A new era in domesticity...
We're free! Free, I tell ya, FREE! Today our now ex-landlush signed the papers, and we are now the tenants of Yolanda and Amir, a very nice couple whom we'd met on two previous walk-throughs. They stopped by with the landlush in tow for a final walk-through, and we chatted a bit. Ah, no more bullshit from Roger.
Prepping layouts for JB again today, getting ready for our meeting Monday. I created some scrollwork and filigrees in different styles - just page and block-level decorations that go with the themes. Sometimes I find Illustrator so counter-intuitive, and consequently a little frustrating. One thing I found particularly weird is how Illustrator handles spirals. I needed to create a sweep of about 150px, then add on a large spiral on one end and a identically-shaped but smaller spiral on the end. I also wanted to add a fill to the spiral by creating another arc inside it, joining it up, then coloring the whole thing using Live Paint grouping. I found a solution (do it manually), but the whole time I thought it could be done more simply somehow -- maybe by establishing a common inside point, then duping the spiral slightly rotated along that common point. I'll have to check the boards; SOMEone has to have a better technique/trick for it.
Met up with Caroline for coffee yesterday, and chatted about ghost hunting, art, and possibly collaborating on something. I really love working with other people on art projects, but rarely get a chance to do it. Even though the cookbook is kinda arty, it's mostly editorial work (and some test kitchen stuff) which is much more a solitary effort. I'm thinking we could do a poster, or maybe a Grove Yule card. Plus Caroline's a lot of fun, so it won't seem like work.
Speaking of projects, drubear found some great community project ideas last night. I really like the Linus Project - it's something hands-on that we can all do rather than just donate to a worthy cause. It's important to me that whatever the Grove decides to do is something that will benefit the local community. I'd love to see cures for cancer, AIDS, et al., but acting locally puts us in closer touch with where we live and the people who share our turf. After John's death I volunteered for the local AIDS food delivery for a few years, and the best part was meeting the people who needed the help. It wasn't gratitude I was after, rather it was just knowing that I could *directly* affect someone's life in a positive way. Nothing beats that.
Our WoW Guild is so odd. Reading the boards is like reading graffiti in a sixth-grade boys bathroom where no one has figured out how to spell the dirty words properly yet. We haven't had time to play lately, and the break's been kinda nice. I'd gotten in the habit of turning off Guildchat just to escape the rather desperate chat that goes on. Out of curiosity, I counted how many Guildmates I had on permanent /ignore - 14. Liberal use of /ignore [playername] keeps my sanity. Otherwise I'd be tempted to go all Tourettes on them. Sad to think that our old EQ guild is the one I look back on fondly.
Prepping layouts for JB again today, getting ready for our meeting Monday. I created some scrollwork and filigrees in different styles - just page and block-level decorations that go with the themes. Sometimes I find Illustrator so counter-intuitive, and consequently a little frustrating. One thing I found particularly weird is how Illustrator handles spirals. I needed to create a sweep of about 150px, then add on a large spiral on one end and a identically-shaped but smaller spiral on the end. I also wanted to add a fill to the spiral by creating another arc inside it, joining it up, then coloring the whole thing using Live Paint grouping. I found a solution (do it manually), but the whole time I thought it could be done more simply somehow -- maybe by establishing a common inside point, then duping the spiral slightly rotated along that common point. I'll have to check the boards; SOMEone has to have a better technique/trick for it.
Met up with Caroline for coffee yesterday, and chatted about ghost hunting, art, and possibly collaborating on something. I really love working with other people on art projects, but rarely get a chance to do it. Even though the cookbook is kinda arty, it's mostly editorial work (and some test kitchen stuff) which is much more a solitary effort. I'm thinking we could do a poster, or maybe a Grove Yule card. Plus Caroline's a lot of fun, so it won't seem like work.
Speaking of projects, drubear found some great community project ideas last night. I really like the Linus Project - it's something hands-on that we can all do rather than just donate to a worthy cause. It's important to me that whatever the Grove decides to do is something that will benefit the local community. I'd love to see cures for cancer, AIDS, et al., but acting locally puts us in closer touch with where we live and the people who share our turf. After John's death I volunteered for the local AIDS food delivery for a few years, and the best part was meeting the people who needed the help. It wasn't gratitude I was after, rather it was just knowing that I could *directly* affect someone's life in a positive way. Nothing beats that.
Our WoW Guild is so odd. Reading the boards is like reading graffiti in a sixth-grade boys bathroom where no one has figured out how to spell the dirty words properly yet. We haven't had time to play lately, and the break's been kinda nice. I'd gotten in the habit of turning off Guildchat just to escape the rather desperate chat that goes on. Out of curiosity, I counted how many Guildmates I had on permanent /ignore - 14. Liberal use of /ignore [playername] keeps my sanity. Otherwise I'd be tempted to go all Tourettes on them. Sad to think that our old EQ guild is the one I look back on fondly.