Happy New Year, everyone!!!!
Be safe, be merry, be healthy!!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Fluffy White Stuff
The forecast for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday where I live is fluffy white stuff covering the entire area non-stop! [sigh] It was supposed to start at 3pm Thursday. Thank goodness it didn't. We were all safe home and in bed when it started. Poor DH is out there now plowing the driveway at 6am Friday! Snow is still coming down non-stop. There must be ice mixed with it and it is very windy, as I hear it banging on the window panes. The roads are not plowed yet from where I see them. Or maybe they were but since the wind is blowing the snow off the sidewalks and into the roads and more of it is falling from the sky, the roads are covered again.
Here comes the big plow to work on our street. Uh-oh!! As it passed by our driveway, it pushed back some of the snow into our driveway. Poor DH has to plow that part again as it is now higher than the rest of what's on the driveway.
Where will he put all that stuff away? DH has to plow the driveway somehow so it won't pile up too high. It would be more difficult to do it later. Besides, he is going to drive DB to work. DB got a new job as a dialysis nurse at a nearby hospital. Come rain or snow or sleet [or tornado?] he has a sworn duty to attend to.
There will be thunderstorms sometime today also. I've never heard of that...thunderstorms with snow. It sounds dangerous! Will it melt the snow falling from the sky and turn the flakes into little teeny-weeny ice balls? The temperature will still be lower than the freezing point and wind chills are even lower.
TTFN. Gotta prepare hot coffee or chocolate for DH to warm him up. Am I so glad I'm not going anywhere today! Although I want to go to Michael's. I have a couple of 40% off coupons that are burning a hole in my wallet. I want to get a couple of clear stamps. Well...that has to wait.
Here comes the big plow to work on our street. Uh-oh!! As it passed by our driveway, it pushed back some of the snow into our driveway. Poor DH has to plow that part again as it is now higher than the rest of what's on the driveway.
Where will he put all that stuff away? DH has to plow the driveway somehow so it won't pile up too high. It would be more difficult to do it later. Besides, he is going to drive DB to work. DB got a new job as a dialysis nurse at a nearby hospital. Come rain or snow or sleet [or tornado?] he has a sworn duty to attend to.
There will be thunderstorms sometime today also. I've never heard of that...thunderstorms with snow. It sounds dangerous! Will it melt the snow falling from the sky and turn the flakes into little teeny-weeny ice balls? The temperature will still be lower than the freezing point and wind chills are even lower.
TTFN. Gotta prepare hot coffee or chocolate for DH to warm him up. Am I so glad I'm not going anywhere today! Although I want to go to Michael's. I have a couple of 40% off coupons that are burning a hole in my wallet. I want to get a couple of clear stamps. Well...that has to wait.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Murano SL
The first time I saw a Murano SL and the first time I got into one was at 9:15 pm last Thursday. I drove it to pick up DD from the train station. I was very nervous to drive it out of the driveway just because I am not used to it and I am not familiar with the dashboard and everything else.
It is a nice car. "Nice". Probably some of you are yelling, "Are you crazy???! It is a GRRREAT car!!!!" Sorry, I can't say "great" just yet because it is my first time in this car and I do not know how it will work in unison with the driver - that's me!
Anyway, I liked that the basic controls are in the same places as my oooolddd Nissan Quest.
Just like the Quest, SL's steering wheel can be tilted up, down, and even can be pulled out a little bit. Just like the Quest, the headlight and signal light controls are on the left and the wiper controls are on the right.
What I like:
1) You put in the key in the ignation, step on the brake and hit the start button. Yes, there is a start button.
2) The steering wheel is light...I can turn it with the palm of my hand.
3) The accelerator is easy on the leg. It runs smoothly - not a lot of jolts even on a bumpy road.
4) I like that the front seats are heated, a very convenient plus during a cold winter day.
5) I like the rear view mirror. There's this little digital thingie up in the right corner that tells me what direction I'm facing.
6) Oh, I must not forget to mention the rear view camera. The monitor is on the dashboard. As soon as you put the lever on reverse, it shows you the alightment of the car and what is behind the car. It doesn't show everyone who is behind you, just the bumper of the car nearby so that when you back up you don't get to hit anything or anyone. This one will take time to get used to. I still like the good old looking over the shoulder and checking the left, right, and rear view mirrors.
What I didn't like:
1) It is soooo bulky. As soon as I got in it, I felt like I was in a box! It was an awkward feeling.
2) I can't see very well on the front sides because of the big bulky "posts" that connect the roof to the rest of the car. Added to that bulkiness are the side view mirrors. I have to do a lot of body and head movements.
3) the speakers are on both corners of the dashboard close to the "posts" and they are a little higher than the rest of the dashboard, thus adding more bulkiness to the sides of the car.
3) the rear window is very tiny! What I mean is it is not wide enough for me to see more of what is behind me.
4) the head-rests at the back seat covered half of the the tiny rear window! so less for me to see, again! Then there is this head-rest for the middle seat which obstructed the view of the front bumper, license plate included, of any car behind me! At night, the rear window looked like a toothless smile; or more like a grin with a big gap between two teeth!
5) I cannot see the tiny side windows behind the side windows [where you are supposed to be able to see any car in your blind spot if you move your body sideways or forward!
6) I hate red lights on the dashboard! why didn't they make it green so that it is cooler on the eyes!
7) On the section of the dash board right behind the steering wheel, is a full circle, and a half circle on each side of the full circle. This is where the speedometer, odometer, gas, temperature, or whatever else, are located. OK, picture this. The full circle in the center is lit up with a VERY BRIGHT and VERY RED light along its edges. The half circles, let me think about this a little bit...I think they were more shaped like a quarter moon... are also lit up with VERY BRIGHT and VERY RED lights along the curved edges. So when I pressed the start button, these panels lit up and for a while, and every time I looked at them, I felt like I was being hypnotized! It also looked like the half or quarter circles were merging towards the full circle. Make them stop moving! Argh!
9) The lights on the dashboard are so bright! There is a dimmer, which I used to dim them but it is ABSOLUTELY USELESS!!! I didn't see any difference between bright, dim, and dimmer. They were still bright!
8) Driving home from the train station, I complained about a quarter mile that I cannot see the road. It is stuck in my mind that those big bulky sides are in the way of my view of what's in front of me. I saw a car coming in the other direction give me a "wink" with his headlights. That made me automatically reach out for the lever for the headlights to check if they are on. They weren't! DUHHH!!!! Don't tell me I'm "ulyanin" or that I have "old timer's disease". In all the other cars I've driven [including those I rented when I used to travel to different parts of the country], when I drive at night:
a) the headlights automatically turn on as soon as I turn the engine on; and automatically turn off a few minutes after I turn off the engine; OR
b) the lights on the dashboard are on DIM when I turn on the engine, this tells me to turn the headlights on. When the headlights are on, the dashboard lights are bright [and the lights are green!]
But with the SL, because those darn lights are very, very bright, I thought my headlights were on! Besides, the hypnotizing, moving, merging lights made me not look closely at the dashboard.
9) And why, if I turn on the "circulate" button, the "AC" button also turns on? I want the air to circulate at times when the traffic is heavy so the exhaust from the car in front of me doesn't go under my hood and into my lungs! People tell me that's not true. Why then do I always smell that nauseating poisonous gas? To me, those exhaust pipes look like machine guns aimed at me.
10) during the day, the monitor [where the radio station comes up, where the rear video camera pictures are seen] is too bright, one can't see anything - that's because of day light reflecting on the monitor. So you see, if in the future you'd want to install a GPS in that car, the map is useless as you won't be able to see a thing! They could have made a tiny "awning" over the monitor to protect it from the reflection of the glass window, the sky, the sun, etc.
Another reason, not the last one though, is that the dash board lights are red!!! and I don't like how they designed those circles with the lights all around them!!! I know I've mentioned that already but I hate red lights on the dashboard!
