 24, 2012
state park hoppin'
Another busy day! Though I parted from Ma & Pa & Nate earlier on. Still! Whoo nice to be out and about and doing all sorts of things.
Got up. Showered. Had cinnamon rolls and tea at the motorhome. Then we returned to my place, well we picked up some maps at the Visitor's Information place first, and we dropped off Holly. Poor doggy, brought all the way down to Santa Cruz and spends most of the time in my back yard. Still, it is a nice back yard. Plenty of room for pooping.
We drove on to this steam train thingy north of Santa Cruz. Ma and Pa ruined the joke I was trying to tell. It is a very good joke, but hard to tell, and then messed me up. So they don't get the punchline!
The Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad had a steam train that you can ride up into the redwoods. We met Nathan there. I got some jerky to gnaw on during the course of the ride. There were kids present, but the kids in our section of the car were really well behaved. The only way I can stand kids is if they are not screaming, which none of these were. It was awesome.
The trees were nice, and it was a lovely day. At the top was a break area, and I got a candy cane from Santa. And some hot apple cider. There was a family hiking up the trail, and they kept pace with the train. A straight line up versus a zig zag along the track. Pops got me a train shirt, though it wouldn't pass snuff if it was printed at MY shop (pin hole and registration).
Back at home we had leftovers for lunch and gave Holly some attention (and turkey skin). From there we went to (sans dog) Wilder Ranch State Park and walked around. Looked at the visitor's center. Saw a bit of the sunset. I chased Nathan with the threat of tickles. Generally a good time was had. Nate returned to Redwood City. Ma and Pa did some shopping and I dropped them off at the motorhome.
So active! So many things to do! Tomorrow shall be more parks, more turkey, and...I dunno? But it is back to work the day after tomorrow. Yay work! I actually do like it, as I have said. Don't mind doing my job at all. Dad needs a Santa Cruz shirt. A proper one.
Got up. Showered. Had cinnamon rolls and tea at the motorhome. Then we returned to my place, well we picked up some maps at the Visitor's Information place first, and we dropped off Holly. Poor doggy, brought all the way down to Santa Cruz and spends most of the time in my back yard. Still, it is a nice back yard. Plenty of room for pooping.
We drove on to this steam train thingy north of Santa Cruz. Ma and Pa ruined the joke I was trying to tell. It is a very good joke, but hard to tell, and then messed me up. So they don't get the punchline!
The Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow-Gauge Railroad had a steam train that you can ride up into the redwoods. We met Nathan there. I got some jerky to gnaw on during the course of the ride. There were kids present, but the kids in our section of the car were really well behaved. The only way I can stand kids is if they are not screaming, which none of these were. It was awesome.
The trees were nice, and it was a lovely day. At the top was a break area, and I got a candy cane from Santa. And some hot apple cider. There was a family hiking up the trail, and they kept pace with the train. A straight line up versus a zig zag along the track. Pops got me a train shirt, though it wouldn't pass snuff if it was printed at MY shop (pin hole and registration).
Back at home we had leftovers for lunch and gave Holly some attention (and turkey skin). From there we went to (sans dog) Wilder Ranch State Park and walked around. Looked at the visitor's center. Saw a bit of the sunset. I chased Nathan with the threat of tickles. Generally a good time was had. Nate returned to Redwood City. Ma and Pa did some shopping and I dropped them off at the motorhome.
So active! So many things to do! Tomorrow shall be more parks, more turkey, and...I dunno? But it is back to work the day after tomorrow. Yay work! I actually do like it, as I have said. Don't mind doing my job at all. Dad needs a Santa Cruz shirt. A proper one.
Blue Sky Friday
Wow. I can't have too many full days like this in a row! I'm so tired, and this is supposed to be a vacation, right?
Anyway, I did catch plenty of Z's. And being still largely full, I didn't have breakfast. I just showered, pulled the shelves out of my car (parents brought down a lot of furniture for me, more than I asked for, but hey, all of my things should be sorted away now. No more line up of boxes on the wall!). Went and picked up Ma and Pa. We left Holly in my backyard and drove to the UCSC Arboretum. It was a beautiful day to spend amid the gardens. There were plants from New Zealand, South...America?, and Australia. The Australia plants were the coolest because they had all these interesting shapes. I must go back to the Arboretum with my sketchbook and draw some of the cool plant shapes.
We had leftovers for lunch back at my place, and Nathan and Helen came down for the rest of the day. We once again left Holly behind (poor doggy, but we'll do something pet friendly tomorrow probably). We went to Natural Bridges State Park, which is a lie because there is only ONE bridge. Singular. We walked the loop through the park, saw the monarch butterflies, fiddled with anemones in tide pools, and I asked about what presents people want for Christmas.
From the park we drove down Cliff Drive and parked in the residential area, and walked out along the Wharf. Saw the sun go down and the boardwalk lit up for all of an hour it seemed. Saw the sea lions make their rucus and had some fish and chips. No leftovers! I think leftovers can really only be eaten for 2/3s of the post-Thanksgiving meals.
And Nathan got us dessert. Caramel apples and fudge (though Mom has since whisked away the fudge and I know not where it is). We drove back to my house, dished up some leftovers for Nathan, and said adieu to him and Helen. I drove Ma & Pa back to the campsite soon after. Tomorrow there will be a train adventure of sorts. Hopefully I won't be surrounded by too many children.
I spent the rest of the night catching up on portraits (as you can see below) and relaxing. I banged my hand on my desk, so hopefully it won't be too bad come morning.
Anyway, I did catch plenty of Z's. And being still largely full, I didn't have breakfast. I just showered, pulled the shelves out of my car (parents brought down a lot of furniture for me, more than I asked for, but hey, all of my things should be sorted away now. No more line up of boxes on the wall!). Went and picked up Ma and Pa. We left Holly in my backyard and drove to the UCSC Arboretum. It was a beautiful day to spend amid the gardens. There were plants from New Zealand, South...America?, and Australia. The Australia plants were the coolest because they had all these interesting shapes. I must go back to the Arboretum with my sketchbook and draw some of the cool plant shapes.
We had leftovers for lunch back at my place, and Nathan and Helen came down for the rest of the day. We once again left Holly behind (poor doggy, but we'll do something pet friendly tomorrow probably). We went to Natural Bridges State Park, which is a lie because there is only ONE bridge. Singular. We walked the loop through the park, saw the monarch butterflies, fiddled with anemones in tide pools, and I asked about what presents people want for Christmas.
From the park we drove down Cliff Drive and parked in the residential area, and walked out along the Wharf. Saw the sun go down and the boardwalk lit up for all of an hour it seemed. Saw the sea lions make their rucus and had some fish and chips. No leftovers! I think leftovers can really only be eaten for 2/3s of the post-Thanksgiving meals.
And Nathan got us dessert. Caramel apples and fudge (though Mom has since whisked away the fudge and I know not where it is). We drove back to my house, dished up some leftovers for Nathan, and said adieu to him and Helen. I drove Ma & Pa back to the campsite soon after. Tomorrow there will be a train adventure of sorts. Hopefully I won't be surrounded by too many children.
I spent the rest of the night catching up on portraits (as you can see below) and relaxing. I banged my hand on my desk, so hopefully it won't be too bad come morning.
Friday, November 23, 2012
Thursday, November 22, 2012
I'm thankful for having an awesome family
Ohhh boy. I don't think I'll need to eat till Saturday. Made too much food, ate a bunch of it, then ate some more.
But lets start at the start.
Alarm went off at 6:45. I got up at 7:15ish and set the over to preheating. Took a shower, then I put foil around the turkey and popped it in the oven. Then I went to pick up ma and pa. I hung out in their motorhome for a bit and drank tea, and then it was time to get the cooking underway. Hurray!
The finished menu ended up being: turkey, cranberry sauce, avocado creamy pasta, tearaway bread rolls, this sweet potato thing, some apple juice and a couple bottles of wine, green beans, salad, and crab stuffing courtesy of Carmen & Josh. Oh and two pies. This was for FIVE PEOPLE. I don't know what I was thinking. We could easily have done away with the pasta, at the very least I didn't have to double the recipe. And didn't need to double the recipe on the sweet potato thing. We also didn't have the spices right, so it was lacking a bit. The pasta sauce was a bit strong on the lemon. Buuut the turkey was good, the cranberry sauce was primo, the stuffing was tasty stuff.
I made the cranberry sauce, the pasta, and the bread, and the sauce that went with the sweet potato stuff. Dad arranged the sweet potatoes. Ma made the salad. They tended to the turkey. It was a steady pace of cooking, but not too overwhelming. Ma made the pies, and oh they were good. Well the apple, my favorite, was swell.
Between meal and pie, we went for a walk down to the beach. Walked Holly.
Carmen and Josh arrived right on time as things were finishing up.
It was a bright day, not the warmest but bright.
When I returned Ma & Pa to the motorhome, we had tea and watched Apollo 13.
I'm so allergic to that cat. Boo.
So things I learned for the future:
But lets start at the start.
Alarm went off at 6:45. I got up at 7:15ish and set the over to preheating. Took a shower, then I put foil around the turkey and popped it in the oven. Then I went to pick up ma and pa. I hung out in their motorhome for a bit and drank tea, and then it was time to get the cooking underway. Hurray!
The finished menu ended up being: turkey, cranberry sauce, avocado creamy pasta, tearaway bread rolls, this sweet potato thing, some apple juice and a couple bottles of wine, green beans, salad, and crab stuffing courtesy of Carmen & Josh. Oh and two pies. This was for FIVE PEOPLE. I don't know what I was thinking. We could easily have done away with the pasta, at the very least I didn't have to double the recipe. And didn't need to double the recipe on the sweet potato thing. We also didn't have the spices right, so it was lacking a bit. The pasta sauce was a bit strong on the lemon. Buuut the turkey was good, the cranberry sauce was primo, the stuffing was tasty stuff.
I made the cranberry sauce, the pasta, and the bread, and the sauce that went with the sweet potato stuff. Dad arranged the sweet potatoes. Ma made the salad. They tended to the turkey. It was a steady pace of cooking, but not too overwhelming. Ma made the pies, and oh they were good. Well the apple, my favorite, was swell.
Between meal and pie, we went for a walk down to the beach. Walked Holly.
Carmen and Josh arrived right on time as things were finishing up.
It was a bright day, not the warmest but bright.
When I returned Ma & Pa to the motorhome, we had tea and watched Apollo 13.
I'm so allergic to that cat. Boo.
So things I learned for the future:
- when making a lot of dishes, don't double up recipes.
- use the right spices.
- if people are bringing a dish, you don't need to make as many dishes.
- seriously, you don't need to double up recipes like that.
It was nice. Now I will be well fed for a while. Turkey sandwiches!
