My morning activities this morning confirmed my suppositions from yesterday; in other words, my body works much better after I give it time to wake up and fill it with a hot cup of muddy brew (with milk, or half-n-half if we have it). This morning I woke up at 7 AM, played on the internet for about 30 minutes, made a pot of coffee (that took about 2 minutes), washed dishes for about 30 minutes, drank a cup of coffee, drank a glass of water, did a whole bunch of push-ups (on my knees still, but I'm getting stronger and even have some muscle definition going, so in time I'll reach my goal of being able to do real push-ups) and a few yoga stretches, and then out the door I went on my walk. And it was a world of difference too, let me tell you. That big ol' hand that was pushing me backwards yesterday slunk away to bother somebody else. Somebody weaker, or sleepier.
I worked as my neighbor's office assistant again today, and he basically offered me a permanent job. It wouldn't be for a little while yet, which would be good for me because I'm doing the gallery gig right now. I told him I won't know for a while, but I do know that the owners of the gallery are trying to work toward being able to run the gallery themselves so they don't have to pay a person to sit here. Whether that is five months down the road, a month, or a year, nobody really knows yet. It remains to be seen. I'd like for things to settle down a bit so I can crack down on a whole bunch of things that need to get done for Mike's and my business. That needs to be my main priority now. But what tomorrow will bring? Only time will tell.
And yeah, being an office assistant does sound like all kinds of lame, which is probably why I keep quitting jobs where I am an office assistant. But my neighbor is not your average duck. He is incredibly eclectic and ... what's the nice word for weird people? Eccentric. And that's a good thing. (We actually make a very good team, naturally.)
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Mysterious Mouse Issues and Many Musings
Yesterday my mouse mysteriously quit working, which made it totally impossible to do marble layouts for eBay. It turns out that the mouse is absolutely necessary for many many computer functions. This is an incredibly interesting and frustrating realization, especially when your only working mouse stops working.
Luckily, upon getting home I replaced the battery and it worked again. Whew.
So, now it's another day and I've already had a lovely one. I woke up sort of late for me, so I did my morning walk before I was even fully awake. It was tough. I felt like there was a giant hand pushing on my chest, trying to get me to stop walking. So, I came up with a plan of attack, and implemented it. That was incredibly wordy when all I was trying to say is that I visualized a giant hand pushing on my back to help me walk easier. It worked. But there is a lot to be said for a warmed-up, coffee-filled body. It works much better, I must say.
So, I got back home and got ready to meet my neighbor at his office, which is on the Arcata town square (here we call it "The Plaza," and it's just fantastic). I am working part time for a couple of weeks as his assistant to help him reorganize his office. Organizing things happens to be one of my fortes, plus a little extra money never hurts. We worked for a few hours and then ate a delicious picnic lunch out on one of the park benches on The Plaza. My neighbor packed the lunch as a surprise. It was so nice!
While eating our lunch we met and talked with a lady whose from Mazatlan, moved to San Francisco over 50 years ago to marry her husband who was a Mexican also but had an American parent and so was raised in San Francisco, and now today she is visiting Humboldt County. She had such great stories to tell, and a wonderful spirit. After 30 minutes of sitting and listening to her stories, and laughing along with her, I wished we could stay longer. But alas, we had more work to do. Her name was the Spanish word for "help."
Once I was done working with my neighbor I had about an hour to spare before having to be at the gallery. So I walked the half mile or so to Mike's studio, where my car was parked. Along the way I realized it was Wednesday! Yay! (That means the new North Coast Journal is out.) So I picked up a copy at the NCJ's Headquarters, which is on the same street as Mike's studio. A couple of ladies were walking toward me on a narrow sidewalk and it became apparent that we wouldn't all fit if they continued to walk side by side. They moved into single file, and I flashed them a big grin to show my appreciation. They flashed big smiles back, and it's just incredible to me how something as simple as smiling at strangers can immediately lift your spirits. So, by this point my spirits were pretty high up there.
A little further down the road is the Scrap Heap. Okay, I don't know what it is really called, but it is a lot of metal scraps, old bicycles, a boat every once in a while... this is where there is usually a group of working men hauling and organizing this metal heap. So, I'm strolling along feeling very grateful for the warmth and the sunshine, wishing I had sandals on instead of socks and shoes, and I hear, "How are you, Beautiful?" I turn to my right from where the voice came and this handsome Latino boy is smiling at me. I flash him a smile back and keep on walking.
And yeah, it felt good. I mean, who doesn't like a compliment? Especially from a cute boy? (He looked to be about 18.)
So, I got to Mike's work, and kidnapped him for a bit. They were out of oxygen anyway and waiting for the oxygen man to bring them a new tank so they can get back to working glass. In the meantime we ran home (fine, we drove) and made some more coffee, had a quick lunch, and then I dropped him back off, and up to the gallery I came.