And no, I didn't buy the car. It's my brother's and he let me try it. Sorry, for the negativity, Bro, but perhaps if you lend it to me often enough, I will get used to it and will eventually love it.
It is a nice car. "Nice". Probably some of you are yelling, "Are you crazy???! It is a GRRREAT car!!!!" Sorry, I can't say "great" just yet because it is my first time in this car and I do not know how it will work in unison with the driver - that's me!
Anyway, I liked that the basic controls are in the same places as my oooolddd Nissan Quest.
Just like the Quest, SL's steering wheel can be tilted up, down, and even can be pulled out a little bit. Just like the Quest, the headlight and signal light controls are on the left and the wiper controls are on the right.
What I like:
1) You put in the key in the ignation, step on the brake and hit the start button. Yes, there is a start button.
2) The steering wheel is light...I can turn it with the palm of my hand.
3) The accelerator is easy on the leg. It runs smoothly - not a lot of jolts even on a bumpy road.
4) I like that the front seats are heated, a very convenient plus during a cold winter day.
5) I like the rear view mirror. There's this little digital thingie up in the right corner that tells me what direction I'm facing.
6) Oh, I must not forget to mention the rear view camera. The monitor is on the dashboard. As soon as you put the lever on reverse, it shows you the alightment of the car and what is behind the car. It doesn't show everyone who is behind you, just the bumper of the car nearby so that when you back up you don't get to hit anything or anyone. This one will take time to get used to. I still like the good old looking over the shoulder and checking the left, right, and rear view mirrors.
What I didn't like:
1) It is soooo bulky. As soon as I got in it, I felt like I was in a box! It was an awkward feeling.
2) I can't see very well on the front sides because of the big bulky "posts" that connect the roof to the rest of the car. Added to that bulkiness are the side view mirrors. I have to do a lot of body and head movements.
3) the speakers are on both corners of the dashboard close to the "posts" and they are a little higher than the rest of the dashboard, thus adding more bulkiness to the sides of the car.
3) the rear window is very tiny! What I mean is it is not wide enough for me to see more of what is behind me.
4) the head-rests at the back seat covered half of the the tiny rear window! so less for me to see, again! Then there is this head-rest for the middle seat which obstructed the view of the front bumper, license plate included, of any car behind me! At night, the rear window looked like a toothless smile; or more like a grin with a big gap between two teeth!
5) I cannot see the tiny side windows behind the side windows [where you are supposed to be able to see any car in your blind spot if you move your body sideways or forward!
6) I hate red lights on the dashboard! why didn't they make it green so that it is cooler on the eyes!
7) On the section of the dash board right behind the steering wheel, is a full circle, and a half circle on each side of the full circle. This is where the speedometer, odometer, gas, temperature, or whatever else, are located. OK, picture this. The full circle in the center is lit up with a VERY BRIGHT and VERY RED light along its edges. The half circles, let me think about this a little bit...I think they were more shaped like a quarter moon... are also lit up with VERY BRIGHT and VERY RED lights along the curved edges. So when I pressed the start button, these panels lit up and for a while, and every time I looked at them, I felt like I was being hypnotized! It also looked like the half or quarter circles were merging towards the full circle. Make them stop moving! Argh!
9) The lights on the dashboard are so bright! There is a dimmer, which I used to dim them but it is ABSOLUTELY USELESS!!! I didn't see any difference between bright, dim, and dimmer. They were still bright!
8) Driving home from the train station, I complained about a quarter mile that I cannot see the road. It is stuck in my mind that those big bulky sides are in the way of my view of what's in front of me. I saw a car coming in the other direction give me a "wink" with his headlights. That made me automatically reach out for the lever for the headlights to check if they are on. They weren't! DUHHH!!!! Don't tell me I'm "ulyanin" or that I have "old timer's disease". In all the other cars I've driven [including those I rented when I used to travel to different parts of the country], when I drive at night:
a) the headlights automatically turn on as soon as I turn the engine on; and automatically turn off a few minutes after I turn off the engine; OR
b) the lights on the dashboard are on DIM when I turn on the engine, this tells me to turn the headlights on. When the headlights are on, the dashboard lights are bright [and the lights are green!]
But with the SL, because those darn lights are very, very bright, I thought my headlights were on! Besides, the hypnotizing, moving, merging lights made me not look closely at the dashboard.
9) And why, if I turn on the "circulate" button, the "AC" button also turns on? I want the air to circulate at times when the traffic is heavy so the exhaust from the car in front of me doesn't go under my hood and into my lungs! People tell me that's not true. Why then do I always smell that nauseating poisonous gas? To me, those exhaust pipes look like machine guns aimed at me.
10) during the day, the monitor [where the radio station comes up, where the rear video camera pictures are seen] is too bright, one can't see anything - that's because of day light reflecting on the monitor. So you see, if in the future you'd want to install a GPS in that car, the map is useless as you won't be able to see a thing! They could have made a tiny "awning" over the monitor to protect it from the reflection of the glass window, the sky, the sun, etc.
Another reason, not the last one though, is that the dash board lights are red!!! and I don't like how they designed those circles with the lights all around them!!! I know I've mentioned that already but I hate red lights on the dashboard!
And no, I didn't buy the car. It's my brother's and he let me try it. Sorry, for the negativity, Bro, but perhaps if you lend it to me often enough, I will get used to it and will eventually love it.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Name Your Supplies
Would it be a sin if I don't mention what supplies I use for my traditional layouts?
The reason I don't get to join challenges and contests or upload my layouts on on-line galleries is because I don't keep track of supplies I use. My goal is simple - to complete a layout. Sometimes it takes me too long to decide what papers to use and how to lay the pictures and embellishments on the background paper. Figuring out what the supplies are after they are all chopped into bits and pieces and having to write down everything I used will surely take a whole chunk of my time. Besides, after the sheets are torn off the pads, and the flowers are cut-out from sheets, buttons taken out of their packages, I wouldn't remember where they were from! I wouldn't dare make a list on a post-it-note and attach it on my LO. I don't know if that post-it-note is acid free.
Some write the list on the back of the background paper. For me, I can't do that. Most of the time, my LOs are double-sided, especially if I used a beautiful double-sided sheet - I wouldn't want to waste the other side!
Of course, I think, using digital supplies is an entirely different thing.
- Most of my supplies are free. The least I could do is introduce the designer through my layouts as a "thank you so much" gesture, for being kind-hearted and generous.
- It is easy to make a note of supplies as I can safely tuck them somewhere with the digital file.
- It is more convenient to upload my layouts to an on-line gallery directly from my computer [unlike traditional LOs, I have to scan or take pictures of each one in order for me to save them in my computer.
Just an almost-time-to-go-to-bed thought.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Respect for Life
The older I grow...let me re-phrase that...the more mature I become, the more respect I have for life. Perhaps it is because I now have more knowledge of life and its wonders. More so because I've reached the age of what I think is more than half of my life years. I don't know if I'll reach the age of 60, 70, 0r 80. For sure, I'll never live to double my age today.
I've seen 3 generations replacing me. My generation having their own kids, our kids having their own kids, my generation getting old, the generation before me (our parents') being OLD-er, and the generation before them... now gone.
Young ones don't think about being gone. There isn't an inkling of any thought that life will someday stop. Right now it is the enjoyment and the going forward, which is a natural, healthy attitude.
I always say to those who care to listen: There is only one life. You may be given an extension of what you have now, but you cannot buy, borrow, steal, ask, be given, find, create another one to keep you going.
I've known a long time ago that living things around me are not permanent fixtures. Sooner or later everything goes - back to being dust, becoming one again with the cosmic particles floating in this space we call universe. It's sad to see [and hear] about someone's life being snuff away at an any age because of carelessness, or misunderstanding, or fighting for reasons they believe is right. This does not apply to humans only. I believe that animal and plant beings also have the right to be here. The ant, the icky worm, the yucky housefly, the spider, the squirrel, the cayote searhing for food in urban backyards, they only have one life, some may live for years, others live for a day. If they don't bother you or hurt you in anyway, leave them be and let them fulfill what it is they were here for.