Curly Anne
Work was one full length shift. Ran one job, that was one color, but lots of different shirt sizes, thus requiring several palette changes, and taping many screens because all the images were different sizes as well. I cleaned some screens. I burned some screens. Didn't tape those ones though. I also caught shirts, and Andrew boxed. Finished 14, started The Well of Lost Plots. The Thursday Next series is seriously good!
At 6:30 I was outta there, and I went straight to the park where Ma and Pa are staying. I was hoping they had arrived by then, and they had! With kitty and doggy in tow. That cat, formerly known as Salvador and currently known as Dali, is getting so big!
We packed up my car with some food stuffs and went to my place. From there we figured out what we needed to buy, and went to Trader Joe's for a food run. Food and sweets. Then we went to Woodstock's and got pizza for dinner. They misheard my name, so when it came time to call us forth to receive our pizza, they said, "Curly Anne?". Ha! That is a new mishearing.
Back at the house, we ate the pizza and watched Downton Abbey, and then we lathered up the turkey and got it ready. I am aiming to get it into the oven at around 7. Early start! Time for me to go to bed.
And when I dropped Ma and Pa off, they put some of the stuff they brought for me into my car, so now I have a second lamp, a drafting table, some shelves...and I have more coming my way.
At 6:30 I was outta there, and I went straight to the park where Ma and Pa are staying. I was hoping they had arrived by then, and they had! With kitty and doggy in tow. That cat, formerly known as Salvador and currently known as Dali, is getting so big!
We packed up my car with some food stuffs and went to my place. From there we figured out what we needed to buy, and went to Trader Joe's for a food run. Food and sweets. Then we went to Woodstock's and got pizza for dinner. They misheard my name, so when it came time to call us forth to receive our pizza, they said, "Curly Anne?". Ha! That is a new mishearing.
Back at the house, we ate the pizza and watched Downton Abbey, and then we lathered up the turkey and got it ready. I am aiming to get it into the oven at around 7. Early start! Time for me to go to bed.
And when I dropped Ma and Pa off, they put some of the stuff they brought for me into my car, so now I have a second lamp, a drafting table, some shelves...and I have more coming my way.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
there is tension in my jaw, like I've been clenching it....
Just finished the portrait for tomorrow. Ohhh boy. It looks really good! I am very pleased with it, and can't wait for y'all to see it. Getting better all the time! WHooo!!
Work was pretty busy. Ran some more shirts in the morning, cleaned some screens, taped some screens, there were about seven boxes worth of shirts & sweatshirts to unload and in all sorts of sizes, and not readily grouped together, so it was my assignment to find all the zips and pullovers and put those into their piles, then the ladies tees, and the white unisex tees, and the youth, and the childrens and all these things. Hehe. Tomorrow a lot will be printed and then it is the long weekend! Hurrayay!
I am almost done with 14 and it is positively riveting! It went straight up crazy Tesla Lovecraft, and I am all on board for that.
Did my laundry. Figured out the Thanksgiving menu. Looks like brussel sprouts and gravy are not on the menu...can't make TOO much good stuff, but we shall try.
Work was pretty busy. Ran some more shirts in the morning, cleaned some screens, taped some screens, there were about seven boxes worth of shirts & sweatshirts to unload and in all sorts of sizes, and not readily grouped together, so it was my assignment to find all the zips and pullovers and put those into their piles, then the ladies tees, and the white unisex tees, and the youth, and the childrens and all these things. Hehe. Tomorrow a lot will be printed and then it is the long weekend! Hurrayay!
I am almost done with 14 and it is positively riveting! It went straight up crazy Tesla Lovecraft, and I am all on board for that.
Did my laundry. Figured out the Thanksgiving menu. Looks like brussel sprouts and gravy are not on the menu...can't make TOO much good stuff, but we shall try.
Monday, November 19, 2012
good times are now and ahead
Oh man. Oh man. I've been listening to 14 by Peter Clines and it is RIVETING!! Soooo good. Very intense. It's all I can do to keep myself from listening to it all the time. Have to recharge my mp3 player batteries some time!
Got my tickets for coming home. 20th-29th I'll be in Kitsap! Whooo! Talking about December. And Christmas. Guess I should put a Christmas/Birthday wish list in my side bar on my blog.
Need to figure out my Thanksgiving menu. I got wrapped up with drawing and listening to 14....
Dang it has gone chilly again.
Work, we troubleshooted and adjusted the off contact and everything went awesomely. Finished two jobs, so that is awesome. I caught and boxed and broke down the press. Also added more oil and helped at the high heat lube to the press. Nice work day. I work tomorrow, then Wednesday, then holiday time! I asked for Thanksgiving and the Friday after off, all though I was pretty sure they were already given off. I also have two weeks for Christmas off. HA! Awesome job. So much time off (though it is time during which I am not making any money, which sucks) but nice to not have to stress about working during certain times.
Anyway. Back home I drew and relaxed and things were pretty nifty.
Life is good for lil ol' Trillian.
And I like being able to say that. I'm coming round on 25 and I feel good about where I am right now.
Got my tickets for coming home. 20th-29th I'll be in Kitsap! Whooo! Talking about December. And Christmas. Guess I should put a Christmas/Birthday wish list in my side bar on my blog.
Need to figure out my Thanksgiving menu. I got wrapped up with drawing and listening to 14....
Dang it has gone chilly again.
Work, we troubleshooted and adjusted the off contact and everything went awesomely. Finished two jobs, so that is awesome. I caught and boxed and broke down the press. Also added more oil and helped at the high heat lube to the press. Nice work day. I work tomorrow, then Wednesday, then holiday time! I asked for Thanksgiving and the Friday after off, all though I was pretty sure they were already given off. I also have two weeks for Christmas off. HA! Awesome job. So much time off (though it is time during which I am not making any money, which sucks) but nice to not have to stress about working during certain times.
Anyway. Back home I drew and relaxed and things were pretty nifty.
Life is good for lil ol' Trillian.
And I like being able to say that. I'm coming round on 25 and I feel good about where I am right now.
soon I shall see family and it will be grand
Got up at a more respectable hour. It was a beautiful day. It poured down a bit last night, but it was sunny and warm enough all day long, which is pretty awesome for mid November.
Took my bike out and pedaled down Laurel and up Mission to meet Ray for brunch at Cafe Brasil. Or Brasil Cafe. A little place with tasty brunch food. I had poached egg and avocado on baguette, and it was scrumptious. Can't go wrong with those three things. Had a nice little meal and we walked around the neighborhood chatting. Santa Cruz is really quite nice.
Back at home I put my feet up and drew some portraits and ate leftover pizza.
The Walking Dead is seriously good this season. Intense! To the point! And some damn good filming. Now to watch Homeland and then go to sleep. Got a busy week ahead of me!
Took my bike out and pedaled down Laurel and up Mission to meet Ray for brunch at Cafe Brasil. Or Brasil Cafe. A little place with tasty brunch food. I had poached egg and avocado on baguette, and it was scrumptious. Can't go wrong with those three things. Had a nice little meal and we walked around the neighborhood chatting. Santa Cruz is really quite nice.
Back at home I put my feet up and drew some portraits and ate leftover pizza.
The Walking Dead is seriously good this season. Intense! To the point! And some damn good filming. Now to watch Homeland and then go to sleep. Got a busy week ahead of me!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
pizza is good
Ahhh sleep. I dig it. Did a grocery run. Candy Cane Joe-Joe's are at Trader Joe's!! I'm so happy. As are tons of other holiday seasonal sweets. Tasty tasty stuff. Also got fruit and pasta and pasta sauce. Those things.
Steve came down (from San Jose) for the evening, and we got pizza from Woodstock's. Mmm can't go wrong with feta, chicken, basil, and onions. Numm! I need to get a takehome menu, so I can phone in orders, instead of waiting in the restaurant for a while for the pizza.
Fairly relaxing Saturday. I have brunch plans tomorrow and then I think I'll spend the rest of Sunday drawing some portraits. That will be nice. Then back to work! Hurray!
November is going by REALLY fast. Holy cow month, SLOW DOWN! I don't even have any Christmas shopping done. Though I'll probably just make a print for people. A Christmas print. And they'll ENJOY IT! So help me they will...
Steve came down (from San Jose) for the evening, and we got pizza from Woodstock's. Mmm can't go wrong with feta, chicken, basil, and onions. Numm! I need to get a takehome menu, so I can phone in orders, instead of waiting in the restaurant for a while for the pizza.
Fairly relaxing Saturday. I have brunch plans tomorrow and then I think I'll spend the rest of Sunday drawing some portraits. That will be nice. Then back to work! Hurray!
November is going by REALLY fast. Holy cow month, SLOW DOWN! I don't even have any Christmas shopping done. Though I'll probably just make a print for people. A Christmas print. And they'll ENJOY IT! So help me they will...
Saturday, November 17, 2012
I like the sound of rain on the roof.
Had a relatively short day at work. Just ran a bit of a job, which required a lot of set up. I coated some screens as well. Now we have oodles of screens just waiting to be burned! Finished Killing Floor. Moved on to 14, pretty nifty book thus far.
Talked to Ma & Pa. Figuring out Thanksgiving. Need to figure out what I am going to MAKE for Thanksgiving!
I was lazy and bought Jack in the Box for a late lunch. Watched some movies. Did some portraits. Weekend! Time to do things!
It has been raining all day. It's nice to listen to.
Talked to Ma & Pa. Figuring out Thanksgiving. Need to figure out what I am going to MAKE for Thanksgiving!
I was lazy and bought Jack in the Box for a late lunch. Watched some movies. Did some portraits. Weekend! Time to do things!
It has been raining all day. It's nice to listen to.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
chevron over herringbone
Winding down by watching Cosmopolis. Well. Not sure if winding down is the right way to put it. It is very strange. Sure it is David Cronenberg....but yeah.
Finished Killing Floor. Exciting little book. Moved onto 14. Not sure if I want to listen to a bunch of Jack Reacher novels...
At work I tidied up the waterbased inks, and burn and taped a bunch of screens, and weeded some vinyl, and...errr. Did some other things too, I'm sure. Getting ready for some jobs.
I ordered a new wallet offa Etsy. A little thing, hand made in Ontario, chevron patterned with a pocket. Looks nice, I'm excited for it to arrive.
Tomorrow is Friday? Already? Blimey!
Finished Killing Floor. Exciting little book. Moved onto 14. Not sure if I want to listen to a bunch of Jack Reacher novels...
At work I tidied up the waterbased inks, and burn and taped a bunch of screens, and weeded some vinyl, and...errr. Did some other things too, I'm sure. Getting ready for some jobs.
I ordered a new wallet offa Etsy. A little thing, hand made in Ontario, chevron patterned with a pocket. Looks nice, I'm excited for it to arrive.
Tomorrow is Friday? Already? Blimey!
billfold
Another largely solitary day. Killing Floor is a pretty exciting little mystery, it keeps my brain going "oh whodunnit, was it this person? ooooh." Sometimes I just want to wait for the book to reveal itself, so I like it when a book gets me thinking along with the narrative.