And now, here I am, my mouse works again, and I really do have to get some work done. The sun is shining, I switched my shoes for some flip flops, and I'm wearing one of my favorite tee-shirts. And, my jeans are getting to be too big. La la. The day is good. I hope yours is too.
xoxo
Luckily, upon getting home I replaced the battery and it worked again. Whew.
So, now it's another day and I've already had a lovely one. I woke up sort of late for me, so I did my morning walk before I was even fully awake. It was tough. I felt like there was a giant hand pushing on my chest, trying to get me to stop walking. So, I came up with a plan of attack, and implemented it. That was incredibly wordy when all I was trying to say is that I visualized a giant hand pushing on my back to help me walk easier. It worked. But there is a lot to be said for a warmed-up, coffee-filled body. It works much better, I must say.
So, I got back home and got ready to meet my neighbor at his office, which is on the Arcata town square (here we call it "The Plaza," and it's just fantastic). I am working part time for a couple of weeks as his assistant to help him reorganize his office. Organizing things happens to be one of my fortes, plus a little extra money never hurts. We worked for a few hours and then ate a delicious picnic lunch out on one of the park benches on The Plaza. My neighbor packed the lunch as a surprise. It was so nice!
While eating our lunch we met and talked with a lady whose from Mazatlan, moved to San Francisco over 50 years ago to marry her husband who was a Mexican also but had an American parent and so was raised in San Francisco, and now today she is visiting Humboldt County. She had such great stories to tell, and a wonderful spirit. After 30 minutes of sitting and listening to her stories, and laughing along with her, I wished we could stay longer. But alas, we had more work to do. Her name was the Spanish word for "help."
Once I was done working with my neighbor I had about an hour to spare before having to be at the gallery. So I walked the half mile or so to Mike's studio, where my car was parked. Along the way I realized it was Wednesday! Yay! (That means the new North Coast Journal is out.) So I picked up a copy at the NCJ's Headquarters, which is on the same street as Mike's studio. A couple of ladies were walking toward me on a narrow sidewalk and it became apparent that we wouldn't all fit if they continued to walk side by side. They moved into single file, and I flashed them a big grin to show my appreciation. They flashed big smiles back, and it's just incredible to me how something as simple as smiling at strangers can immediately lift your spirits. So, by this point my spirits were pretty high up there.
A little further down the road is the Scrap Heap. Okay, I don't know what it is really called, but it is a lot of metal scraps, old bicycles, a boat every once in a while... this is where there is usually a group of working men hauling and organizing this metal heap. So, I'm strolling along feeling very grateful for the warmth and the sunshine, wishing I had sandals on instead of socks and shoes, and I hear, "How are you, Beautiful?" I turn to my right from where the voice came and this handsome Latino boy is smiling at me. I flash him a smile back and keep on walking.
And yeah, it felt good. I mean, who doesn't like a compliment? Especially from a cute boy? (He looked to be about 18.)
So, I got to Mike's work, and kidnapped him for a bit. They were out of oxygen anyway and waiting for the oxygen man to bring them a new tank so they can get back to working glass. In the meantime we ran home (fine, we drove) and made some more coffee, had a quick lunch, and then I dropped him back off, and up to the gallery I came.
And now, here I am, my mouse works again, and I really do have to get some work done. The sun is shining, I switched my shoes for some flip flops, and I'm wearing one of my favorite tee-shirts. And, my jeans are getting to be too big. La la. The day is good. I hope yours is too.
xoxo
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Yay, Portland! (in pictures. from the month of June.)
Because I am supposed to be working and getting art ready to list on eBay, I am instead posting here. Make sense? Good.
And because I obviously love pictures and I obviously have been uber lazy in getting pictures posted from my Wisconsin trip in June, I am now going to post my Portland Oregon trip, also from June.
So, Here It is:
First, we were at the Glass Art Society (GAS) Conference, and it was a great experience. I met a lot of people that Mike already knows, and got some good inside information into this whole glass-blowing experience.
OK, pictures:
This is Phyllis, one of Mike's longtime buyers and fans. She had a vendor booth at the conference and when Mike saw her company name he rushed over to her and introduced himself. I am very glad we ran into her because we ended up spending a significant amount of time with her and she gave me a lot of good advice and tips:
When we were strolling around Portland (I can't remember exactly which section we were in, but it was a very good one), we came upon this tree. All of a sudden Mike is putting his face very close to this tree, and then he says "Touch this tree!" I thought "what's the big deal" but it turns out that the big deal is this tree is not real. This tree is made of metal. It's very hard to tell this both in pictures and in person (or is it "in tree"?):
(Doesn't my butt look very small next to the tree? OK, that's clearly pushing it. But it definitely looks smaller than the tree.)
Closeups of the tree:
Part of the conference included lots of art exhibits and private showings at galleries. This one is called "Degenerate Art":
I took a picture of Mike looking at art:
Our room with a view:
(I can't remember exactly the name of that big ol' mountain up in the top right corner, but it is a good one.)