Respecting people's lives is not just letting them eat and breathe. It is also respecting their personal space, their work, their thoughts, their beliefs. Respecting life is being patient.
As I mature more, I'd like to have more patience and more understanding of the whys and hows of life around me.
Happy birthday to me!
I've seen 3 generations replacing me. My generation having their own kids, our kids having their own kids, my generation getting old, the generation before me (our parents') being OLD-er, and the generation before them... now gone.
Young ones don't think about being gone. There isn't an inkling of any thought that life will someday stop. Right now it is the enjoyment and the going forward, which is a natural, healthy attitude.
I always say to those who care to listen: There is only one life. You may be given an extension of what you have now, but you cannot buy, borrow, steal, ask, be given, find, create another one to keep you going.
I've known a long time ago that living things around me are not permanent fixtures. Sooner or later everything goes - back to being dust, becoming one again with the cosmic particles floating in this space we call universe. It's sad to see [and hear] about someone's life being snuff away at an any age because of carelessness, or misunderstanding, or fighting for reasons they believe is right. This does not apply to humans only. I believe that animal and plant beings also have the right to be here. The ant, the icky worm, the yucky housefly, the spider, the squirrel, the cayote searhing for food in urban backyards, they only have one life, some may live for years, others live for a day. If they don't bother you or hurt you in anyway, leave them be and let them fulfill what it is they were here for.
Respecting people's lives is not just letting them eat and breathe. It is also respecting their personal space, their work, their thoughts, their beliefs. Respecting life is being patient.
As I mature more, I'd like to have more patience and more understanding of the whys and hows of life around me.
Happy birthday to me!
Friday, July 4, 2008
Mind Your Manners....hrmmm... I mean Layers
I think the thing that confuses a digital newbie most is how to get to each element after they've been dragged and dropped on the canvas. There is this wonderful box that shows you all the elements and how they are chronologically arranged on your canvas.
Imagine having a sheet of 12x12 scrapping paper on your desk; you place your photo on top of this sheet of paper [that will be layer 1], then you add a frame on your paper, whether that frame is on top of your photo or on one side of your background paper, that will be layer 2. Then add another thing on top of your sheet, that will be layer 3, and so on.
In digital scrapbooking, mind where the layers are. Is layer 2 above layer 1 but below layer 5 and 4? What you want to position the flower peeking out from behind the picture?
Highlight the flower [LAYER 3], drag it with your mouse and put it between the photo [LAYER 1] and background paper.
You can rename your layers if you want to. Renaming them is especially helpful if you have more than 10 and more than two of the same kind of element (for example 3 flowers), and also if you cannot identify what the layers are because the previews are too tiny. To rename, double click on the name of the layer.
If you don't want to rename them, you can play the game hide and seek.
If you have 10 tiny flowers and you now don't remember which layer is the one you want to move around or delete, click on the eye icon [layer visibility]. Watch your canvas when you do this because whatever element disappears from your canvas is the layer you clicked. Keep on clicking until you find the correct layer. [Now's the time to name those layers!]
The next picture shows you how to add notes to your digital layout. I use this to take note of who the digital designers are so that when I upload my LO in my gallery, then I have the information at my fingertips.
To add notes, click on the NOTE icon in the TOOL BOX. Add the notes as soon as you drag an element on your canvas, or before you close your digital supplies folder so you won't forget.
Imagine having a sheet of 12x12 scrapping paper on your desk; you place your photo on top of this sheet of paper [that will be layer 1], then you add a frame on your paper, whether that frame is on top of your photo or on one side of your background paper, that will be layer 2. Then add another thing on top of your sheet, that will be layer 3, and so on.
In digital scrapbooking, mind where the layers are. Is layer 2 above layer 1 but below layer 5 and 4? What you want to position the flower peeking out from behind the picture?
Highlight the flower [LAYER 3], drag it with your mouse and put it between the photo [LAYER 1] and background paper.
You can rename your layers if you want to. Renaming them is especially helpful if you have more than 10 and more than two of the same kind of element (for example 3 flowers), and also if you cannot identify what the layers are because the previews are too tiny. To rename, double click on the name of the layer.
If you don't want to rename them, you can play the game hide and seek.
If you have 10 tiny flowers and you now don't remember which layer is the one you want to move around or delete, click on the eye icon [layer visibility]. Watch your canvas when you do this because whatever element disappears from your canvas is the layer you clicked. Keep on clicking until you find the correct layer. [Now's the time to name those layers!] The next picture shows you how to add notes to your digital layout. I use this to take note of who the digital designers are so that when I upload my LO in my gallery, then I have the information at my fingertips.
To add notes, click on the NOTE icon in the TOOL BOX. Add the notes as soon as you drag an element on your canvas, or before you close your digital supplies folder so you won't forget.
So here, I have a finished, simple LO. This file is in PSD format, therefore it is a fairly big sized file. To shrink the size of the file and to be able to upload it in your gallery, save your file as BMP or JPG. I save mine as JPG with a resolution of 72 dpi.
Take note that when you save your document as JPG, you'll lose the note. I usually shrink my PSD file in a smaller sized-file by merging some of the documents. See this tutorial.
If you have questions or comments about this tut, please let me know. TFL!
Credits: Do It Digi July Inspiration Kit - Summer Romance by BrokenJar Creations www.digitalscrapping.com
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Newbies to Digital Scrapbooking
I learned using photoshop on my own, with a little help from a former officemate. I am no expert but I will share with you what I know and how I do things. I'm pretty sure that there are other ways to do things and perhaps they are the correct ways or the ways that make more sense, but until I discover them or until someone shows me the better, easier way, I will stick to what I currently know.
A couple of friends, an officemate, and three people who found me in the tangled web of the internet have asked, "how do I make a layout? Where and how do I start? How do I put things together? Shall I pick the picture and build around it, or shall I pick the supplies then pick the picture?
There really is not just one correct way to start an LO, whether it is traditional or digital. You might find beautiful papers and embellishments and want to use them right away then find the perfect picture/s to post; or you might have a beautiful picture and scrounge through your scrapbooking supplies for the perfect papers and embellishments. Either way works. It is easier if you have a theme. If you have a photograph on or of the beach, look for supplies pertaining to the beach; if your supplies are bright and happy colors fit for a birthday or summer celebration, then look for a photograph that would go with those colors and emotions.
Check your resolutions - if you are like me, armed with an old computer, I suggest changing your pictures' [that doesn't just pertain to photos] resolutions and make them all the same - see here. I found out that if I do not use elements of the same resolution, one would be bigger than another when it's not supposed to [for example, a bling shouldn't be bigger than a flower]. True, I can re-size the flower, but by doing so, re-sizing might make the flower fuzzy or blurred - because remember, you are increasing the size of the element but the resolution of, say 72 dpi is not enough for such size.
Putting your elements together - It is easy to put elements together in one LO. Start with a simple LO first until you master the art of finding things around your digital work area (^.^) Scraplift a simple traditional or digital LO. As with crediting digital suppliers, please don't forget to give credit to the person you scraplifted from.
A couple of friends, an officemate, and three people who found me in the tangled web of the internet have asked, "how do I make a layout? Where and how do I start? How do I put things together? Shall I pick the picture and build around it, or shall I pick the supplies then pick the picture?
There really is not just one correct way to start an LO, whether it is traditional or digital. You might find beautiful papers and embellishments and want to use them right away then find the perfect picture/s to post; or you might have a beautiful picture and scrounge through your scrapbooking supplies for the perfect papers and embellishments. Either way works. It is easier if you have a theme. If you have a photograph on or of the beach, look for supplies pertaining to the beach; if your supplies are bright and happy colors fit for a birthday or summer celebration, then look for a photograph that would go with those colors and emotions.