I applied glue to the palettes, burned a screen, cleaned the press, and then was given the task of putting banner scraps on the new ink shelves (to make an easier to clean surface) and then cleaning and reorganizing said ink shelves. Now the station looks much better, and the colors are easier to get to. The tans and beiges are together, the purple and pinks are together, and both the aforementioned are not shoved behind reds and yellows and oranges. Nothing is more than two deep, so all the numbers on the things of ink are easily readable. Looks so nice. And plenty of room for new inks!
Yup. Got home pretty tired from being slightly hunched all day.
Watched my telly, ate my dinner.
Need to buy a new wallet, as I spilled gunk on my current one, which was already shabby and in need of a replacement. I've gone through two wallets since 2005! That is OUTRAGEOUS!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
tuesday night thoughts
Back to work! And it was largely clean up and stuff. It felt like I did the tasks very slow, or maybe I'm just not aware of the time things take? Broke down the press. The studio was cold, which was a bummer. It was warm outside. And I mentioned breaking down means taking down all the screens and squeegees and things right? Taking them down and out from the press. Cleaned the screens, cleaned the squeegess, weeded some vinyl, helped Andrew remove from brackets from the van, cleaned the pallets.
It sucks to get out of work at 5pm and it is already dark. Booo!
Pasta for dinner. And I drew some portraits! Two of them! One came easily, one did not. You'll see them soon.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Eleanor
I spent most of the day at home. Didn't feel like going out and drawing landscapes. I stayed in and worked on a portrait which proved very difficult. Started listened to Killing Floor, the first Jack Reacher novel. Felt in a mood for something a little less whimsical after Lost In a Good Story.
Game night was fun. Met Mary and Paula was there. We played Thurn and Taxis and Transamerica and this German bike game and Evo. Pretty full line up. Thurn and Taxis was neat. A sort of...mail route system game. Apparently tabletop games are HUGE in Germany.
It's cold again. Time to crawl into bed.
Monday, November 12, 2012
California chills
It's been really cold in my house. I checked the windows and found the one in the spare bedroom was open. Probably to keep the room from getting musty or whatever. But I closed it anyway. Because it is cold. And I don't have long johns.
I am drinking hot tea out of a mason jar. Specifically the kind from Cherish & Isaiah's wedding. Half way through it now. It's good. Warms my soul.
Slept way way in. It was nice to do so. My body rhythms are still set firmly to waking up at 8am. Pretty satisfied that I can get up so regularly and get to work on time. I can sleep in when I don't work, and get up when I don't. I'm an adult! WHooo!!
Drew a portrait. Watched telly. Ate food. Went and got more food so that I can eat it. Still no candy cane joe joes at Trader Joe's. Probably waiting to sell off the crummy Halloween cookies first.
Ray came over and we finished off the chili and watching The Walking Dead and Misfits.
Amanda, my housemate, is back from helping the Obama Campaign in Colorado. Well she came back a couple days ago, but this was the first night that I have actually seen her.
Now I think I shall sit in bed and read. Oh wait. I have Homeland to watch. Hmmmn.
I am drinking hot tea out of a mason jar. Specifically the kind from Cherish & Isaiah's wedding. Half way through it now. It's good. Warms my soul.
Slept way way in. It was nice to do so. My body rhythms are still set firmly to waking up at 8am. Pretty satisfied that I can get up so regularly and get to work on time. I can sleep in when I don't work, and get up when I don't. I'm an adult! WHooo!!
Drew a portrait. Watched telly. Ate food. Went and got more food so that I can eat it. Still no candy cane joe joes at Trader Joe's. Probably waiting to sell off the crummy Halloween cookies first.
Ray came over and we finished off the chili and watching The Walking Dead and Misfits.
Amanda, my housemate, is back from helping the Obama Campaign in Colorado. Well she came back a couple days ago, but this was the first night that I have actually seen her.
Now I think I shall sit in bed and read. Oh wait. I have Homeland to watch. Hmmmn.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Robin & Finn
What a lovely wonderful day! Things are really coming up quite splendidly in my life these days.
Met Steve in San Jose for a little afternoon hike. We went to the, err, Sierra Azul? open area in Los Gatos, and walked up the path a bit. There were some mountain bikers, but we were never in danger of being squashed by some maniacs. It was a bit chillier of a day, but when one hikes, one warms up. After proving how bad I actually am at going up hills, we shared a sandwich in downtown San Jose, and parted ways. I headed North some more to Oakland.
Though it was closer in to Berkley than Oakland. I found easy on the street parking and waited outside Zachary's pizza for Robin and Finn. Finn was the first to arrive. I don't think I've seen him since I was unemployed. Oh how fast things change! Robin arrived next and we decided on sushi instead of pizza. I had udon and a philly role. Robin stuck to rolls, Finn had ramen and rolls. We shared sake, and a good chat was had by all. From there we went to Tara's Ice Cream. I had the salted caramel with brownie bites. It was so damn tasty. They had tons of different flavors, and a few I had never heard of before. Good stuff. I need to find all the hip little places in Santa Cruz, so that when people visit me, I can take them to groovy places.
We went back to Finn's place, and watched Anchorman. Which was odder than I remember it being. I dunno. I think I don't like the character of Ron Burgundy that much.
It was nice to keep the company of good old friends. A bit of a drive, but ever so worth it.
Met Steve in San Jose for a little afternoon hike. We went to the, err, Sierra Azul? open area in Los Gatos, and walked up the path a bit. There were some mountain bikers, but we were never in danger of being squashed by some maniacs. It was a bit chillier of a day, but when one hikes, one warms up. After proving how bad I actually am at going up hills, we shared a sandwich in downtown San Jose, and parted ways. I headed North some more to Oakland.
Though it was closer in to Berkley than Oakland. I found easy on the street parking and waited outside Zachary's pizza for Robin and Finn. Finn was the first to arrive. I don't think I've seen him since I was unemployed. Oh how fast things change! Robin arrived next and we decided on sushi instead of pizza. I had udon and a philly role. Robin stuck to rolls, Finn had ramen and rolls. We shared sake, and a good chat was had by all. From there we went to Tara's Ice Cream. I had the salted caramel with brownie bites. It was so damn tasty. They had tons of different flavors, and a few I had never heard of before. Good stuff. I need to find all the hip little places in Santa Cruz, so that when people visit me, I can take them to groovy places.
We went back to Finn's place, and watched Anchorman. Which was odder than I remember it being. I dunno. I think I don't like the character of Ron Burgundy that much.
It was nice to keep the company of good old friends. A bit of a drive, but ever so worth it.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
sushifall
Doing these portraits, some of them I can do in, like, 30 minutes. Some take me hours!
Slept in today. It was a glorious thing to do. Had a little breakfast. Toodled around the house. Drew a bit.
Met Ray at 5ish, and got tickets for Skyfall. Then we had sushi! Yum! Had some of those big combo many ingredients rolls. Pretty good! Avocado, cremecheese, shrimp. Can't go wrong. Oh, and tempura banana? Delicious! I need to get Robin's recipe for fried banana.
Skyfall was good. Less action heavy than I was expecting, but NO SHAKEY CAM! Which is great. The action was good. Clear, concise. It was a bit light on the babes. Now Craig's Bond is set up for more Bond movies, with Q and Moneypenny. I dug it.
Now it is chilly, I'm going to crawl into bed.
Friday, November 9, 2012
itemized awesome
Thirteen hour shift, BUUUUT it is a four day weekend! The Boss is going to a little conference thingy.
So some awesome things happened at work today:
So some awesome things happened at work today:
- I was shown how to tape the edges on banners, so now that is another skill I have. More skills, more awesomeness!
- Boss said that I could use the facilities at work to print, though I think I'll still work on my at home set up. Just knowing I can use the exposure unit is awesome. At home I can work on my own time and stuff, but yeah. That is awesome!
- Boss asked if I would like to design a shirt. WHOOO!! Something with some Santa Cruz landscapes in it. I'm already having plenty of ideas, and am looking forward to sketching my new city. How great is that?
I weeded some vinyl, and caught a job which ended up running a bit longer due to a totally unfigureoutable problem. Something was up and eventually it stopped being up. I wanted to see Skyfall tonight, but I am tired! I'll catch a matinee tomorrow, because it is THE WEEKEND FOR ME! Clear on till Tuesday!
There will be no portrait today, but two tomorrow most likely.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
week coming to an end, making them weekend plans
Back to work! Unexpected days off are nice, but hey, I dig my job!
Letssss seee. What did I do? Well I unboxed the shirts and sweaters for two jobs. I burned and taped some screens. I ran one of the jobs. Loaded and unloaded the shirts perfectly! Go me. Also put some thingies on some hats, and weeded some vinyl. Talked to boss about surfing. Well I mostly listened, I can't really hold up an end of a conversation about surfing, though I do dig it. My boss is very enthusiastic when he talks, so it makes for good stories to hear.
It ended a bit early, though due to it going dark at bloomin' 5pm now, it felt later. I went to Target to pick up some lady necessities, and got caught in the commuter traffic on Highway 1. Boo! Got my things, some candy, and a new 5 pack of work shirts, and it was much faster on the way back.
I don't understand why people always seem to wait till the last minute to merge, and always try to get as far forward as possible. Ah, oh well.
At home I drew BT for today's portrait. Had a big bowl of pasta. Washed my hoodies, because they were probably in need of a wash. I cut the hems and collar out of my work shirts, makes it much more comfortable. They are all clean and pristine! Eventually my shirts will stop getting dirty, and I'll get rid of the worst ones, and then I'll look nice at work, instead of like a day old grubby person. I'd like another pair of shoes to wear at work, but then they would be new shoes, and I'd just dirty them. My 'Roos and White Chucks look awful. Hahah. Sneakers, cut offs/short pants, a white Hanes tee, and hair in a pony tail or bun. Boom, work clothes! And a company branded sweater has been added to that.
Letssss seee. What did I do? Well I unboxed the shirts and sweaters for two jobs. I burned and taped some screens. I ran one of the jobs. Loaded and unloaded the shirts perfectly! Go me. Also put some thingies on some hats, and weeded some vinyl. Talked to boss about surfing. Well I mostly listened, I can't really hold up an end of a conversation about surfing, though I do dig it. My boss is very enthusiastic when he talks, so it makes for good stories to hear.
It ended a bit early, though due to it going dark at bloomin' 5pm now, it felt later. I went to Target to pick up some lady necessities, and got caught in the commuter traffic on Highway 1. Boo! Got my things, some candy, and a new 5 pack of work shirts, and it was much faster on the way back.
I don't understand why people always seem to wait till the last minute to merge, and always try to get as far forward as possible. Ah, oh well.
