as promised, riveting material

A, Roux and two friends of ours spent the weekend at my dad's place in Beulah, Colorado. Not many people have ever heard of it and even fewer people have ever been there, but it's a quaint little town, if it can even be called that, in the Wet Mountains. My dad and his girlfriend recently acquired two baby Nigerian dwarf goats. These are the second set after a tragic end befell the original Abby and Albi when a mountain lion ripped open their enclosure. These second goats are almost identical to the first and have been given the same names, so they are Albi and Abby the second. Better luck to these little fellas.

I never really thought Nigerial dwarf goats would add too much to the flavor of daily life, but they do. They go on hikes. They snuggle. They drink from a real baby bottle in a very adorable way. They teach the dog how to graze.

Over the course of two days, Roux became very attached indeed. She loves the baby goats so much that I'm trying to make A understand that we simply need a few of our own. So far he has not seen the light.

on toys

This is the new toy I have been chewing on lately. It might not be as endearing as Roux 's little scrubby animals, but I am, nonetheless, grateful to have it in my life now.

a (very) small expose

Keeping in accordance with the last dog post, here's more dog stuff. And if that last post about dogs wasn't totally enthralling, this one certainly won't be. Because it's a miniature expose of Roux's most beloved toys. Fascinating, I know. But for the same reason I still proudly keep my childhood "blanket" (or sheepskin as the case may be) prominently on display, I somehow feel a fondness for Roux's little plush friends that she refrains from completely destroying. She likes to nibble on them softly, not unlike the way she nibbles on my ears, which really is a terribly cute thing to witness.

I promise to return from the weekend with more riveting material.

tree people know it all

Last night I was fortunate enough to attend the first night of the Native American Film Festival in Moscow (Idaho). It was one of those things that you almost don't go to, but after you do, you feel really grateful for the experience. The film last night was about a man named Gerald Bruce Miller (depicted below). I wish I had taken a pad of paper to take notes on all the little bits of wisdom layered into his life and his teaching so I could relay them to you right now. But, most of all I just realized how far off track humanity has gotten. All the things Bruce talked about learning from the previous generations of his family, seem to be all the answers people are stumbling around trying to figure out now. Everything from the environment to war. One of my favorite things he said was that the forest used to be our Wal-Mart. It had everything we needed, and people knew how to use it respectfully. I wonder if there is any hope for the general popluation to return to that sort of understanding....

wee blog

As per our conversation yesterday, this is just the sort of thing that makes you think maybe you do want kids after all.

(via kottke)

puppy fever

It would seem that everyone in our proximity is catching puppy fever big time. Monday we met Moby, then last night we met little Grady, who happens to look an awful lot like a baby panda and is exceptionally photogenic. Her new parents are tripping over themselves with excitement, recording her every move on video. I've always been a dog person, so when I had to go a good five or six years without one from the time I left home for college until A and I got Roux last fall, I missed having a canine friend so much that I actually used to borrow my neighbor's dog to go running with. I wasn't even really friends with the guy, just with his dog. It's the closest I can come to understanding women whose biological clocks are so insistent that they feel a physical need for a baby. I literally used to feel a physical jolt when I'd see puppies. It's weird, I know. Having Roux has done nothing but affirm why I wanted a dog so badly. True, we didn't ski much this winter, and it's a royal pain in the ass to find a dog sitter whenever we want to be gone from the house for longer than four hours at a time. But hands down it's worth it, such a seriously life enriching experience that it is. So it's no wonder I'm so excited for our friends that are departing down the same dogcentric path we've been on for the last six months.

the dailies.

Just stumbled across this. When I was a kid I used to love going places at night because you have a much better shot of catching a glimpse of what people are doing through their window. I guess it is some brand of voyeurism, but mostly I think it's just a curiosity about what other people are doing with their day. So that part of me loves getting the rundown on other people's daily routines. Add to that the fact that they are creative people - many of them working out of their homes doing creative things ALL DAY. And then that makes me insanely jealous. Also, a surprising number of them have animals featured prominently in their lives. Someday I will just design at home all day with a dog at my feet. I could be happy doing that for 100 years.