Check your resolutions - if you are like me, armed with an old computer, I suggest changing your pictures' [that doesn't just pertain to photos] resolutions and make them all the same - see here. I found out that if I do not use elements of the same resolution, one would be bigger than another when it's not supposed to [for example, a bling shouldn't be bigger than a flower]. True, I can re-size the flower, but by doing so, re-sizing might make the flower fuzzy or blurred - because remember, you are increasing the size of the element but the resolution of, say 72 dpi is not enough for such size.
Putting your elements together - It is easy to put elements together in one LO. Start with a simple LO first until you master the art of finding things around your digital work area (^.^) Scraplift a simple traditional or digital LO. As with crediting digital suppliers, please don't forget to give credit to the person you scraplifted from.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
I'm a Digital Freebie User
Among the MANY things I collect are digital supplies that are free. It's like having a feast if I find them one after the other! I'm like an anteater not knowing which ant to eat first before they all run away. Sometimes I spend more time downloading the freebies than making digital layouts. At the end of the downloads, I am always guilty I wasted my time downloading than creating.
But I can't help it! I can't afford to buy digital supplies all the time. And the designers... they are so talented and generous! I love them all. I thank them all for sharing their hard-work with me. Their work is so beautiful, I just got to have 'em! I will have nightmares if I miss anything that is sooooo awesome! and the freebies...some of them don't last long - the link expires. So I got to get them while they are free!
Why do they give out freebies? Just because. They are kind-hearted. They are proud of their work. They want to be known. They want to make friends. They want to make a living. And all they want in return is a "little loving" and respect for the TOU.
I know what a little comment can do for someone. When I get one it makes me happy. I admit that sometimes I don't leave comments, especially when I'm downloading [on the sly] from the office. But I do leave comments most of the time. Sometimes it's just "x-x-x-x-x-x". No, it's not a border or an end to my comment. It means, "thank you so much for sharing, I love you!!!!"
Most of the designers have an on-line store and give out freebies to attract customers. Sometimes I feel guilty downloading all or most of the freebies I see in a store. To ease my guilt a little I'd purchase a kit here and there.
I have so much I don't even know where to begin, which one to use first, in which disc I've saved a particular one, blah-blah-blah, blah-blah.
The question now is what shall I do with all the freebies I collected? I can't give them away. I can't share them. I can't sell them. I can't claim anything I've altered. And if you look closely at those TOUs, some say you can't alter them in a way that it changes the original art, and that if you do, you have to mention you altered something [like re-coloring, adding another swirl to a swirl, for examples). Which makes sense, because what if you messed up a beautiful design by altering it? Don't want to blame the designer for an ugly design ;-)
Most of the layouts I make are that of my family, especially that of my daughter because there's always something happening with her and her friends and she takes lots of pictures. She's beginning to get interested in digital scrapbooking and has revised a few layouts I made, especially the journaling part. If she continues this interest and I let her use the supplies I have to decorate her album, or if someday, among other things, the discs were handed down to her, I would be SHARING. Would this scenario be against the TOU?
Family members land friends love my digital scrapbook pages and want copies for themselves, especially if they are on the pictures also. Would it be against some rule GIVING away copies of layouts made from freebies? And if they post copies of these on their own galleries, how can they give credit to the designer when they don't have that information? Will that be breaking the TOU?
Some say they'd pay me if I made a baby or Christmas or first school year album. Would that be against the rule? Can I say that they're paying me for the time I spent and the layout design I made by putting all the elements together, not the freebie? Would this be considered SELLING the freebie?
I really have to pay close attention to the TOUs. I swear I saw this statement in each freebie: PERSONAL USE ONLY.
Even the supplies I bought, the TOU states "for personal use only", and something like, "commercial use available, contact designer". OK now, I thought that if I paid for it, it's "mine", like a dress, or a purse, or a pair of shoes...
But I can't help it! I can't afford to buy digital supplies all the time. And the designers... they are so talented and generous! I love them all. I thank them all for sharing their hard-work with me. Their work is so beautiful, I just got to have 'em! I will have nightmares if I miss anything that is sooooo awesome! and the freebies...some of them don't last long - the link expires. So I got to get them while they are free!
Why do they give out freebies? Just because. They are kind-hearted. They are proud of their work. They want to be known. They want to make friends. They want to make a living. And all they want in return is a "little loving" and respect for the TOU.
I know what a little comment can do for someone. When I get one it makes me happy. I admit that sometimes I don't leave comments, especially when I'm downloading [on the sly] from the office. But I do leave comments most of the time. Sometimes it's just "x-x-x-x-x-x". No, it's not a border or an end to my comment. It means, "thank you so much for sharing, I love you!!!!"
Most of the designers have an on-line store and give out freebies to attract customers. Sometimes I feel guilty downloading all or most of the freebies I see in a store. To ease my guilt a little I'd purchase a kit here and there.
I have so much I don't even know where to begin, which one to use first, in which disc I've saved a particular one, blah-blah-blah, blah-blah.
The question now is what shall I do with all the freebies I collected? I can't give them away. I can't share them. I can't sell them. I can't claim anything I've altered. And if you look closely at those TOUs, some say you can't alter them in a way that it changes the original art, and that if you do, you have to mention you altered something [like re-coloring, adding another swirl to a swirl, for examples). Which makes sense, because what if you messed up a beautiful design by altering it? Don't want to blame the designer for an ugly design ;-)
Most of the layouts I make are that of my family, especially that of my daughter because there's always something happening with her and her friends and she takes lots of pictures. She's beginning to get interested in digital scrapbooking and has revised a few layouts I made, especially the journaling part. If she continues this interest and I let her use the supplies I have to decorate her album, or if someday, among other things, the discs were handed down to her, I would be SHARING. Would this scenario be against the TOU?
Family members land friends love my digital scrapbook pages and want copies for themselves, especially if they are on the pictures also. Would it be against some rule GIVING away copies of layouts made from freebies? And if they post copies of these on their own galleries, how can they give credit to the designer when they don't have that information? Will that be breaking the TOU?
Some say they'd pay me if I made a baby or Christmas or first school year album. Would that be against the rule? Can I say that they're paying me for the time I spent and the layout design I made by putting all the elements together, not the freebie? Would this be considered SELLING the freebie?
I really have to pay close attention to the TOUs. I swear I saw this statement in each freebie: PERSONAL USE ONLY.
Even the supplies I bought, the TOU states "for personal use only", and something like, "commercial use available, contact designer". OK now, I thought that if I paid for it, it's "mine", like a dress, or a purse, or a pair of shoes...
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Now You See It, Now You Don't
Ever had the experience of taking a photo of something, like a view of a garden, the horizon, or the beach but there are people walking across in front of you thus blocking the view or adding unnecessary noise to your photograph?
You wait patiently for people to get out of your way to take that perfect picture. Some see you and move away with an apologetic smile. Others.... they see you but just take their time and won't budge at all!
Well, this happened to me during my yearly Mother's Day visit to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. We didn't really get to go on Mother's Day because it rained. We went the following weekend. I wanted to take lots of pictures and practice using the Nikon D80. DH has been nagging me about learning how to use it. I was content with my Olympus but learning how to use a different one is OK.
In this picture there was this woman and a child who blocked my view. They were not aware I was behind them so I waited patiently. The little boy went to the side and the mother followed suit. HA! My chance, I thought. But alas! not quite out of my view. I took the shot anyway as DH said there are more people coming our way. Wouldn't this have been a perfect shot?
You wait patiently for people to get out of your way to take that perfect picture. Some see you and move away with an apologetic smile. Others.... they see you but just take their time and won't budge at all!
Well, this happened to me during my yearly Mother's Day visit to the Chicago Botanic Gardens. We didn't really get to go on Mother's Day because it rained. We went the following weekend. I wanted to take lots of pictures and practice using the Nikon D80. DH has been nagging me about learning how to use it. I was content with my Olympus but learning how to use a different one is OK.