At home I drew BT for today's portrait. Had a big bowl of pasta. Washed my hoodies, because they were probably in need of a wash. I cut the hems and collar out of my work shirts, makes it much more comfortable. They are all clean and pristine! Eventually my shirts will stop getting dirty, and I'll get rid of the worst ones, and then I'll look nice at work, instead of like a day old grubby person. I'd like another pair of shoes to wear at work, but then they would be new shoes, and I'd just dirty them. My 'Roos and White Chucks look awful. Hahah. Sneakers, cut offs/short pants, a white Hanes tee, and hair in a pony tail or bun. Boom, work clothes! And a company branded sweater has been added to that.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
hunk watch 2012
Yay! Obama! It was looking close and then BAM West Coast came in and decimated the electoral votes. That was swell.
After a long and restful night sleep, I got a text from my boss saying that there would be no work due to a surf competition. He said if I wanted to see some of the world's best surfers, I should check it out. So I did! I arrived at Lighthouse Beach in time for the last heat. So I missed most of the surfing, but oh well. It was hot, and sunny, and a lovely day for surfing. I sketched in my sketchbook, and tried to be subtle about checking out some of the shirtless hunks. The final surf match was between Taj Burrow and Matt Wilkinson, both Australians.
Nice little afternoon sojurn. I rode my bike to and from the beach, which was an easy route and quite lovely because it goes along the water. So near the water, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Back at home, I ate some lunch, and wondered what to do with the rest of my day. So I ended up having a couple beers while I watched the entirety of Nathan Barley (all six 25 minute episodes) while refreshing the election results. Pretty fun night. Well fun because Obama won and it seems like some great things got passed. Once he won, I set about drawing him for today's portrait. With some critique, I fixed it, and it turned out pretty satisfactorily.
Hurray! WHeee! Yay! And I think I'll have an early night again. Feels good to get sleep.
Today was pretty good. I'm feeling really good about life these past few weeks. Things are coming to a nice settle and rhythm.
After a long and restful night sleep, I got a text from my boss saying that there would be no work due to a surf competition. He said if I wanted to see some of the world's best surfers, I should check it out. So I did! I arrived at Lighthouse Beach in time for the last heat. So I missed most of the surfing, but oh well. It was hot, and sunny, and a lovely day for surfing. I sketched in my sketchbook, and tried to be subtle about checking out some of the shirtless hunks. The final surf match was between Taj Burrow and Matt Wilkinson, both Australians.
Nice little afternoon sojurn. I rode my bike to and from the beach, which was an easy route and quite lovely because it goes along the water. So near the water, I wouldn't have it any other way.
Back at home, I ate some lunch, and wondered what to do with the rest of my day. So I ended up having a couple beers while I watched the entirety of Nathan Barley (all six 25 minute episodes) while refreshing the election results. Pretty fun night. Well fun because Obama won and it seems like some great things got passed. Once he won, I set about drawing him for today's portrait. With some critique, I fixed it, and it turned out pretty satisfactorily.
Hurray! WHeee! Yay! And I think I'll have an early night again. Feels good to get sleep.
Today was pretty good. I'm feeling really good about life these past few weeks. Things are coming to a nice settle and rhythm.
Monday, November 5, 2012
redbull gives you wiiiiOOOOAHAHHHHHHEHHEHEHEHEHEHHEHEHE
Carmen left at 4:45am. I crawled into bed at 5am. I was prepared to text my boss and say that I would be coming in a bit later, but then my body was all "it's 8am, this is when you usually get up, so GET UP!" So I got up. Blhhhhhuherg.
Showered. Had breakfast. Got text from boss saying that it would be a solo shift and that there was a list of things to do and that he wouldn't be there till later. So I totally could have slept in! If my body would have let me.
Anyway, I got a Red Bull on the way to work, and that gave me lots of pep! Pep to clean screens, and burn screens, and tape screens, and reclaim screens, and patch screens, and clean palettes, and reclaim some more screens and patch another screen. Busy short shift. At home I did laundry, and cleaned up my room, and has some rice and seaweed snack/dinner, put away laundry, watched telly.
Now I am crashing. Mmm. Sleep. That will be nice.
Showered. Had breakfast. Got text from boss saying that it would be a solo shift and that there was a list of things to do and that he wouldn't be there till later. So I totally could have slept in! If my body would have let me.
Anyway, I got a Red Bull on the way to work, and that gave me lots of pep! Pep to clean screens, and burn screens, and tape screens, and reclaim screens, and patch screens, and clean palettes, and reclaim some more screens and patch another screen. Busy short shift. At home I did laundry, and cleaned up my room, and has some rice and seaweed snack/dinner, put away laundry, watched telly.
Now I am crashing. Mmm. Sleep. That will be nice.
a day of printing, a great day, stressful but great
11pm, and two colors to go on this monster four color reductive print. But once this color is done, it's just the black layer and then BOOM DONE. We are so close, it is awesome!
So. My day started very early. I was barely out of bed and figuring out how to assemble the poster for 8.5x11 print out, because we (Carmen and I) decided to do the poster at 15x24, to maximize space, and to do that I'd need a to scale reference to draw from. If any of this doesn't make sense, well...tough! Anyway, Carmen arrived at 9. We printed out the reference. Then exposed her screen. Or tried to. She got it pre-coated but something was weird with the emulsion and it did not expose at all, so I used my emulsion remover and slathered that up, and then we started from square one. We didn't get printing till about 2. But it worked out! The yellow flat of color was tricky, but Carmen did a great job pulling it. We had the layers strewn all around the house. Hahha. After that, we got lunch, and then returned to the printing. The second layer, the reductive fluid, got stuck to the paper and so Carmen reprinted out the sheets while I coated and prepped the screen. We ran out of daylight and moved the printing table into the upstairs bathroom. We had to remove the legs to navigate it in, but it worked! The blue layer printed really fast, which was swell. With Carmen's help, the green layer got drawn on with drawing fluid lickity split (while listening to The Museum of Curiosity). While that dried in my closet (with the fan running, a very good dark drying room) we watched Sherlock. Relaxing then working relaxing then working.
Right now the green screen is drying, and Carmen is mixing the green. Soon that will be printed. And then: THE FINAL LAYER.
2:32am
The final layer is drying. Waiting to be printed. Then it will be printed. And I'll wash out the screen one last time, then that is it. I'm just going to climb into bed straight after. You'll hear from me tomorrow.
Guhhh work.
So. My day started very early. I was barely out of bed and figuring out how to assemble the poster for 8.5x11 print out, because we (Carmen and I) decided to do the poster at 15x24, to maximize space, and to do that I'd need a to scale reference to draw from. If any of this doesn't make sense, well...tough! Anyway, Carmen arrived at 9. We printed out the reference. Then exposed her screen. Or tried to. She got it pre-coated but something was weird with the emulsion and it did not expose at all, so I used my emulsion remover and slathered that up, and then we started from square one. We didn't get printing till about 2. But it worked out! The yellow flat of color was tricky, but Carmen did a great job pulling it. We had the layers strewn all around the house. Hahha. After that, we got lunch, and then returned to the printing. The second layer, the reductive fluid, got stuck to the paper and so Carmen reprinted out the sheets while I coated and prepped the screen. We ran out of daylight and moved the printing table into the upstairs bathroom. We had to remove the legs to navigate it in, but it worked! The blue layer printed really fast, which was swell. With Carmen's help, the green layer got drawn on with drawing fluid lickity split (while listening to The Museum of Curiosity). While that dried in my closet (with the fan running, a very good dark drying room) we watched Sherlock. Relaxing then working relaxing then working.
Right now the green screen is drying, and Carmen is mixing the green. Soon that will be printed. And then: THE FINAL LAYER.
2:32am
The final layer is drying. Waiting to be printed. Then it will be printed. And I'll wash out the screen one last time, then that is it. I'm just going to climb into bed straight after. You'll hear from me tomorrow.
Guhhh work.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
I didn't even get close to a Yahtzee...:(
Time just rolled back an hour, so instead of being 2:30am, it is 1:30am. Hurray?
Turns out the art store didn't open till 10am, so I had some time in the morning to tidy up. Went to the store, paid too much for a sub-standard screen, got mylar, and some better tape. Went home. Emulsified the screen, set it aside to dry (not with a fan, then I noticed how slow it was going so I rigged it up with a fan and it dried much faster). Screwed the bolts into the table, though I may reposition them tomorrow. Exposed the screen at different times (I also used some drawing fluid as a thickness/washout test). 15 minutes seems perfect. Washed it out. Ate some chili and a scramble.
At 4:15ish I went to Trader Joe's and got some driving snacks and a bottle of wine. Then I went up to Oakland and picked up dear sweet awesome Robin, and then drove into San Francisco for game night at Carmen & Josh's with special guest Helen & Nathan. The wine was for the shindig, and thankfully it was a good kind of wine. I just got something with a label I liked. I also gave Carmen & Josh my thank you gift of a Belgian waffle maker! They had talked about wanting one, so I went and got them one. When Carmen opened the wrapping she said "is this actually a Waffle maker, not just the box?". And so on top of Carmen's amazing sandwiches, we had waffles. Mmm!
First we played Dixit, which is a sort of imagination/image take on Apples to Apples. It was quite fun, and Nathan won. Then we played Bohnanza, a bean based game that SHOULD have been named Beananza. We got the hang of it eventually, but played a shorter round. Carmen won. Then we finished up with Yahtzee, and Nathan won that, beating my high score which was on the sheet he was playing on. We gabbed, and there were several caterpillars which had to be picked out of the sandwiches (the lettuce was very fresh). At 11:45, I drove Robin home, and then returned to Santa Cruz. So excited she is back in the area! Gotta have a day trip with her and Finn.
I prefer night driving. Less cars, just lights. It just seems easier to navigate.
Turns out the art store didn't open till 10am, so I had some time in the morning to tidy up. Went to the store, paid too much for a sub-standard screen, got mylar, and some better tape. Went home. Emulsified the screen, set it aside to dry (not with a fan, then I noticed how slow it was going so I rigged it up with a fan and it dried much faster). Screwed the bolts into the table, though I may reposition them tomorrow. Exposed the screen at different times (I also used some drawing fluid as a thickness/washout test). 15 minutes seems perfect. Washed it out. Ate some chili and a scramble.
At 4:15ish I went to Trader Joe's and got some driving snacks and a bottle of wine. Then I went up to Oakland and picked up dear sweet awesome Robin, and then drove into San Francisco for game night at Carmen & Josh's with special guest Helen & Nathan. The wine was for the shindig, and thankfully it was a good kind of wine. I just got something with a label I liked. I also gave Carmen & Josh my thank you gift of a Belgian waffle maker! They had talked about wanting one, so I went and got them one. When Carmen opened the wrapping she said "is this actually a Waffle maker, not just the box?". And so on top of Carmen's amazing sandwiches, we had waffles. Mmm!