(via unruly things)

Fur x 2

That is so strange you just posted a fur post...because I was just logging on to post one. this was the Word of the Day today:

sericeous \suh-RISH-us\ adjective
: covered with fine silky hair

As soon as I read it, nasty images of Nicole Kidman's hairy coat and their intimate shaving moments flooded my brain. Who'd have known that we would both be so scarred as a result of that fateful Blockbuster run?

fur

This morning I was riding the bus to school and one of those ladies with hair down to her knee-pits got on and sat right next to me. No big deal. Until, I realize the bottom portion of her hair is lying across my arm and leg. Which, as you can relate, conjured unpleasant memories of the fur jacket Nicole Kidman is wearing at the end of that film we rented.

I just don't think your hair should be so long that it rests on another person without your knowledge.

colour lovers

At 9 pm mountain standard time last night I sent off my first piece of totally independent work. For some reason the colors don't display exactly the way they do in Illustrator, so I still have that to sort out, but they can at least start giving me feedback on the logos. In my unceasing quest to find and/or create color palettes I'm happy with, I came across this unbelievably helpful site.

Also last night we met MOBY, Eric + Amy's new puppy (who incidentally is also Roux's uncle). He is very squishy and smells very puppy-like, two qualities that make me really, really like him. I brought the ol' Canon and couldn't resist the opportunity to take pictures of a dog that is not Roux.

Also, I checked out the Lucky Trunks blog, which I hope you've seen because it's all about Barack Obama. You are so gonna love it.

as promised

As promised..I'm keeping you updated on the candidates for the Digital Media position coming through Pullman the next couple weeks. Today we had Michell Trudo. So, far I'm a fan. Her work is humorous, and she has sort of a vintage aesthetic that I am fond of. Along with teaching and making gallery work, she has her own design business so you might want to add her website to your list of designers to look at. (i think it's www.luckytrunks.com).
Only a week and half until I put my show up and my brain returns......

love, love

musical recommendation

Yeasayer

go to their myspace page and listen to "2080."

interestingly, they define their genre as "visual/gospel/showtunes."

el ciudad

Last week I finally remembered to bring my camera to work. Unfortunatley I didn't really end up having any time to take photos, so all of these were taken on my morning walk to Tattered Cover for my daily chai. Recently I've been rather taken with numbers. One of these days I'll bring my camera downtown and take a good hour or two to document my hood down here.

This weekend was busy with A's parents visitng and Easter, but I did manage to have some MAJOR breakthroughs in Illustrator and actually have designed three successful logo options to date. Tonight will be busy with trying to put the finishing touches on those and coming up with a few more before I send them off, but I'm excited.

a blog i will now be frequenting on a regular basis

i usually don't post on saturdays, and especially not at 6:45 pm, but this is good.

little bronze horse

Because Annick recently torqued her leg I've been required to get out to the barn basically every day since Tuesday. In a way, it's a bit of a bother. The drive is about 45 minutes through curvy canyon roads, which while pretty can also be irritating to drive in, and working full time just generally doesn't leave a ton of free time. So I've been taking Roux with me every day to get dog + horse time in simultaneously. She's turning into quite the barn dog; a huge improvement over the days when she wouldn't even get out of the car if she so much as smelled a horse. I keep her tied because I have diminished trust in her ability to freely roam amongst horses, but she is happy to keep a look out.

Being around Annick on such a frequent basis reminds me how much I love horses. She is an especially good horse, just a really gentle soul, that Annick. She's healing up nicely but I've decided I am going to set a goal of making it out there at least twice a week from here on out. Plus, I'll be able to ride starting April when the rest of the snow melts. I find I'm rather looking forward to that as well. I also have high hopes for the ever fragile Roux/Annick relationship. As of now, this is the only way to get a photo of them both:

On Tuesday while I was waiting for the vet I spent some time photographing the barn. I really, really love that little barn.

love, love

My New Heroes!!