In this picture there was this woman and a child who blocked my view. They were not aware I was behind them so I waited patiently. The little boy went to the side and the mother followed suit. HA! My chance, I thought. But alas! not quite out of my view. I took the shot anyway as DH said there are more people coming our way. Wouldn't this have been a perfect shot?
I didn't fret. I knew with the use of Photoshop I can re-touch this picture... so here you see it, now you don't....
I used PS8 for this tutorial. What I did: I cloned the areas to the right side of the woman to erase her from my picture. In my picture, I copied a portion of the tree to replace the woman's head and torso, the ground underneath the tree to replace her hips, and the grass to replace her legs. Then I carefully copied the edge of the walkway to replace her shoes.
Zoom in to the area you want to re-touch. In the Tool Box, choose the CLONE STAMP tool, it is the 5th box down in the first column. Make the diameter/size of the stamp tool manageable [small or big enough to copy the pixels next to the area you want to clone]. Press ALT key [notice that the cursor changed shape- like a target or bull's eye]. Bring the cursor to the area you want to clone. Left click while depressing the ALT key. Then release ALT key and bring the cursor to the area you want to erase or replace. Left click and move your mouse around to clone the area you selected [notice that the cursor changed into a small circle and a plus sign. The plus sign is where you are copying, the circle is where you are replacing.]Here are other pictures where I used the Clone Stamp Tool. Original picture below, the ball was cut-off the camera's view. I looked for another picture with a complete view of the ball, merged the picture side by side so I could clone the ball.
In so doing, I also cloned some areas of the backdrop.
I didn't stop there. I cloned another ball so N. will have her own. Take note that the brand name of the ball is on top - that's because I rotated the clone so it will look like it's a different ball!
The possibilities are endless! So go ahead, clone yourself a twin!My New Hero
This is old news. And you probably have seen the video many times over and over again. Did you laugh? Does it still make you laugh? Every time you play it, does it still make you roll over in laughter?
I admit that the first time I viewed it with the caption/trailer, I laughed. I played it again and I laughed again, this time, the second time, I laughed at the facial expression of the lady judge. She was just staring at the contestant in disbelief! Everytime I watched the video clip, it is this judge's expresion I laugh at.
I played it several times more. The song caught on - the singer's version, that is. Without you, sang by Harry Nilsson a long time ago was one of my many favorite songs. I still know the lyrics, to the surprise of my teenage daughter, who thinks it is a brand new song! But I like Valentina's version better.
I have high respect for Valentina. She is my new hero. She stood there in front of the judges and thousands of people [knowing that there will be millions more who would be watching her] with utmost confidence! CONFIDENCE! something I lack. When the judge asked her if she meant to sing "Without You", she confidently replied "No." She gave her heart and soul singing that song.
I admire her sweet innocence of the English language. Why should I laugh at her again? She did the best she could, the way she understood how words were pronounced, the best she could in her Bulgarian accent.
Way to go, Valentina! My hero!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RgL2MKfWTo
I admit that the first time I viewed it with the caption/trailer, I laughed. I played it again and I laughed again, this time, the second time, I laughed at the facial expression of the lady judge. She was just staring at the contestant in disbelief! Everytime I watched the video clip, it is this judge's expresion I laugh at.
I played it several times more. The song caught on - the singer's version, that is. Without you, sang by Harry Nilsson a long time ago was one of my many favorite songs. I still know the lyrics, to the surprise of my teenage daughter, who thinks it is a brand new song! But I like Valentina's version better.
I have high respect for Valentina. She is my new hero. She stood there in front of the judges and thousands of people [knowing that there will be millions more who would be watching her] with utmost confidence! CONFIDENCE! something I lack. When the judge asked her if she meant to sing "Without You", she confidently replied "No." She gave her heart and soul singing that song.
I admire her sweet innocence of the English language. Why should I laugh at her again? She did the best she could, the way she understood how words were pronounced, the best she could in her Bulgarian accent.
Way to go, Valentina! My hero!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RgL2MKfWTo
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Changing Your Resolutions
Today's tutorial is changing resolutions.I'm not talking about your personal resolutions, like your new year's resolutions. I'm talking about the resolutions of your pictures and digital elements. As defined by PhotoFinish, "Resolution is the interpreter between the physical world of inches and the digital world of pixels." Pixels is short for picture elements. A pixel is the smallest unit in a computer image or display. Every image on your computer is made up of a colored grid of pixels. So when you work with digital pictures [photographs, embellishments used in digital scrapbooking, etc.] you work with pixels.
Usually the digital papers and embellishments are made with a resolution of 300 pixels. The more pixels in a picture, the higher the resolution. The higher the resolution and the more files you have open super slows down your computer! If you have 5 pictures of 300 pixels each that would slow down your work time tremendously.
So here's what I do... I always change the resolution of each element I use to 150 ppi (pixels per inch) or dpi [dots per inch]. Go to IMAGE, then IMAGE SIZE, then DOCUMENT SIZE. Under RESOLUTION, change the size to 150 pixels per inch. Remember to use the same resolution for all elements you are going to use on a layout. Otherwise, you'll find that some elements [like a flower] might be larger than your background paper.
When closing the files you used, remember to not use "SAVE" otherwise you will be changing the resolutions of your originals.
Once you have completed a layout, then you can merge all your layers into one layer and save the entire layout using .jpg instead of .png. You can also change the jpeg resolution to 72. This is the resolution I use when uploading pictures into my websites.
If you have questions about this simple tutorial, please leave me a comment. Thank you.
Usually the digital papers and embellishments are made with a resolution of 300 pixels. The more pixels in a picture, the higher the resolution. The higher the resolution and the more files you have open super slows down your computer! If you have 5 pictures of 300 pixels each that would slow down your work time tremendously.
So here's what I do... I always change the resolution of each element I use to 150 ppi (pixels per inch) or dpi [dots per inch]. Go to IMAGE, then IMAGE SIZE, then DOCUMENT SIZE. Under RESOLUTION, change the size to 150 pixels per inch. Remember to use the same resolution for all elements you are going to use on a layout. Otherwise, you'll find that some elements [like a flower] might be larger than your background paper.
When closing the files you used, remember to not use "SAVE" otherwise you will be changing the resolutions of your originals.
Once you have completed a layout, then you can merge all your layers into one layer and save the entire layout using .jpg instead of .png. You can also change the jpeg resolution to 72. This is the resolution I use when uploading pictures into my websites.
If you have questions about this simple tutorial, please leave me a comment. Thank you.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
TODAY!
Two excited teens. Can't wait till we get to the sky-diving place. We left the house at 6:45am to rendezvous at Kelly's. We left Kelly's around 8:00 am and drove north to East Troy, WI.
Map Quest was wrong [again!]. Instead of instructing us to go straight ahead [a slight right and straight] it said to turn left on R83. We turned around and missed the turn again! after 16 miles of driving we found the place!
It was raining when we got there. The skies were dark and I thought perhaps this is a sign? I was nervous about this plan, you know. Perhaps the dive will be cancelled. Perhaps we
can turn around now. Perhaps this will give the kids a time to think this over and change their minds?
Well, not really. They madeup their minds and stuck to the plan: sky-diving TODAY! May 3rd. Because today is Prom Day!
The staff showed us pictures and video of other sky divers; friendly young people. They talked about how many times they have jumped and how exciting it is. They even tried to persuade Terry [Kelly's mom] and I to join the dive. I said, no way, Jose. The reason I quit my other job was because I don't want to fly anymore.
The kids were excited. They couldn't wait to sign up. I read the contract... it's more for the benefit of the place and the staff; not ours. Oh, boy! The kids kept signing and
initialing each item. Did they even read what they were signing? Perhaps. But even if they won't agree with everything that's written, they've set their mind. TODAY!
One has to be at least 18 to dive. Parents can't even consent for anyone under 18. Parents have no say for kids who are 18. They are a separate individual entity! After signing we watched a video about the process, what to expect, the legalities... scary...
Like I said: SCARY!