First we played Dixit, which is a sort of imagination/image take on Apples to Apples. It was quite fun, and Nathan won. Then we played Bohnanza, a bean based game that SHOULD have been named Beananza. We got the hang of it eventually, but played a shorter round. Carmen won. Then we finished up with Yahtzee, and Nathan won that, beating my high score which was on the sheet he was playing on. We gabbed, and there were several caterpillars which had to be picked out of the sandwiches (the lettuce was very fresh). At 11:45, I drove Robin home, and then returned to Santa Cruz. So excited she is back in the area! Gotta have a day trip with her and Finn.
I prefer night driving. Less cars, just lights. It just seems easier to navigate.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Friday, November 2, 2012
weekend, it is going to be a full one
Friday was a short day. We ran the job. I cleaned up. That was it.
I forgot to mention that I mixed my first ink color yesterday. Now I can mix ink! Hurray! Another thing to add to my skills.
I ran some errands after work. Got some bolts for the hinge clamps, so now I can bolt the clamps to my table and print. I got nice bolts, because I'll be reusing them. In the shop someone noted my company branded sweatshirt and said they used to print for them, I absentmindedly said, "oh I print for them now." And then later thought, "oh shiiiit, what if his employment ended on an unceremonious note?" AH, oh well.
I got to the art store at 6:03. It closes at 6. WHAT ART STORE CLOSES AT SIX ON A FRIDAY? And it's like the only art store in town. What is up with that shit?
I ran another SECRET errand.
Tomorrow is a packed day! I get up, go get a screen, go back home, make a text exposure with that screen, then do another exposure and print something to test my printing set up, then clean up, then go to Oakland and pick Robin up, and then go to San Francisco and have game night with Carmen, Josh, Nate, and Helen, and Robin of course. Then go home. Then SUNDAY I print some posters for Odd Owl's Seattle show.
Make sure to buy posters. Buy ALL THE POSTERS AT THE SHOW.
So exciting!
I forgot to mention that I mixed my first ink color yesterday. Now I can mix ink! Hurray! Another thing to add to my skills.
I ran some errands after work. Got some bolts for the hinge clamps, so now I can bolt the clamps to my table and print. I got nice bolts, because I'll be reusing them. In the shop someone noted my company branded sweatshirt and said they used to print for them, I absentmindedly said, "oh I print for them now." And then later thought, "oh shiiiit, what if his employment ended on an unceremonious note?" AH, oh well.
I got to the art store at 6:03. It closes at 6. WHAT ART STORE CLOSES AT SIX ON A FRIDAY? And it's like the only art store in town. What is up with that shit?
I ran another SECRET errand.
Tomorrow is a packed day! I get up, go get a screen, go back home, make a text exposure with that screen, then do another exposure and print something to test my printing set up, then clean up, then go to Oakland and pick Robin up, and then go to San Francisco and have game night with Carmen, Josh, Nate, and Helen, and Robin of course. Then go home. Then SUNDAY I print some posters for Odd Owl's Seattle show.
Make sure to buy posters. Buy ALL THE POSTERS AT THE SHOW.
So exciting!
November. Time for chili!
It is November. The election is just days away. My ballot has long been sent in the post. Now I just wait, wait and hope nothing horrible happens. Like Romney getting elected. Guhhh. Last election, I was working at Gap Kids. Now I am graduated and gainfully employed in a job I like a whole bunch. A lot can change in four years. Yeah!
We ran a job at work. I burned and taped some screens. Ran part of another job. It was a shorter shift. When I got home, I went to Trader Joe's and got chili fixings. Then I plopped all the beans and salsa and secret ingredients and cooked sausages into a pot and set it to simmer, and I simmered the bajeezus out of it. And ohhh it was hot! But so good. Hot in temp, hot in spice, and it smelled damn good. It was so good to finally tuck into it, and I'm so excited to consume it throughout the week. Of course I also put on the communal whiteboard that my housemates should help themselves. Because it is a lot of chili, hhaha.
I'm going to draw a portrait a day for November. Use my tablet, improve my skills.
We ran a job at work. I burned and taped some screens. Ran part of another job. It was a shorter shift. When I got home, I went to Trader Joe's and got chili fixings. Then I plopped all the beans and salsa and secret ingredients and cooked sausages into a pot and set it to simmer, and I simmered the bajeezus out of it. And ohhh it was hot! But so good. Hot in temp, hot in spice, and it smelled damn good. It was so good to finally tuck into it, and I'm so excited to consume it throughout the week. Of course I also put on the communal whiteboard that my housemates should help themselves. Because it is a lot of chili, hhaha.
I'm going to draw a portrait a day for November. Use my tablet, improve my skills.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
the fauxnies
I put on my black cat socks, and that was as Halloween-y as I got today. It just isn't my holiday.
Work was spent doing three things:
1) Heat transferring images onto safety vests, which was more time consuming than usual because the machine kept over heating and I'd have to unplug it and let it cool. Not so bad, just little delays.
2) Heat transferring images onto safety hats. Easy peasey, lemon squeezey.
3) Helping apply a vinyl wrap to the side of a thingy. Tricky. Hold of holding taught of vinyl, but not too taught.
Got home tired and a bit chilled. I finished A Casual Vacancy. VERY depressing book. I almost cried while listening to it, right at the end. It's tragic indeed. Started The Eyre Affair, which is fun and such an odd but lovely universe to listen to.
Since I've listened to so many audiobooks, thought I'd give out some faux awards:
Best All Around Book of the Bunch: Reamde by Neal Stephenson
Best Stephen King Novel: 11/22/63 (runners up: The Gunslinger & The Drawing of the Three)
Best Narrator: Jeremy Irons reading Brideshead Revisted
Worst Narrator: Jim Dale reading The Night Circus (he came off as a bit too husky and strained for voices that, to me, needed to sound more youthful)
I Have No Interest In The Main Character and Can’t Be Bothered to Finish: The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco
Holy Shit That Was Dismal, Why Can No One Be Happy?: A Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling
Best Terry Pratchett’s Discworld Book: Equal Rites (honorable mention to Color of Magic, The Light Fantastic, Sourcery, Wyrd Sisters, and Pyramids)
Best Wimsey Novel: Clouds of Witness by Dorothy L. Sayers (runner up Whose Body?)
Best “I haven’t read it in a while, I should give it a listen”: tie between Neil Gaiman’s American Gods and Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens
Best Interesting World Builder: Jasper Fforde with The Last Dragonslayer (runner up: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde)
Best First Book In A Trilogy, Which is Unfortunately Followed By A Dissappointing Second Book : A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Best Douglas Adams: Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
Best Sketch Comedy: That Mitchell and Webb Sound (runner up John Finnemore’s Souvenir Programme)
Best Audio Comedy: Cabin Pressure by John Finnemore
Most Likely to Be Listened to Next: Lost in a Good Book by Jasper Fforde.
Likely to be listened to soon: Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson, The Fall by Guillermo Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett, Forever Odd by Dean Koontz, The Waste Lands by Stephen King, The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayer.
Yup.
Spent the rest of the night relaxing, eating chips, chatting online, watching telly, and generally staying warm. Tomorrow is Thursday! Already! Gee.
Work was spent doing three things:
1) Heat transferring images onto safety vests, which was more time consuming than usual because the machine kept over heating and I'd have to unplug it and let it cool. Not so bad, just little delays.
2) Heat transferring images onto safety hats. Easy peasey, lemon squeezey.
3) Helping apply a vinyl wrap to the side of a thingy. Tricky. Hold of holding taught of vinyl, but not too taught.
Got home tired and a bit chilled. I finished A Casual Vacancy. VERY depressing book. I almost cried while listening to it, right at the end. It's tragic indeed. Started The Eyre Affair, which is fun and such an odd but lovely universe to listen to.
Since I've listened to so many audiobooks, thought I'd give out some faux awards:
Yup.
Spent the rest of the night relaxing, eating chips, chatting online, watching telly, and generally staying warm. Tomorrow is Thursday! Already! Gee.
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
the light at the end of my flashlight
Work was slow and spaced out. Lots of odd little things. Set up a job, but we haven't run it just yet. Put back the squeegees. Organized. Cut some stickers and things. Burned and taped some screens.
I twerked my leg a few days ago, I don't know how though. But there is a bruise on my foot. Don't remember banging it on anything. My bad knee has gone back to being my bad knee, and my hip feels funky. I don't like it. I don't exactly work a job where I can keep off my leg. Hmmn. Ah it will get better.
Met Daniel and his friend Wes for the 7:30 showing of Cloud Atlas at the Del Mar. It was lovely! I was a bit iffy towards the movie because they make a bunch of white actors look Korean, but they use the actors in just about every story (there are six different stories told during different parts of time, and each is told in tandem with one another), and they make all of them into different ethnicities. Though yellowface and blackface is still...yeah. Beyond that, it was really great. The cast was excellent. Lots of great roles, lots of great shots, good effects (aside from the makeup, which was a bit awkward). It made me feel really happy. The stories were uplifting but also sad, but also funny. It was well balanced and well paced, which is quite the feat with a two and a half hour long movie. I enjoyed it. I have the book, so...now I have to read it! To get the full shebang!
M cellphone fell out of my jacket pocket, so I had to wait for the movie to end to find it, my penlight was a bit too bright and I didn't want to distract people with my searchings.
Now I rest. Another day, more excitement awaits!
I twerked my leg a few days ago, I don't know how though. But there is a bruise on my foot. Don't remember banging it on anything. My bad knee has gone back to being my bad knee, and my hip feels funky. I don't like it. I don't exactly work a job where I can keep off my leg. Hmmn. Ah it will get better.
Met Daniel and his friend Wes for the 7:30 showing of Cloud Atlas at the Del Mar. It was lovely! I was a bit iffy towards the movie because they make a bunch of white actors look Korean, but they use the actors in just about every story (there are six different stories told during different parts of time, and each is told in tandem with one another), and they make all of them into different ethnicities. Though yellowface and blackface is still...yeah. Beyond that, it was really great. The cast was excellent. Lots of great roles, lots of great shots, good effects (aside from the makeup, which was a bit awkward). It made me feel really happy. The stories were uplifting but also sad, but also funny. It was well balanced and well paced, which is quite the feat with a two and a half hour long movie. I enjoyed it. I have the book, so...now I have to read it! To get the full shebang!
M cellphone fell out of my jacket pocket, so I had to wait for the movie to end to find it, my penlight was a bit too bright and I didn't want to distract people with my searchings.
Now I rest. Another day, more excitement awaits!
but seriously, nothing seems to get better for these characters
Yay! I got out of work early enough to go to Monday Game Night! Yaaay! Had the onion and bacon pizza. The make your own pizza thing is so customizeable, it's pretty awesome. Andy, Rob, and I played this Game of Thrones card game that was very complicated, but I got the hang of it near the end, and almost nearly won. Lots of rules that change quite often, but I managed. Nearly four hours of gaming! But it was a good time. I like getting out and playing games. Makes for my kind of social night.