The conference also included a number of live glass demonstrations, and the Ladies of the Corning Museum of Glass (in Corning, NY) in particular made me want to quit all other projects and learn how to blow glass:
We donated a glass seashell to the GAS auction, and after only a few bids it got purchased outright:
Mike blowing glass at a BBQ put on by a glass store and studio space called "Bridging Boro":
A kid with flames painted on his face - very festive:
Impromptu DJ-in-a-truck:
For a few minutes Mike had a pretty good-sized audience watching him, but I didn't snap a picture in time:
Stopping for fresh air and a little walk on the way home:
So there it is: all the things I haven't said about the Portland trip and some pictures too! Hope you enjoyed them.
And because I obviously love pictures and I obviously have been uber lazy in getting pictures posted from my Wisconsin trip in June, I am now going to post my Portland Oregon trip, also from June.
So, Here It is:
First, we were at the Glass Art Society (GAS) Conference, and it was a great experience. I met a lot of people that Mike already knows, and got some good inside information into this whole glass-blowing experience.
OK, pictures:
This is Phyllis, one of Mike's longtime buyers and fans. She had a vendor booth at the conference and when Mike saw her company name he rushed over to her and introduced himself. I am very glad we ran into her because we ended up spending a significant amount of time with her and she gave me a lot of good advice and tips:
When we were strolling around Portland (I can't remember exactly which section we were in, but it was a very good one), we came upon this tree. All of a sudden Mike is putting his face very close to this tree, and then he says "Touch this tree!" I thought "what's the big deal" but it turns out that the big deal is this tree is not real. This tree is made of metal. It's very hard to tell this both in pictures and in person (or is it "in tree"?):
(Doesn't my butt look very small next to the tree? OK, that's clearly pushing it. But it definitely looks smaller than the tree.)
Closeups of the tree:
Part of the conference included lots of art exhibits and private showings at galleries. This one is called "Degenerate Art":
I took a picture of Mike looking at art:
Our room with a view:
(I can't remember exactly the name of that big ol' mountain up in the top right corner, but it is a good one.)
The conference also included a number of live glass demonstrations, and the Ladies of the Corning Museum of Glass (in Corning, NY) in particular made me want to quit all other projects and learn how to blow glass:
We donated a glass seashell to the GAS auction, and after only a few bids it got purchased outright:
Mike blowing glass at a BBQ put on by a glass store and studio space called "Bridging Boro":
A kid with flames painted on his face - very festive:
Impromptu DJ-in-a-truck:
For a few minutes Mike had a pretty good-sized audience watching him, but I didn't snap a picture in time:
Stopping for fresh air and a little walk on the way home:
So there it is: all the things I haven't said about the Portland trip and some pictures too! Hope you enjoyed them.
Saturday at the Beach with the Kids and the Dog (More Pictures)
My heart swelled with love Saturday afternoon. I watched this scene before me, a dad and his kids and their dog splashing and playing in the water with extreme pride for what I get to be a part of. My "weekend" son came running up to me, tentatively asking me to hold something of his so he didn't drop it in the water. "Naomi? Can you hold this for me?" he asked, not sure if that was something I would do. "Sure! Of course!" I responded, so thankful that he is finally coming around and letting me do some of the "mom" things. Daughter has let me do these things for quite some time, but the new development with her was a request for me to tuck her in and give her a hug goodnight Friday night. Perhaps she would have asked Dad to do it had he not already fallen fast asleep. Perhaps she would have gone without in the past. But not this time. This time when I asked my usual, "Is there anything else you need before the lights go out?" she responded by nodding her head and opening up her arms to me. "A hug?" I asked. "Yes, please," was her response. It melted my heart.
And yes, I know these are not my kids. They already have a mom, and by the sounds of it she's a great one. I wouldn't want to steal that privilege away from her, nor am I foolish enough to think that could even be a possibility (the mom you get is the mom you are attached to and that's just how it works). But I get to be in these two young people's lives, and I get to help make their world feel safe and stable and help them learn and figure things out and deal with things. I get to be an influence. I get to be a part of their lives and development. It's a huge responsibility, and it's a huge honor.
Kaya stole my hat again (a different one this time); she sure looks good in hats:
Mike calls the kids over to play with Baby in the water:
And yes, I know these are not my kids. They already have a mom, and by the sounds of it she's a great one. I wouldn't want to steal that privilege away from her, nor am I foolish enough to think that could even be a possibility (the mom you get is the mom you are attached to and that's just how it works). But I get to be in these two young people's lives, and I get to help make their world feel safe and stable and help them learn and figure things out and deal with things. I get to be an influence. I get to be a part of their lives and development. It's a huge responsibility, and it's a huge honor.
Kaya stole my hat again (a different one this time); she sure looks good in hats:
Mike calls the kids over to play with Baby in the water:
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