We waited at the clubhouse. It was still raining and very windy. The staff said that they did fly and dive even in the rain but no one wants to do it again. The rain hurts terribly. They're worried about the raindrops hurting?
It rained and stopped and rained again. We tried to tell the kids to perhaps return the next day. Sunday's forecast was 60 degrees and sunny. The response? "It's not gonna happen!" it has to be TODAY!
Map Quest was wrong [again!]. Instead of instructing us to go straight ahead [a slight right and straight] it said to turn left on R83. We turned around and missed the turn again! after 16 miles of driving we found the place!It was raining when we got there. The skies were dark and I thought perhaps this is a sign? I was nervous about this plan, you know. Perhaps the dive will be cancelled. Perhaps we
can turn around now. Perhaps this will give the kids a time to think this over and change their minds?Well, not really. They madeup their minds and stuck to the plan: sky-diving TODAY! May 3rd. Because today is Prom Day!
The staff showed us pictures and video of other sky divers; friendly young people. They talked about how many times they have jumped and how exciting it is. They even tried to persuade Terry [Kelly's mom] and I to join the dive. I said, no way, Jose. The reason I quit my other job was because I don't want to fly anymore.
The kids were excited. They couldn't wait to sign up. I read the contract... it's more for the benefit of the place and the staff; not ours. Oh, boy! The kids kept signing and
initialing each item. Did they even read what they were signing? Perhaps. But even if they won't agree with everything that's written, they've set their mind. TODAY!One has to be at least 18 to dive. Parents can't even consent for anyone under 18. Parents have no say for kids who are 18. They are a separate individual entity! After signing we watched a video about the process, what to expect, the legalities... scary...
Like I said: SCARY!We waited at the clubhouse. It was still raining and very windy. The staff said that they did fly and dive even in the rain but no one wants to do it again. The rain hurts terribly. They're worried about the raindrops hurting?
It rained and stopped and rained again. We tried to tell the kids to perhaps return the next day. Sunday's forecast was 60 degrees and sunny. The response? "It's not gonna happen!" it has to be TODAY!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Transforming An Element
I have noticed that some elements used on a digital layout have lost their original size and dimension. A button that once was circular in shape became slightly oval; a person's figure became stretched sideways making the person short and fat; or stretched vertically that it made their faces elongated.
I know why this is as it happened to me the first time I've worked on re-sizing the elements to fit my page or to flip it around to make it face the other way.
So as not to lose the original dimensions of an element, I am sharing with you what I do. There may be other better ways I've yet to discover but this works for me and I'll keep doing it until I discover a short cut or better way to do it.
I used CS3 extended in creating the pictures below, you will be able to do it with any photoshop versions as the process is still the same.
Open the element you want to use. If the element is already on your digital layout, choose that layer.
Under EDIT, choose FREE TRANSFORM. Your screen or layer should look like the one below. You should be able to see a "box" of lines surrounding your element. There are "handles" at each corner, top and bottom, right and left sides of the box.
To re-size the element, grab one of the corner handles. The cursor should change into a double-ended straight arrow. Press the SHIFT and ALT keys while you move the cursor inwards [making the element smaller] or outwards [making the element bigger].
So there you are. Don't forgot to press SHIFT + ALT when re-sizing to keep the dimensions intact.
If this were a flower and you'd want to use five of the same flower, and of different sizes, don't forget to turn them around a little bit in different directions so that it will appear that you have different flowers instead of one - this is especially true if one petal is folded or shaped differently than the others. If you transform the flower and move it around so that particular petal is on the right side or at the bottom, then the flowers will not look alike.
To rotate the element, choose EDIT and FREE TRANSFORM once again. Bring the cursor outside the "box" in one of the corner handles. The cursor will change into a double-ended curved arrow. Now move the cursor up or down. You may want to hold down SHIFT + ALT just in case so you won't make a mistake of re-sizing the object.
Next lesson will be about re-coloring an element.
I know why this is as it happened to me the first time I've worked on re-sizing the elements to fit my page or to flip it around to make it face the other way.
So as not to lose the original dimensions of an element, I am sharing with you what I do. There may be other better ways I've yet to discover but this works for me and I'll keep doing it until I discover a short cut or better way to do it.
I used CS3 extended in creating the pictures below, you will be able to do it with any photoshop versions as the process is still the same.
Open the element you want to use. If the element is already on your digital layout, choose that layer.
Under EDIT, choose FREE TRANSFORM. Your screen or layer should look like the one below. You should be able to see a "box" of lines surrounding your element. There are "handles" at each corner, top and bottom, right and left sides of the box.
To re-size the element, grab one of the corner handles. The cursor should change into a double-ended straight arrow. Press the SHIFT and ALT keys while you move the cursor inwards [making the element smaller] or outwards [making the element bigger].
So there you are. Don't forgot to press SHIFT + ALT when re-sizing to keep the dimensions intact.
If this were a flower and you'd want to use five of the same flower, and of different sizes, don't forget to turn them around a little bit in different directions so that it will appear that you have different flowers instead of one - this is especially true if one petal is folded or shaped differently than the others. If you transform the flower and move it around so that particular petal is on the right side or at the bottom, then the flowers will not look alike.
To rotate the element, choose EDIT and FREE TRANSFORM once again. Bring the cursor outside the "box" in one of the corner handles. The cursor will change into a double-ended curved arrow. Now move the cursor up or down. You may want to hold down SHIFT + ALT just in case so you won't make a mistake of re-sizing the object.
Next lesson will be about re-coloring an element.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Hump Day
It's Hump Day. I've always wondered why they call today Hump Day. I always thought it's because people are grouchy on Wednesdays because by this time of the week they've had enough of office life and they go "hump!" every time you ask them a question. I was told Wednesday is called Hump Day because it is the middle of the week and after getting over this hump, you will be rolling down into the weekend, which everybody can't wait for.
Hump Day! They should find a new terminology for this one. It doesn't sound right anymore. It's just like the word "gay". I can no longer sing my favorite happy song... "I'm so pretty, I'm so pretty, oh, so witty, and gayyyyy...!" without fear of offending someone.
Last Monday, I was crabby. I think it's because it's Monday. Not only that. My elbow still hurts [it's been hurting since before Christmas]. The doctor thinks it's the ulnar nerve. When I got to work, somebody changed the settings on my computer! it made me give out the loudest "ARGGGGGHHHH!!!!" I know who did it but won't admit it!
Then Tuesday, is grouchy day. Still grouchy after Monday. That's because someone threw the coffee filter with day-old stinking coffee in my trash can. MY trash can! Why don't they use their own trash can?!
Today, someone asked me how my pain is. I said my pain is in his office and I'm going home without it.
Hump Day! They should find a new terminology for this one. It doesn't sound right anymore. It's just like the word "gay". I can no longer sing my favorite happy song... "I'm so pretty, I'm so pretty, oh, so witty, and gayyyyy...!" without fear of offending someone.
Last Monday, I was crabby. I think it's because it's Monday. Not only that. My elbow still hurts [it's been hurting since before Christmas]. The doctor thinks it's the ulnar nerve. When I got to work, somebody changed the settings on my computer! it made me give out the loudest "ARGGGGGHHHH!!!!" I know who did it but won't admit it!
Then Tuesday, is grouchy day. Still grouchy after Monday. That's because someone threw the coffee filter with day-old stinking coffee in my trash can. MY trash can! Why don't they use their own trash can?!
Today, someone asked me how my pain is. I said my pain is in his office and I'm going home without it.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Forwarded Messages
I always receive forwarded messages from friends and family. Some are jokes, some contain good advice, some are religious, some are sad...
Some I read, most I delete, and rarely do I forward them to anyone else. But here's one I received from DH and I think it is worth to share with everybody.
Cell Phone Use and Messages
Be aware that cell phones easily get lost or stolen. Due to this reason,
1) Do not label the phone numbers like Dad, Mom, Hubby, Son, Daughter. Use first names.
2) Do not respond to sensitive information through text messaging, such as your social security number, your PIN number, bank account, credit card number.