Work started a bit late. Broke down the press, cleaned squeegees and screens, listened to A Casual Vacancy, which continues to be depressing. The Eyre Affair is next in my queue, and I'm excited for that. Not that I'm excited to be done with A Casual Vacancy, just that I am excited about what is coming down the audiobook pipe line. I become more literate day by day. Hurray!
Also weeded some vinyl and pressed some hats. The weather was nice. Seems like the weather is horrible everywhere but here.
There was a football game on at Woodstock's, and people in the restaurant would periodically cheer. I guess the team they were supporting was doing well. Mmmhm.
October has been a pretty good month for me. Kudos to you October!
Work started a bit late. Broke down the press, cleaned squeegees and screens, listened to A Casual Vacancy, which continues to be depressing. The Eyre Affair is next in my queue, and I'm excited for that. Not that I'm excited to be done with A Casual Vacancy, just that I am excited about what is coming down the audiobook pipe line. I become more literate day by day. Hurray!
Also weeded some vinyl and pressed some hats. The weather was nice. Seems like the weather is horrible everywhere but here.
There was a football game on at Woodstock's, and people in the restaurant would periodically cheer. I guess the team they were supporting was doing well. Mmmhm.
October has been a pretty good month for me. Kudos to you October!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
soonday
Rocky Horror Picture Show was sold out, so Ray and I ended up staying in and watching Hot Fuzz instead. Nothing says Halloween Party Weekend like Hot Fuzz. Hahah.
Finished up my bacon with another big tasty scramble. Mmmm. Tidied up my room a little, and because game night in San Francisco was off, I went up to San Jose to hang out with Steve. There was a Mythbusters interactive exhibit at the tech museum, so we went to that. Tech museum/science museum. One of those. It was fun. I've never seen Mythbusters, but it was fun to play with some of the things they had on hand. I also found I was able to dodge a paintball fired from 100 feet. Good to know! I had protective gear on, so I didn't get hurt when when other paintballs hit me (I also had a riot shield, haha). After the exhibit, we checked out the rest of the museum and fiddled with all the music displays, and light things, and power things. Reminded me of the Pacific Science Center. Except there are far fewer kids on a Sunday night.
We got some takeaway at this little vegetarian place, and it was quite the tasty meal. I need to figure out how to incorporate garbanzo beans into more things. Garbanzo beans are great!
And this time, I actually got Steve's suggestion for the easiest way to get back to 17, and made it home in good time. Normally I get lost in San Jose (because the GPS refuses to find a satellite there). With directions, it was easy!
I start work a bit later tomorrow, so time for Sunday night television! The Walking Dead, Homeland, Dexter, Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey, Misfits...well I only have time to watch half of those. But yeah.
Finished up my bacon with another big tasty scramble. Mmmm. Tidied up my room a little, and because game night in San Francisco was off, I went up to San Jose to hang out with Steve. There was a Mythbusters interactive exhibit at the tech museum, so we went to that. Tech museum/science museum. One of those. It was fun. I've never seen Mythbusters, but it was fun to play with some of the things they had on hand. I also found I was able to dodge a paintball fired from 100 feet. Good to know! I had protective gear on, so I didn't get hurt when when other paintballs hit me (I also had a riot shield, haha). After the exhibit, we checked out the rest of the museum and fiddled with all the music displays, and light things, and power things. Reminded me of the Pacific Science Center. Except there are far fewer kids on a Sunday night.
We got some takeaway at this little vegetarian place, and it was quite the tasty meal. I need to figure out how to incorporate garbanzo beans into more things. Garbanzo beans are great!
And this time, I actually got Steve's suggestion for the easiest way to get back to 17, and made it home in good time. Normally I get lost in San Jose (because the GPS refuses to find a satellite there). With directions, it was easy!
I start work a bit later tomorrow, so time for Sunday night television! The Walking Dead, Homeland, Dexter, Boardwalk Empire, Downton Abbey, Misfits...well I only have time to watch half of those. But yeah.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
piece by piece, it all comes together
I have succesfully built an at home exposure unit! It's just a 500watt work light attached to some wood, designed to rest above a screen. But yeah, can't wait to test it out!
I slept in. That was nice. Had a big scramble for breakfast. Also nice. After that, I ran my errands. Went to the hardware store and got the light, some screws, a C-clamp, and a ceiling hook. Then drove on to the art store, perused their screenprinting materials, and got some drawing fluid and ink. Can't wait to get my at home printing set up done with! WHeee!
Back at home, I laboriously sawed scrap wood (from the shed) (err from inside the shed, I didn't take apart the shed) into the right sizes, and afixed them together. That took a while. Had some dinner, watched some telly. Think Ray & I are going to see Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight at the Del Mar. That should be...an experience!
Tomorrow I have plans to meet up with Daniel for a matinee of Cloud Atlas. WHooo! Weekend!
I slept in. That was nice. Had a big scramble for breakfast. Also nice. After that, I ran my errands. Went to the hardware store and got the light, some screws, a C-clamp, and a ceiling hook. Then drove on to the art store, perused their screenprinting materials, and got some drawing fluid and ink. Can't wait to get my at home printing set up done with! WHeee!
Back at home, I laboriously sawed scrap wood (from the shed) (err from inside the shed, I didn't take apart the shed) into the right sizes, and afixed them together. That took a while. Had some dinner, watched some telly. Think Ray & I are going to see Rocky Horror Picture Show tonight at the Del Mar. That should be...an experience!
Tomorrow I have plans to meet up with Daniel for a matinee of Cloud Atlas. WHooo! Weekend!
Friday, October 26, 2012
If I own a book, I will not listen to it as an audiobook
It was a shorter day at work. Well, a shift of the usual length, just short compared to earlier in the week? Now it is the weekend! Yay! Have some plans, but no Halloween plans. Don't even have a costume. Halloween just isn't my holiday like it is for other people.
Set up the job, though the separations were a bit weird so it was tricky to line up. Weeded some vinyl. Boxed the job. All was well, and it was a nice day.
Back at zee home, I ate some chips and dips. Washed my towels. Took inventory of things. I think I'll make myself some cocoa and settle in to bed and read. I really need to finish Shadow of Night so I can FINALLY read something else. I am committed to not starting any new book till I finish one I'm in the middle of. I'm in the middle of: Shadow of Night (which improves whenever Matthew is not in the scene) and Blood Meridian (so grotesque) and How To Live Safely In A Science Fictional Universe (the writer is trying too hard and I'm having trouble getting into it). I have: The Blind Assassin, Neuromancer, The Patrick Melrose novels, Cloud Atlas, The Gunfighter, Lucrezia Borgia, Berthe Morisot (both biographies), and Houdini, Tarzan, and the Perfect Man. Alphabet Soup came in the mail, but that is more a browsing book than a reading cover to cover book, so that has been delegated to bathroom reading, replacing my Thrilling Tales short story compilation. Basically, I have a bunch of things I want to read, but I have to get through something to get to those.
So first I must finish Shadow of Night. Never have I gone from so excited to so drudging of a book...it needed like, 200 pages less. Ah. Oh well. Writing is hard.
Set up the job, though the separations were a bit weird so it was tricky to line up. Weeded some vinyl. Boxed the job. All was well, and it was a nice day.
Back at zee home, I ate some chips and dips. Washed my towels. Took inventory of things. I think I'll make myself some cocoa and settle in to bed and read. I really need to finish Shadow of Night so I can FINALLY read something else. I am committed to not starting any new book till I finish one I'm in the middle of. I'm in the middle of: Shadow of Night (which improves whenever Matthew is not in the scene) and Blood Meridian (so grotesque) and How To Live Safely In A Science Fictional Universe (the writer is trying too hard and I'm having trouble getting into it). I have: The Blind Assassin, Neuromancer, The Patrick Melrose novels, Cloud Atlas, The Gunfighter, Lucrezia Borgia, Berthe Morisot (both biographies), and Houdini, Tarzan, and the Perfect Man. Alphabet Soup came in the mail, but that is more a browsing book than a reading cover to cover book, so that has been delegated to bathroom reading, replacing my Thrilling Tales short story compilation. Basically, I have a bunch of things I want to read, but I have to get through something to get to those.
So first I must finish Shadow of Night. Never have I gone from so excited to so drudging of a book...it needed like, 200 pages less. Ah. Oh well. Writing is hard.
good ol' J.K.
Remember what I predicted I would do at work? Coat screens? Yup I did that. Reclaim screens? Did that too. Tape up screens? Yuuup. Also cleaned up the space a bit. It was a shorter shift. Started listening to A Casual Vacancy, which is J.K. Rowling's new book. Some of the character development is plopped in a bit heavy handedly, but I do like stories with lots of characters, and when your perspective of characters changes based on what you learn about them from other people. I'm enjoying it, and I look forward to listening to it some more.
I did some grocery shopping, and got some shampoo. And some gin. And pineapple juice. Makes for a nummy drink, I must say. The gin & pineapple juice, not shampoo and gin and pineapple juice. Yuck. A bunch of obviously college kids were behind me in line, and each were getting precisely one beer each. Not the big beers, just the little ones. It struck me as a bit odd. Just one? Why not pool moolah and get a case of something? Or get gin and pineapple juice and be classy like Trillian.
Regarding your question Dad, yes the tires were a bit low.
Ma, may I recommend the book The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde?
Oh wow, it is Friday tomorrow! Then the weekend, whooo!
I did some grocery shopping, and got some shampoo. And some gin. And pineapple juice. Makes for a nummy drink, I must say. The gin & pineapple juice, not shampoo and gin and pineapple juice. Yuck. A bunch of obviously college kids were behind me in line, and each were getting precisely one beer each. Not the big beers, just the little ones. It struck me as a bit odd. Just one? Why not pool moolah and get a case of something? Or get gin and pineapple juice and be classy like Trillian.
Regarding your question Dad, yes the tires were a bit low.
Ma, may I recommend the book The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde?
Oh wow, it is Friday tomorrow! Then the weekend, whooo!
Thursday, October 25, 2012
chicken bawk bawk bawk
Forgot to mention that I filled up my tires on my way to work tomorrow. They were a bit low, and I did it at the gas station and it was easy peasy! Hurray, life skills!
Another mostly "left to my own work" day at work, though it did start with catching a job. I reclaimed 17 more screens, once that were cleaned up yesterday, and I cleaned the ink off another 15 screens. Probably tomorrow I will tape up the four screens I burned today, coat the 17 screens that were left to dry, and reclaim the other 15. Slowly but surely getting caught up. Well, not so much caught up, just getting a bunch of screens back into circulati-AHHHHH THIS AUDIOBOOK I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT FINALLY COMPLETED DOWNLOADING! YAAY! AHem. Anyway. Yeah. We were short screens due to burning a ton of screens for jobs, and now we have plenty once again! Wheee! A shorter day, though I could have pushed it. Though my arms are still feeling strained, so I didn't want to tax it.