I am in love. One of the faculty here directed me to Olly and Suzi yesterday, and I am so excited that she did. Google them.

webdates

My web presence is shifting....

ponybird.com is updated, still a few kinks to work on, and it only works in safari, but it has come a long way.

also, sheepandwool.org just updated their site with my artwork (although, i have come to like the version here on wonder net better.) soon their will be an option to buy the merchandise online too!

sorry to be short and lame, but it's time for sleeping.

love, LOVE

pony proof

Finally, some documentation of my work in the Portland Horse Project. At first the rings were more difficult to spot than I had anticipated, but I finally located one on the corner of 17th and Irving (near where we went shopping the day you visited). I rigged the thing up in my car so I could just attach it to the loop quickly, with out making too much of a scene. As we drove away I couldn't help feeling sort of bad for the little guy, just leaving him out in the giant world like that.

On my return to Portland a couple weeks later, I went back to the spot to find he had disappeared. I sort of expected it because it was such a high traffic area, and I didn't have the attaching rig suggested by the website. So, either some no fun chump put an end to him, or (as I like to believe) he escaped on his own and is now roaming freely in Forrest Park.

blue ice

As of yesterday I officially have a mobile that hasn't been used as a puppy chew toy. This is exciting on many fronts, partly because new electronic toys are fun to play with, partly because my dad is miraculously continuing to pay my cell phone bill even with a contract renewal, and partly because my new phone is a nice blue color.

On my way into work this morning, I played with the camera a bit. A dangerous pastime, and probably not one I should take up permanently, but it was a beautiful morning.

dear internet,

thank you for entertaining me all day today.

A list of things worth checking out:

1. I have an external hard drive, which I really love. It makes schlepping from work to home so much easier, serves as backup and generally looks very sleek and sexy. But it needs a case if it's going to survive in the beat-em-up lifestyle it is being subjected to. So I've been on the hunt for a pouch, and just bought this today.

You can find the Etsy shop here. (She also has some nice cutout paper prints of arctic animals).

2. This absolutely hilarious snippet of an interview with rapper DMX: (via kottke)

In the middle of this interview with rapper DMX, it becomes clear that he's never heard of Barack Obama before.

Q: Barack Obama, yeah.
A: Barack?!

Q: Barack.
A: What the fuck is a Barack?! Barack Obama. Where he from, Africa?

Q: Yeah, his dad is from Kenya.
A: Barack Obama?

Q: Yeah.
A: What the fuck?! That ain't no fuckin' name, yo. That ain't that nigga's name. You can't be serious. Barack Obama. Get the fuck outta here.

Q: You're telling me you haven't heard about him before.

A: I ain't really paying much attention.

Q: I mean, it's pretty big if a Black...
A: Wow, Barack! The nigga's name is Barack. Barack? Nigga named Barack Obama. What the fuck, man?! Is he serious? That ain't his fuckin' name. Ima tell this nigga when I see him, "Stop that bullshit. Stop that bullshit" [laughs] "That ain't your fuckin' name." Your momma ain't name you no damn Barack.

3. And this, my new favorite short film, titled Dog Years:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZR17rlXNWw

working hard

I worked just has hard as I meant to last night, but found time inbetween bouts of concentration to help Roux hone in on some important doggie life skills. Like balancing peanut butter treats inbetween her eyes. I spent a good 15 minutes trying to balance an apple (that would've made a good photo, eh?) but Roux just isn't to that level. Yet.

Also our Belgian friend, Emmanuel is staying with us, which I always look forward to both because I like to see Emmanuel and because he always brings us Belgian choclates & beer. I'm really fond of the chocolates, but this year am also fond of the beer labels and corresponding coasters.

It's brewed by trappist monks, which seems a bit odd. If you go the website, you can either click on side tabs about their spirituality or their beer. Must be a Belgian thing.

keeping my toes warm.