3) If you are not sure if it is someone you know [i.e. your spouse] asking about these questions, CONFIRM by calling back. And it is better to tell them verbally over the phone than by texting.
4) If you receive a text message from friends or family saying they want to meet you somewhere [to shop, to dine, for a movie] again, CONFIRM by calling back.
5) [from me] better yet, each member should have their own pass code [kind of like a signature]to add at the end of the text message, one that doesn't make sense to anyone but just between family members. such as !!! or cherio
Take care.
Some I read, most I delete, and rarely do I forward them to anyone else. But here's one I received from DH and I think it is worth to share with everybody.
Cell Phone Use and Messages
Be aware that cell phones easily get lost or stolen. Due to this reason,
1) Do not label the phone numbers like Dad, Mom, Hubby, Son, Daughter. Use first names.
2) Do not respond to sensitive information through text messaging, such as your social security number, your PIN number, bank account, credit card number.
3) If you are not sure if it is someone you know [i.e. your spouse] asking about these questions, CONFIRM by calling back. And it is better to tell them verbally over the phone than by texting.
4) If you receive a text message from friends or family saying they want to meet you somewhere [to shop, to dine, for a movie] again, CONFIRM by calling back.
5) [from me] better yet, each member should have their own pass code [kind of like a signature]to add at the end of the text message, one that doesn't make sense to anyone but just between family members. such as !!! or cherio
Take care.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Never Satisfied
Winter time and everybody complained about how cold it was; how much it snowed; won't it ever stop; won't it ever get warmer; everyone complained how they were tired of the snow.
The snow stopped. It is not as cold. Everybody still complained about how cold it wass; and how windy. Will Spring ever come?
Now it's Spring. Everybody complained about spring allergies; the mold; the pollen; how cloudy; how crumy.
Since it's Spring, there no longer is snow. So it rained. Everybody complained about the rain; how crappy the weather is outside; how it's always wet and yucky; how dark and forboding the skies are.
Man is never satisfied. Would man rather have Him send tornados or earthquakes?
The snow stopped. It is not as cold. Everybody still complained about how cold it wass; and how windy. Will Spring ever come?
Now it's Spring. Everybody complained about spring allergies; the mold; the pollen; how cloudy; how crumy.
Since it's Spring, there no longer is snow. So it rained. Everybody complained about the rain; how crappy the weather is outside; how it's always wet and yucky; how dark and forboding the skies are.
Man is never satisfied. Would man rather have Him send tornados or earthquakes?
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Stupid, Ignorant Man
Once again, man has proven his ignorance...and cruelty!
People have been building houses all over the place. There are fewer forest preserves around. In the summer time, as one drives by a lush group of trees, you'd think that there a thick forest preserve right there. But in the winter time, when you drive by the same place, it's just really a few trees... just a line of trees. You can see right through the branches the big houses and tidy subdivision streets.
Man has to build his house big. The bigger the lot, the bigger the building. Indoor swimming pools, an exercise room, a spa, a music room, indoor basket ball courts or tennis courts, a mini golf.... it's almost like man is building a baricade around him, around his assets, almost like shunning himself away from the rest of world.
Because of all the construction, which by the way makes me go ARGHHHHH!!!!, animals are misplaced. The reason for the ear piercing ARGH! is they always start building in the Fall. Imagine those big bulldozers digging deep into the ground. Digging up animal burrows. Cutting down trees - animals live there too, you know. And the poor animals, they don't have a place to go. They cannot just build another nest somewhere or start digging the ground for shelter. It took them years to build their burrows, which in one sweep, man destroys. Poor animals run across the roads to get to the other side in search of a new home. They end up as road kills. Poor animals homeless for the winter...cold and starving. Poor man, has a tiny little house. Must build it big.
Then man gets mad if a skunk or a rabbit makes its home under their porches. Man gets surprised to see cayotes in their backyards. Man gets irritated and afraid. Man puts out poisoned food to kill what irritates him.
Recently, man saw a cougar! Ignorant man hunts for cougar. Instead of arming himself with a tranquilizer, man goes hunting with real guns and bullets. Man kills cougar. Man is happy. Stupid man!Stupid, stupid, ignorant man!
ARGHHHHH!!!!
People have been building houses all over the place. There are fewer forest preserves around. In the summer time, as one drives by a lush group of trees, you'd think that there a thick forest preserve right there. But in the winter time, when you drive by the same place, it's just really a few trees... just a line of trees. You can see right through the branches the big houses and tidy subdivision streets.
Man has to build his house big. The bigger the lot, the bigger the building. Indoor swimming pools, an exercise room, a spa, a music room, indoor basket ball courts or tennis courts, a mini golf.... it's almost like man is building a baricade around him, around his assets, almost like shunning himself away from the rest of world.
Because of all the construction, which by the way makes me go ARGHHHHH!!!!, animals are misplaced. The reason for the ear piercing ARGH! is they always start building in the Fall. Imagine those big bulldozers digging deep into the ground. Digging up animal burrows. Cutting down trees - animals live there too, you know. And the poor animals, they don't have a place to go. They cannot just build another nest somewhere or start digging the ground for shelter. It took them years to build their burrows, which in one sweep, man destroys. Poor animals run across the roads to get to the other side in search of a new home. They end up as road kills. Poor animals homeless for the winter...cold and starving. Poor man, has a tiny little house. Must build it big.
Then man gets mad if a skunk or a rabbit makes its home under their porches. Man gets surprised to see cayotes in their backyards. Man gets irritated and afraid. Man puts out poisoned food to kill what irritates him.
Recently, man saw a cougar! Ignorant man hunts for cougar. Instead of arming himself with a tranquilizer, man goes hunting with real guns and bullets. Man kills cougar. Man is happy. Stupid man!Stupid, stupid, ignorant man!
ARGHHHHH!!!!
My Hidden Journals
My sister, Lee, came up with this month's idea for the Pinoyscrapbookers' Kaya! Challenge. See here for details of the challenge.
I am mostly a digital scrapbooker for the reason of convenience. Anyway, digital layouts are excluded from this challenge. I think because my sister thinks that digital layouts won't meet 2 of the requirements:
1) the hidden journaling component
I don't see any problem with the hidden journaling component. It is hidden anyway. True, the time comes when the recipient has to take out the sealed message. And you probably have blurted out loud... "How in the world are they going to do that with a digital layout?!"
I don't know how other digital scrapbookers save their layouts, but this is how I preserve mine.
I have hidden journals and messages behind my pictures.
See where there are those tags and pieces of paper peeking out at the side? Those are not just there as part of the decoration.
Those are where my journals are written. Journals that may not aesthetically go well with my layout have they been written out there in the open.
Most of my layouts have hidden stories of what happened during that day. Not just who are in the picture, where it was taken, what the occasion was, who didn't show up, who messed up, who was funny, who cried, but also my inner most thoughts and feelings.
Lately, I have been making these hidden journals a little conspicuous... and not so conspicuous... see that greenish piece of mat behind the picture? There's journaling right behind there!
So now, the answer to the million dollar question... how will one be able to read those journals?
I save my digital layouts in two different versions. One in jpeg version so I can upload them easily in galleries; and the other in psd version where some of the layers are preserved as separate from the rest. I don't merge or flatten all my images. Then I burn my digital layouts onto DVDs.
So in the future, when any of my loved ones want to know what's with the picture, they insert the DVD into the computer, open the file, and with the use of the mouse, drag out the hidden journal to read it. Since by this time the files are read-only, there is no fear of messing up the arrangement of my layouts. When they are done reading, whether they return the note back in its original position or not, it will go back to how it was saved. Ready to be pulled out and read again.
I showed my daughter how this works so she will be aware of what to do.
2) recipient to be able to touch and feel the components of the scrapbook page.
Well, this one is a winner. No matter how much they'd touch the monitor, they won't feel anything but the warm smoothness of the screen. But still, my journals will keep them informed; they will feel the thoughts I will leave behind; they will be touched with the love I have for them.