Also, Charles Burns and Chris Ware were doing a little talk at Book Shop Santa Cruz, and I didn't want to miss that! Unfortunately when I first went to the shop, I left my bike lock at home, so I went back and figured riding my bike would take just as long as driving, so I rode back to the shop and locked up. I didn't have anything for either guy to sign, so I just listened to their wonderful lecture/discussion about influences and sketched them as they did so. I figured it would be weird to have them sign my sketchbook, so I didn't shake their hands or anything. Sometimes I am shy about things. Some people had like...bags of books to be signed! I think that is a bit outlandish. Every damn book? Really?
Both their new books (X'ed out and Building) look amazing. Totally putting them on my Christmas list. Mad genius writers and artists, the both of them.
Riding back, these girls in a car shouted at me. I guess I was too much in the lane? Though I was going quite fast. They sounded like 18 year olds trying to be cool. Feh. Whatever.
Almost done with Good Omens. Have some neat things lined up in my audiobook queue. Whoo!
Another mostly "left to my own work" day at work, though it did start with catching a job. I reclaimed 17 more screens, once that were cleaned up yesterday, and I cleaned the ink off another 15 screens. Probably tomorrow I will tape up the four screens I burned today, coat the 17 screens that were left to dry, and reclaim the other 15. Slowly but surely getting caught up. Well, not so much caught up, just getting a bunch of screens back into circulati-AHHHHH THIS AUDIOBOOK I WAS REALLY EXCITED ABOUT FINALLY COMPLETED DOWNLOADING! YAAY! AHem. Anyway. Yeah. We were short screens due to burning a ton of screens for jobs, and now we have plenty once again! Wheee! A shorter day, though I could have pushed it. Though my arms are still feeling strained, so I didn't want to tax it.
Also, Charles Burns and Chris Ware were doing a little talk at Book Shop Santa Cruz, and I didn't want to miss that! Unfortunately when I first went to the shop, I left my bike lock at home, so I went back and figured riding my bike would take just as long as driving, so I rode back to the shop and locked up. I didn't have anything for either guy to sign, so I just listened to their wonderful lecture/discussion about influences and sketched them as they did so. I figured it would be weird to have them sign my sketchbook, so I didn't shake their hands or anything. Sometimes I am shy about things. Some people had like...bags of books to be signed! I think that is a bit outlandish. Every damn book? Really?
Both their new books (X'ed out and Building) look amazing. Totally putting them on my Christmas list. Mad genius writers and artists, the both of them.
Riding back, these girls in a car shouted at me. I guess I was too much in the lane? Though I was going quite fast. They sounded like 18 year olds trying to be cool. Feh. Whatever.
Almost done with Good Omens. Have some neat things lined up in my audiobook queue. Whoo!
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, but it feels like Wednesday
Today was a very good day! The boss complimented the good work I've been doing, so that was nice to hear. I spent most of the day cleaning. Cleaning screens. Cleaning squeegees. Breaking down the press. Burned a couple things. Coated a bunch of screens. Andrew and Stuart ran the jobs, I just cleaned things up in the back. It's good when things run smoothly like that. Getting a good knack for what needs to get done.
Afterwards I treated myself to dinner at Yan Flower. Okay not the fanciest of meals, but it was warm (I had the ginger, beef, and green onions dinner) and I had a great book about words to read. Afterwards Ray came over for a visit. I showed him the print portfolio from PNCA I participated in, and I think he was impressed by the talent. Not just my talent, of course. I have awesome peers.
My arms hurt so bad from work. Well not so so so bad. Just they are feeling the strain of the constant hefting of screens, and I am doing it with two screens in one hand, four at a time, and sort of twisting and moving them about, which puts a lot of strain on certain muscle groups. It wears my arms down by the end of the day. But soon I'll get even stronger and it will all get easier!
Afterwards I treated myself to dinner at Yan Flower. Okay not the fanciest of meals, but it was warm (I had the ginger, beef, and green onions dinner) and I had a great book about words to read. Afterwards Ray came over for a visit. I showed him the print portfolio from PNCA I participated in, and I think he was impressed by the talent. Not just my talent, of course. I have awesome peers.
My arms hurt so bad from work. Well not so so so bad. Just they are feeling the strain of the constant hefting of screens, and I am doing it with two screens in one hand, four at a time, and sort of twisting and moving them about, which puts a lot of strain on certain muscle groups. It wears my arms down by the end of the day. But soon I'll get even stronger and it will all get easier!
Monday, October 22, 2012
there are many rules to this thing
Wow. I am so very tired. I got woken up early a couple times because my window was rattling in the wind. A nice sound, actually. Sort of the charm of the house I live in.
First thing at work I broke down the press, saved the necessary squeegees and floodbars, pulled out the screens, put the new screens in, set them up as best as possible, then cleaned a couple squeegees while waiting for Chris to put the final touches on the registration. Finished that job, then got to cleaning and reclaiming screens. I've revised my method, and now screens seem to clean a lot faster. I use a scraper to remove the ink after I've sprayed the ink remover solvent. This spreads the solvent, and takes off just a little bit more of the extra layer of ink. It seemed like I got through 20 screens a lot quicker than I did before with this method. Or maybe just listening to a damn good audiobook (Good Omens) makes it go faster. There were more than 20 screens to reclaim, but time is limited. I reclaimed them, and then cleaned the squeegees and floodbars from the days job. Another long shift. My shoulders and arms are quite sore. But it's a good work out!
I need to check my tire pressure and in turn probably, assuredly fill them up. I'll do that tomorrow morning. If I blog about it, I have to do it. That is the rule.
First thing at work I broke down the press, saved the necessary squeegees and floodbars, pulled out the screens, put the new screens in, set them up as best as possible, then cleaned a couple squeegees while waiting for Chris to put the final touches on the registration. Finished that job, then got to cleaning and reclaiming screens. I've revised my method, and now screens seem to clean a lot faster. I use a scraper to remove the ink after I've sprayed the ink remover solvent. This spreads the solvent, and takes off just a little bit more of the extra layer of ink. It seemed like I got through 20 screens a lot quicker than I did before with this method. Or maybe just listening to a damn good audiobook (Good Omens) makes it go faster. There were more than 20 screens to reclaim, but time is limited. I reclaimed them, and then cleaned the squeegees and floodbars from the days job. Another long shift. My shoulders and arms are quite sore. But it's a good work out!
I need to check my tire pressure and in turn probably, assuredly fill them up. I'll do that tomorrow morning. If I blog about it, I have to do it. That is the rule.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
sunday funday
Ten and a half hour shift. Blimey! But it's all good, because I learned something new! Or rather I learned a better way of doing something. Brock showed me a better, cleaner, neater way to tape screens. And ohhh they do look much nicer, I must say. We had a big job to do, all though setting it up seemed to take the longest time. Once it got printing, it went pretty fast. Course we had to set up two different fronts and two different backs, and print both. Fronts and backs in one day, that is a bit much. But we did it! And it was awesome.
Taped some screens early on in the shift. But I mostly caught. It went by fast, though the K-Wave station was so repetitious. Still, they actually played Gangnam Style! A Korean song on an American pop station! How 'bout that? The Boss provided dinner for us, so that was nice.
Whenever I work a shift with Brock, I really see how much more I have to learn about screenprinting. It is exciting and intimidating, but I'm game. It's a wide world out there, and I'm only 24.
Taped some screens early on in the shift. But I mostly caught. It went by fast, though the K-Wave station was so repetitious. Still, they actually played Gangnam Style! A Korean song on an American pop station! How 'bout that? The Boss provided dinner for us, so that was nice.
Whenever I work a shift with Brock, I really see how much more I have to learn about screenprinting. It is exciting and intimidating, but I'm game. It's a wide world out there, and I'm only 24.
I need a(nother) nap
Went to a little get together at Ray's and by the time I got back, I just crawled into bed and went to sleep.
Friday:
Started by burning a few more screens. Andrew has been working up in the embroidery area, and now he is back in the main studio. Nice to have more company. Set up the back and did...wait no I set up the front and did an okay job. Wait yeah I did set up the back as well. It was such a rush, hard to keep it all straight!
Cleaned the squeegees. Boxed the job. I taped some screens as well. It was a full day but danged if I can remember all that went down. Working Sunday with Brock. Nice and early.
After work I put my feet up a bit and then drove on to Ray's place to hang out, play Rockband. It was a little shindig, and I met Cody, Dan, Chantall, Emily, Ally, and Devin. Dang I am good at remembering names! Everyone was really nice and friendly, which is always a bonus when you are meeting a ton of new people all at once.
Saturday:
My one day off! Slept in. Then made myself a big scramble. Yum. Then I took a nap. I think the weeks worth of working caught up to me big time. Spent the day at home, relaxing. Unclogged the toilet, that was yucky. I was going to take out the compost but the spiders were quite gnarly, so I just went NOPE and left it for another day (I pushed down the webs, but didn't want to tempt the spider's anger).
Oh, I got the card Ma & Pa! I've been getting so much mail lately, it is awesome. Mail mail, not just...things I buy online arriving in the mail.
I have to write up my to-get-done soon list, because I have a few things that need to get done in the coming weeks. Plus a few things that I needed to get done a while ago. And just things I want to do in general.
I should get a white board.
I felt a little earthquake right before midnight. Just a wee one.
Friday:
Started by burning a few more screens. Andrew has been working up in the embroidery area, and now he is back in the main studio. Nice to have more company. Set up the back and did...wait no I set up the front and did an okay job. Wait yeah I did set up the back as well. It was such a rush, hard to keep it all straight!
Cleaned the squeegees. Boxed the job. I taped some screens as well. It was a full day but danged if I can remember all that went down. Working Sunday with Brock. Nice and early.
After work I put my feet up a bit and then drove on to Ray's place to hang out, play Rockband. It was a little shindig, and I met Cody, Dan, Chantall, Emily, Ally, and Devin. Dang I am good at remembering names! Everyone was really nice and friendly, which is always a bonus when you are meeting a ton of new people all at once.
Saturday:
My one day off! Slept in. Then made myself a big scramble. Yum. Then I took a nap. I think the weeks worth of working caught up to me big time. Spent the day at home, relaxing. Unclogged the toilet, that was yucky. I was going to take out the compost but the spiders were quite gnarly, so I just went NOPE and left it for another day (I pushed down the webs, but didn't want to tempt the spider's anger).
Oh, I got the card Ma & Pa! I've been getting so much mail lately, it is awesome. Mail mail, not just...things I buy online arriving in the mail.
I have to write up my to-get-done soon list, because I have a few things that need to get done in the coming weeks. Plus a few things that I needed to get done a while ago. And just things I want to do in general.