This weekend was spent entirely amongst family, skiing. Saturday we skiied Vail with my aunt & uncle from London, drove to Steamboat Saturday night and spent Saturday night and Sunday with A's family. Saturday was a picture perfect day at Vail with killer snow and brilliant blue skies. Sunday started out fine, but ended in unendurable pain. Sunday morning actually was quite nice as long as I ignored the ever intensifying pain my ski boots were causing my feet. By about noon it was to the point where I didn't even have moments of respite on the chair lift, and skiing itself became more a contest in how little addional pain I could inflict on my suffering feet than an exercise in skill. By 2pm I had accepted that I was going to be a quitter and bow out early. Unfortunately for me we were on the far, far, far side of the mountain and it took me an hour still of terrible skiing/sliding down the mountain to the base. I went immediately in search of an expert boot fitter, but couldn't even make it inside before I had to stop in the middle of the thoroughfare and tear my boots off in a fit of rage. What is it about being in pain that makes me so angry?? I hobbled into the ski shop and threw my boots on the floor. The guy set about figuring out how to fix the problem. I was explaining my hypothesis, which was that they were just too narrow and my feet are too wide. Wide feet run in the family after all, so the construction of the boot itself is really just wrong for me. Then the guy reached inside my boot and pulled out - I am not exaggerating - FOUR layers of toe warmers. In addition to having wide feet, I am also afflicted with poor circulation, so I rely heavily on toe and hand warmers. Apparently at the end of the ski day, I thoughtlessly remove my boots and throw them in the basement where they usually live without considering the fact that my toe warmers are still inside. Come the next ski day, I just add more in there, somehow without realizing there are multiple layers already installed. (That's the part of the sotry that makes it unbelievable... How do I never notice there are multiple layers of month-old warmers in there? It reminds me of the time A put on his contacts twice, so that he actually had two layers of contacts in one eye. He'll be thrilled I included that little anecdote). Needless to say I looked like an idiot. Still, I maintain the boot is at fault to some degree, so I got them stretched anyway. Problem solved. And now I'll actually pay attention to taking the toe warmers out at the end of the day.

In other news, it's winter again here and I woke up to this:

It doesn't make me feel at all like celebrating anything, including St. Patrick's day. In addition, not only do I have your affliction where I crawl into bed feeling like I haven't done anything useful, but I wake up at 2am and can't stop thinking about everything I have to get done. It's brilliant I got that project, but I am STRESSED out about proving myself.

Wish me luck, I'll be BUSY.

an Irish blessing

I don't really have an actual Irish blessing to tell you, but I do have a dish towel that has an Irish blessing written on it. What am I saying? I 'm losing my mind. I am frustrated that my sheets come of f on the corners every time I get in bed. Do you think it is normal to get in bed every night thinking of all the things that you didn't get done, even if you did get a lot of things done? Is that just how life goes?....I'm avoiding the short story I'm supposed to have written by Tuesday. I don't know if I have the will power to do it.


But I do have some good pictures to share. This one of my brother and G-ma last St. Patty's.
And, this one from my trip to Ireland. This old man sang a beautiful song with Seamus the tour guide, and everyone cried.
HAPPY St. PAtriCKS DAy!!

love, love

catching river sparkles

Yesterday, I went for a run at that magic time of day. You know, where everything suddenly turns golden and peaceful. There is this little river that runs along my path, and it was all I could do to not just stop running and sit by the river the whole time. I probably should have. There was that part of me that was so frustrated not to have my camera on me so that I might be able to hold on to the moment forever. But, the other part of me realized that more often than not, those special little moments are lost completely in a photo. It's impossible to capture the movement of the water over the rocks, and the way the light flickers along with it. So that's one that I will have to store in my mind and think about on a day when I could really use some river sparkles.