If you think this digital scrapbooking idea is awesome, something you will consider to use on your future layouts, please drop me a line. I'd like to know what you think. TFL.
I am mostly a digital scrapbooker for the reason of convenience. Anyway, digital layouts are excluded from this challenge. I think because my sister thinks that digital layouts won't meet 2 of the requirements:
1) the hidden journaling component
I don't see any problem with the hidden journaling component. It is hidden anyway. True, the time comes when the recipient has to take out the sealed message. And you probably have blurted out loud... "How in the world are they going to do that with a digital layout?!"
I don't know how other digital scrapbookers save their layouts, but this is how I preserve mine.
I have hidden journals and messages behind my pictures.
See where there are those tags and pieces of paper peeking out at the side? Those are not just there as part of the decoration.
Those are where my journals are written. Journals that may not aesthetically go well with my layout have they been written out there in the open.
Most of my layouts have hidden stories of what happened during that day. Not just who are in the picture, where it was taken, what the occasion was, who didn't show up, who messed up, who was funny, who cried, but also my inner most thoughts and feelings.
Lately, I have been making these hidden journals a little conspicuous... and not so conspicuous... see that greenish piece of mat behind the picture? There's journaling right behind there!
So now, the answer to the million dollar question... how will one be able to read those journals?
I save my digital layouts in two different versions. One in jpeg version so I can upload them easily in galleries; and the other in psd version where some of the layers are preserved as separate from the rest. I don't merge or flatten all my images. Then I burn my digital layouts onto DVDs.
So in the future, when any of my loved ones want to know what's with the picture, they insert the DVD into the computer, open the file, and with the use of the mouse, drag out the hidden journal to read it. Since by this time the files are read-only, there is no fear of messing up the arrangement of my layouts. When they are done reading, whether they return the note back in its original position or not, it will go back to how it was saved. Ready to be pulled out and read again.
I showed my daughter how this works so she will be aware of what to do.
2) recipient to be able to touch and feel the components of the scrapbook page.
Well, this one is a winner. No matter how much they'd touch the monitor, they won't feel anything but the warm smoothness of the screen. But still, my journals will keep them informed; they will feel the thoughts I will leave behind; they will be touched with the love I have for them.
If you think this digital scrapbooking idea is awesome, something you will consider to use on your future layouts, please drop me a line. I'd like to know what you think. TFL.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Some but not all
Some people are just that...SOME.
They are so afraid to give. So afraid to share. Like if they do, they feel they get left behind. They feel that if they give and share, they bring someone up and they get left down below.
They are so afraid to give. So afraid to share. Like if they do, they feel they get left behind. They feel that if they give and share, they bring someone up and they get left down below.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Stuck in a snow storm
We were sent home around noon because of the nasty weather. Since DH and I carpool, Ashley gave me a ride home. Ashley usually goes via Grand Avenue, then Hunt Club Road but this time, I asked her to go via Washington Road then Hunt Club. The distance is shorter. I didn't know it was Ashley's first drive in a snow storm. She's from Southern Mississippi. While in the parking lot I helped brush off the snow from my side of her truck/van. OK.. I found a spatula [one that you fry eggs with!] in the front seat. I used that one, thinking that Ashley is on the other side comfortably using her snow brush. I went around to the front brushing mirrors and the car lights [people always forget to brush off the snow from their brake lights and front lights!!] . Then I saw Ashley brushing the snow with a.... coca cola bottle???! We weren't even halfway done on the windshield when she jumped into the truck and said, "Let's go!" She turned on the ignition and turned the big wipers on. With a few swoops, the snow was gone. The streets were not plowed yet. Just like this one in front of our house. How could one plow if the snow keeps coming?
So I called DD and we dressed up and helped plow. DH got to be a hero today, too! He helped push 2 cars who got stuck in the same place where the sedan got stuck.
It's the the kind of day that is not too cold you can bear to be out there for hours and the kind of snow that's soft and fluffy you can build snowmen and make snow angels. But we didn't have time for that.
Traffic was slow on Washington Road because of thick snow on the roads and poor visibility. Ashley had to step on her brakes more often than usual and every time she did, the snow from the roof slid down the windshield. [I knew this would happen.] But never fear! her big brute wipers brushed them off. But there was just too much snow that soon the wipers were buried. Now I couldn't see a thing. Ashley had a small hole-of-a-window where all she could see were the tire tracks made by cars in front of us. I told her to stop the truck and I'll go out and brush the snow off the windshield. All was well until snow came tumbling down again. Ashley and I jumped out of the truck, armed with a coke bottle and a spatula, we scopped as much snow as we could. OK now, I said truck. This is one of those vans that don't look like a family van but a truck! Oh, did I mention that Ashley and I are barely 5'1" tall? We could hardly reach the windshield, hahaha! Now we've caused a traffic jam on our side of the road and on the other side people were gawking! Did they want to know who the crazy little people were? We laughed all the way about this experience I complete forgot my fear that it's her first snow storm!
Anyway, we got home and as soon as I saw how thick the snow is leading to our driveway, I asked Ashley to not bring it in as she might get stuck. It looks like the plow went through our subdivision and pushed all the snow to the side thus blocking every parking entrance along the way!
That's DH stuck in the driveway. I planned to call & warn him about it but forgot when I got in from the cold. Half of the Toy truck is sticking out into the road so he really had to get it out of there right away!
That car facing the main road [behind my husband's] got stuck right there. When Ashley and I got home a sedan got stuck in the same place. The owner approached me to ask if I could get in his car, drive it, while he pushes. OK... weird...I think I've watched too many CSI episodes. I'd like to be a good samaritan but...too many what-ifs. I asked Ashley to stay until I got this guy's car out into the main road. Hah! easier said than done. It took us 45 minutes getting him out of there. I left the door open, I floored the accelerator, the guy pushed, we rocked, hahaha! I was also conscious about cars on the main road, when I saw on-coming cars I would yell, "Cars...! Cars...!" and put the car on park. I didn't think the guy liked that because the more the car got stuck. But I was afraid the car would fly out of there straight across the main road. Uh, ok, guy, I value my life and those of others and I don't know you. 2 guys with their plow passed by and helped push. So now there were 3 guys and Ashley pushing. It worked, so here I was driving the guy's car with the door open, into the main road and kept driving slowly until I thought the snow on that part of the road is not too thick. Unknowingly, the guy was running after me yelling, "Miss you can stop now, miss you can stop now!" Haha- did he think I was going to run off with his car? Well.. I did think for a fleeting second that he'd grab his gun and take off with me when he asked me to drive his car while he pushed! Anyhooo.... I felt like a hero today! Thanks to Ashley too! [She made it home safe, by the way!]
So here's hubby with his snow plow making way for the Toy truck to get it out of the street and into the driveway, at least. It's a slow process. Well, at least, he got a chance to use his brand new hood with a clear plastic shield. He said it will keep the snow off his face and his eye glasses won't fog up.
So I called DD and we dressed up and helped plow. DH got to be a hero today, too! He helped push 2 cars who got stuck in the same place where the sedan got stuck.
It's the the kind of day that is not too cold you can bear to be out there for hours and the kind of snow that's soft and fluffy you can build snowmen and make snow angels. But we didn't have time for that.
DD got sick the following day :(
Monday, January 14, 2008
Old Man Winter's Fury
Not a sign of Mr. Sun in the sky. More snow is in the forcast. Everybody's sick of this weather. Even the Sarge is having "cabin-fever". I wonder what he's thinking about....
That white stuff is still out there. It has covered up my playground. Why couldn't it be at least not wet and cold? Where is my buddy, Red [the chipmunk]? and Curly [the squirrel]? I miss them so. And the green grass? I want to nibble some grass!!! 
Not even Mr. Blue Jay and Robin are around.What the cat sees...
This gets to be boring... I better get back to work. I hear some mice making themselves comfortable in the basement.
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