I should get a white board.
I felt a little earthquake right before midnight. Just a wee one.
Friday, October 19, 2012
1/3 of a year.
It was 8pm for what felt like forever, and all of a sudden it is 1am? Dang.
Today I worked a regular persons shift of 8 hours. Started with setting up screens to burn. Then I burned them. Part of the way through I did a palette change and cleaned the sleeve palettes. Then I resumed burning the rest of the screens. I coated the remaining screens as well. Now there are mucho screens to burn, which is good because there are several more things to burn come tomorrow.
After that I...oh I fired up the heater and set up the sleeve job and...there was something I think I did between those two though. I didn't clean squeegees or reclaim. Didn't tape screens. Hmmmn. We didn't get to printing till later on. AH oh well, it will come to me or it won't.
Caught some shirts, then did another palette change.
Listened to Clouds of Witness. Felt like some Wimsey.
Back home I did laundry. Awww yeah Thursday night. I'm working Sunday. Not sure what I'll do with my Saturday. I need to run some errands. I'm starting to get an at home screenprinting set up started, so I need to find the clamps and figure out what kinds of lights to use for exposing...among other things.
Remember Ma and Pa to bring my screens down when you visit! Also my zine library. My zine library is a plastic tub next to my bookshelves. Also that art case thingy we made is on top of it, bring that too.
My first day of work was June 13th. Been at it for four months now. Seems much longer. Maybe because it is so fast paced? Should figure out the date I moved to Santa Cruz. Yay for having a blog to keep track of these things.
Today I worked a regular persons shift of 8 hours. Started with setting up screens to burn. Then I burned them. Part of the way through I did a palette change and cleaned the sleeve palettes. Then I resumed burning the rest of the screens. I coated the remaining screens as well. Now there are mucho screens to burn, which is good because there are several more things to burn come tomorrow.
After that I...oh I fired up the heater and set up the sleeve job and...there was something I think I did between those two though. I didn't clean squeegees or reclaim. Didn't tape screens. Hmmmn. We didn't get to printing till later on. AH oh well, it will come to me or it won't.
Caught some shirts, then did another palette change.
Listened to Clouds of Witness. Felt like some Wimsey.
Back home I did laundry. Awww yeah Thursday night. I'm working Sunday. Not sure what I'll do with my Saturday. I need to run some errands. I'm starting to get an at home screenprinting set up started, so I need to find the clamps and figure out what kinds of lights to use for exposing...among other things.
Remember Ma and Pa to bring my screens down when you visit! Also my zine library. My zine library is a plastic tub next to my bookshelves. Also that art case thingy we made is on top of it, bring that too.
My first day of work was June 13th. Been at it for four months now. Seems much longer. Maybe because it is so fast paced? Should figure out the date I moved to Santa Cruz. Yay for having a blog to keep track of these things.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
screen queen
The milk chocolate covered toffee popcorn from Trader Joe's is quite tasty. Mmmm.
Another long day at work. When I got home, I sat down and had no intention of moving for a while.
I finished listening to Pyramids. I've now listened to so many Discworld books that I've lost touch with what is actually reality. They are good but tend to repeat a bit...time to move on to Snow Crash or Good Omens.
Cleaned all the squeegees and floodbars at the start. Then I coated some screens. Then I reclaimed a big stack of screens with the new and not busted pressure washer. The ones that were prepped for discharge ink and had been sitting for a whole took a looooot of pressure washing. But I got it done! And then I cleaned and burned some screens. And reclaimed a few more. And ended the day with one more final coating of screens. Used up all the emulsion and mixed up some more. I think there are about 30 more screens that will be burned, and all of those will need to be taped, though Stuart has been taping. A lot of jobs to be done! Hurray!
Nice to be pulling some long hours. Tiring, but nice.
Another long day at work. When I got home, I sat down and had no intention of moving for a while.
I finished listening to Pyramids. I've now listened to so many Discworld books that I've lost touch with what is actually reality. They are good but tend to repeat a bit...time to move on to Snow Crash or Good Omens.
Cleaned all the squeegees and floodbars at the start. Then I coated some screens. Then I reclaimed a big stack of screens with the new and not busted pressure washer. The ones that were prepped for discharge ink and had been sitting for a whole took a looooot of pressure washing. But I got it done! And then I cleaned and burned some screens. And reclaimed a few more. And ended the day with one more final coating of screens. Used up all the emulsion and mixed up some more. I think there are about 30 more screens that will be burned, and all of those will need to be taped, though Stuart has been taping. A lot of jobs to be done! Hurray!
Nice to be pulling some long hours. Tiring, but nice.
soft skin but not in a good way
Work is wrecking my hands. Well, the skin on my hands. My digits have spent too much time in water, what with washing out screens and cleaning screens, and reclaiming screens. Too much prune fingers. My cuticles are a wreck. I don't want to wear gloves ALL the time.
Today was a busy day. Burned a stack of screens. Coated the screens from last night. Stuart brought his electric, but less powerful, pressure washer so I reclaimed some more screens which will be coatable tomorrow. Taped some screens. All this stuff takes a lot of time. I need to time myself, so I can give good estimates as to how long certain tasks take.
Finally went grocery shopping after work. Just got my staples. I need to make another enchilada casserole, so that I don't have to put a lot of effort into lunch making for a while. I think I've just become not sick of eating it from the last time I made it. HMmm.
Back at home, I put my feet up and had some pasta. Yum nums.
Today was a busy day. Burned a stack of screens. Coated the screens from last night. Stuart brought his electric, but less powerful, pressure washer so I reclaimed some more screens which will be coatable tomorrow. Taped some screens. All this stuff takes a lot of time. I need to time myself, so I can give good estimates as to how long certain tasks take.
Finally went grocery shopping after work. Just got my staples. I need to make another enchilada casserole, so that I don't have to put a lot of effort into lunch making for a while. I think I've just become not sick of eating it from the last time I made it. HMmm.
Back at home, I put my feet up and had some pasta. Yum nums.
Monday, October 15, 2012
what a Monday
Uhhhgggg. God. Had one of those days at work. So I'm having a beer now. And will probably have a beer later. So I am blogging now.
The first chunk of my shift was spent weeding vinyl stickers. That was all right. I listened to John Finnemore's Souvenir Program and Pyramids. It is tedious work but at least I stay dry while doing it. Then came a couple screens to burn. That was all right. Have a rapid succession of big jobs coming in, so it should be a busy couple weeks, so that is good.
Then came the end of my shift. And it was time to reclaim (after spending the time cleaning the ink off the screens and prepping them). I made the mistake of getting all the screens nice and wet and goopy with ER-45 before really kicking the pressure washer into gear. It was on for all of 10 seconds before a hole burst in the hose. Heat had burned a hole in it, and there was no plugging it. Tape? Nope. Bike repair kit patch? Nope. We (bossman Chris & I) ended up wrapping a piece of aluminum in the patch and taping THAT to the hose and that, well it didn't repair it but it stopped it enough to keep it from showering the both of us. Though by that point, both of us were well and truly soaked. Oh and did I mention that the sun had gone down and we had the illumination from spot lights to go from? Because that was also happening. It was one of those stressful times that goes right past anger to hilarity. I'm quite pleased at how I was able to keep my head instead of crumbling in frustration. We ziptied the handle on the pressure washer (my idea), so that it was never accidentally released, which would put pressure into the hose and thus put more pressure on the patched leak. We managed to tandem reclaim the stack of screens in record awesome time.
I mean seriously. Dang. What a shift! I love my job because it is always changing. Better or for worse. Hahha.
So I returned home, popped open a bottle of beer, and jumped into some clean clothes. Now I am going to relax, watch some TV, and forget my worries. Tomorrow is another busy awesome day.
And I love it.
Shit, still need to buy groceries....ahhh I'll do that tomorrow.
The first chunk of my shift was spent weeding vinyl stickers. That was all right. I listened to John Finnemore's Souvenir Program and Pyramids. It is tedious work but at least I stay dry while doing it. Then came a couple screens to burn. That was all right. Have a rapid succession of big jobs coming in, so it should be a busy couple weeks, so that is good.
Then came the end of my shift. And it was time to reclaim (after spending the time cleaning the ink off the screens and prepping them). I made the mistake of getting all the screens nice and wet and goopy with ER-45 before really kicking the pressure washer into gear. It was on for all of 10 seconds before a hole burst in the hose. Heat had burned a hole in it, and there was no plugging it. Tape? Nope. Bike repair kit patch? Nope. We (bossman Chris & I) ended up wrapping a piece of aluminum in the patch and taping THAT to the hose and that, well it didn't repair it but it stopped it enough to keep it from showering the both of us. Though by that point, both of us were well and truly soaked. Oh and did I mention that the sun had gone down and we had the illumination from spot lights to go from? Because that was also happening. It was one of those stressful times that goes right past anger to hilarity. I'm quite pleased at how I was able to keep my head instead of crumbling in frustration. We ziptied the handle on the pressure washer (my idea), so that it was never accidentally released, which would put pressure into the hose and thus put more pressure on the patched leak. We managed to tandem reclaim the stack of screens in record awesome time.
I mean seriously. Dang. What a shift! I love my job because it is always changing. Better or for worse. Hahha.
So I returned home, popped open a bottle of beer, and jumped into some clean clothes. Now I am going to relax, watch some TV, and forget my worries. Tomorrow is another busy awesome day.
And I love it.
Shit, still need to buy groceries....ahhh I'll do that tomorrow.
is October halfway over already?
What a lovely Sunday! I slept in, which was nice. My body needed it, what with the wedding and the previous week of fighting illness. It was good to sleep in like that. I'll be going to sleep shortly.
I helped clean the house a bit, as Janet was having a big birthday shindig thing for her friend. Lots of people. I cleaned the floors and made sure all my dishes were out of the sink. They came over at 4ish, though I was upstairs being antisocial. Though I wanted to socialize, but I gave the company some space...and then some more space and then I had been up in my room for an hour and a half and by then I was like "ahhh jeeze, probably too late now." But I had plans to meet Ray for Looper and some after movie drinks, so that got me out of the house. Still, I met a couple of the guests and they were quite nice. Though some of the guest's kids gave me odd looks.
Looper was just as enjoyable the second time around. Such a great movie. I saw it at the Regal 2, which was tucked into a complex I've yet to explore, but is right next to Trader Joe's. There are lots of areas in this city I need to explore. We had drinks at The Poet. At the first dinner we had, it was someone's birthday, and yet again another familiar happy birthday song was rung out. Fun how that goes. There was a pub quiz going on and the questions were quite tricky. The teams were already established by the time we arrived, so we just listened in.
It was a nice night. The weather last week was gray and Pacific Northwesty, but it went back to calm California.
Had a very nice Sunday night. Now I shall climb into bed. Another awesome week starts! I need to make a to do list.
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