Here are my two favorites from today's work in the studio:

more than a little terrified

As you know, I've been scheming about starting a little, itty-bitty mini business on the side. Suffice it to say it would have to do with graphic design for real estate brokers. I haven't really gotten all the many little parts in order yet (like learning entire software programs, for example), so haven't launched it just yet. Meanwhile, I stumbled upon the opportunity to do a design project for a new downtown development. Rather, the opportunity stumbled upon me. The real estate broker contacted me, I nervously sent off some similar design work, he forwarded that on to the developer and now they want to meet to discuss their project. All signs point to me getting this gig, but I'm still hesitant to really rejoice. Mostly because I'm crapping my pants over it. First of all I have NO IDEA what to charge. How am I going to just pull some number out of the sky and be sure it's the right number? I don't have a rate, since I've never actually done this whilst working for myself. I researched online what the average designer charges and came up with the ridiculous sum of $160/hour for custom work. Of course I can't charge that. So I asked someone with more comprable experience and came up with $40 - $45/hour, which certainly sounds more reasonable. But what if I spout out that number and the guy thinks it's absurd? Or should I just come up with a total charge for the entire project?

Even with all the monetary issues aside - which is no small thing - I'm still petrified of meeting with them. I have some reservoir of internal confidence about my design ability, but zero confidence in my ability to effectively and professionally communicate that to total strangers. I imagine they'll all be middle aged, imposing men in suits smoking cigars and I'll feel like a 12-year-old twat who has no idea what she's talking about.

Looks like I'm going to need a pep talk or two.

on the road

I wanted to do some more thoughtful blogging tonight, but my body is putting all its energy towards fighting a recent bout of sick. Instead I will share my two favorite pictures from my past weekend in Portland. Actually, they are on the road to and from Portland, if I am being specific.I picked this little buddy up at an antique store in Pomeroy, Washington. He fits so nicely on my dash.



Justice is not served in this one. It was one of my all time favorite sunset drives. I was wishing I had you and your fancy camera along for the ride to document it.

love, love

Pabst Blue Ribbo.

The birthday was a success. Every year I try to make a cake that is something; the first year A + I were dating, it was a mountain, the ease of which would ruin me for the next year. If you're trying to make a cake into a mountain, basically all you have to do is layer a bunch of rectangular cakes on top of each other, shave off the sides and use white icing for the snowcap and green for the bottom half. It doesn't even matter if the cake crumbs get all over the icing, because if it's chocholate cake it just looks like dirt, and therefore even more realistic. So the year after that I got overly confident and tried to make an Arc'teryx backpack. As in a backpacking backpack. I don't know what I was thinking because obviously no one can make a cake into a backpack with all those different dimensions and straps and stuff. So I crashed and burned last year. This year I considered all sorts of cake options before finally settling on a Pabst Blue Ribbon cake. Seemed to me they probably made cake pans in the shape of beer cans (why wouldn't they?), and all I had to do after that point was get the writing on there. Turns out they actually don't make cylindrical (is that the right word?) cake pans, so I had to construct the shape of a beer can. Nonetheless, it pretty much worked out. Except for the fact that I ran out of room and had to leave it at "Pabst Blue Ribbo." But that's ok, I sort of like the sound of that, anyway.

Also, the gifts turned out rather well, if I do say so myself. I had the idea of putting little clues on all of them, which sort of added another dimension to gift opening. The downside was that I had to keep them hidden for days beforehand because a few of them were just dead give aways.

Changing subjects completely: why do all dogs love to stick their head out the window of a moving vehicle? It's just born into them somehow. You wouldn't think that'd be an evolutionary superior trait or anything. But Roux is no different, and I've been trying for a while now to capture it with my camera, but simultaneously driving, sticking my camera out the front window without dropping it, and catching Roux with her head out the window is all very difficult, so A did it for me this weekend. She is a happy dog.

Punky the Jacabunny

I just spent $20 of my hard earned money on this:

I am going to secretly deposit it into Lisie's easter basket this year. Something about a little wooly animal called Punk the Jacabunny is just unexplainably irresistable. I got it from Kit Lane's Etsy shop, here.

Happy Birthday Alex!!!

(your present will be coming in the form of a drink in Costa Rica)
-love Rocket