Stress Getting Better / VHS to DVD Success / Josh's Couch Surf
In my last entry, I mentioned that Nicole's first weeks at her new job were really stressing her out. I'm happy to report that, thankfully, she's settled nicely into the job and every day it gets better and better as she learns the ropes. I'm less and less worried about her and her outlook is getting more and more positive. This is such a relief because I just want her to be happy and healthy.
Meanwhile, Father's Day has come and gone and my joint Mother's Day/Father's Day gift to my parents has been to digitize their old VHS videocamera home movies and convert them to DVD. I've been really pushing to finish it lately and a major milestone has been reached with the completion of the "look and feel" of the set. I've got templates for the DVD case artwork and even the DVD labels themselves. I bought a bunch of LightScribe DVD-Rs which will allow me to literally etch an image into the surface of every DVD. Nicole's parents also tossed a couple of their old VHS home movies my way as well and since they had FAR less than my parents, I was able to knock out their DVDs in a matter of days. Check out the final product:
I'm so happy with how it's turned out so far. Those DVD cases sparkle. The DVD itself is a little tough to see in that image because of the flash obscuring half the disc, but the point is to show that the graphical image is literally burnt onto the disc. Lightscribe is kinda fun. I should have done this years ago.
There's only a tiny handful of people from high school whom I still converse with. One of them came out of the woodwork the other day with a big need for some extreme help. Josh-whom I typically see maybe once or twice a year when we get together to see a movie with the old gang or maybe shoot pool or something-has fallen on some hard times. Seems that a month ago, he got fired from his job because he was involved in a car accident with the company vehicle. He was apparently living paycheck to paycheck and was shortly thereafter booted out of the place he was living in, landing with his girlfriend and her family. Unfortunately, it appears he outlasted his welcome and they kicked him out on Saturday. Josh has burnt a lot of bridges in his life and had nowhere to go. Even his siblings, parents, and step parents wouldn't take him in. He had no choice but to sleep under the stars in a public park Saturday night. Reluctantly, he finally called on some of us old high school buddies for shelter. And with a summer heat wave coming on (It's supposed to be in the high 90's for the next few days) we couldn't leave him to sleep another night in the park. After discussing it with Nicole, we took Josh in.
Now, Josh claims he has somewhere to go come Tuesday, so he's only gonna be here for another 24 hours. If that falls through, however, he'd better mend some burnt bridges quick 'cuz he can't stay here. This is a tiny apartment even for one person and it simply can't support three people for long. Plus, we don't have the resources and the priority is to make sure Nicole maintains her job while I look for one of my own.
So far in the 24 hours Josh has been here, it's been good. We all came together last night and made some pasta and enjoyed some reality TV with light conversation in the evening. This morning, Nicole got up and got ready for her work day and there were no problems. This is not how I wanted her and Josh to meet and although I've been told my couch is amazingly comfortable, I still somehow feel bad anytime someone sleeps on it. It's like I wish I could somehow make a second bedroom magically appear but that's life for you. We all call on help sometime in our lives and I'm happy that we were able to provide for an old friend in his ultimate time of need; I just hope he lands on his feet and that this whole crummy situation is only temporary for him.
Meanwhile, Father's Day has come and gone and my joint Mother's Day/Father's Day gift to my parents has been to digitize their old VHS videocamera home movies and convert them to DVD. I've been really pushing to finish it lately and a major milestone has been reached with the completion of the "look and feel" of the set. I've got templates for the DVD case artwork and even the DVD labels themselves. I bought a bunch of LightScribe DVD-Rs which will allow me to literally etch an image into the surface of every DVD. Nicole's parents also tossed a couple of their old VHS home movies my way as well and since they had FAR less than my parents, I was able to knock out their DVDs in a matter of days. Check out the final product:
I'm so happy with how it's turned out so far. Those DVD cases sparkle. The DVD itself is a little tough to see in that image because of the flash obscuring half the disc, but the point is to show that the graphical image is literally burnt onto the disc. Lightscribe is kinda fun. I should have done this years ago.
There's only a tiny handful of people from high school whom I still converse with. One of them came out of the woodwork the other day with a big need for some extreme help. Josh-whom I typically see maybe once or twice a year when we get together to see a movie with the old gang or maybe shoot pool or something-has fallen on some hard times. Seems that a month ago, he got fired from his job because he was involved in a car accident with the company vehicle. He was apparently living paycheck to paycheck and was shortly thereafter booted out of the place he was living in, landing with his girlfriend and her family. Unfortunately, it appears he outlasted his welcome and they kicked him out on Saturday. Josh has burnt a lot of bridges in his life and had nowhere to go. Even his siblings, parents, and step parents wouldn't take him in. He had no choice but to sleep under the stars in a public park Saturday night. Reluctantly, he finally called on some of us old high school buddies for shelter. And with a summer heat wave coming on (It's supposed to be in the high 90's for the next few days) we couldn't leave him to sleep another night in the park. After discussing it with Nicole, we took Josh in.
Now, Josh claims he has somewhere to go come Tuesday, so he's only gonna be here for another 24 hours. If that falls through, however, he'd better mend some burnt bridges quick 'cuz he can't stay here. This is a tiny apartment even for one person and it simply can't support three people for long. Plus, we don't have the resources and the priority is to make sure Nicole maintains her job while I look for one of my own.
So far in the 24 hours Josh has been here, it's been good. We all came together last night and made some pasta and enjoyed some reality TV with light conversation in the evening. This morning, Nicole got up and got ready for her work day and there were no problems. This is not how I wanted her and Josh to meet and although I've been told my couch is amazingly comfortable, I still somehow feel bad anytime someone sleeps on it. It's like I wish I could somehow make a second bedroom magically appear but that's life for you. We all call on help sometime in our lives and I'm happy that we were able to provide for an old friend in his ultimate time of need; I just hope he lands on his feet and that this whole crummy situation is only temporary for him.