At work, I sit at my desk and draw all day. No, I'm serious - that's my job! I work in architecture/interior design. It's a sweet job and I love it.
There is new and exciting software that is taking over computer drafting. AutoCAD is the old dinosaur and Revit is the new sweetness. I've been using Revit for more than three years now. If it's possible that a person can develop a crush on a computer program, I've got one.
When you draw in Revit everything is in 3D. If you draw a "wall" - well, it's a WALL!! It will draw a wall that is made out of 2 1/2" steel studs and it has drywall on both sides and is 2 metres high...etc. When you draw a (so-called) "wall" in AutoCAD it's literally a 2D line that means nothing, a stick.....well, okay it's like this:Recently at work I had to work on a project in AutoCAD. For the first time in nearly three years. I was pretty shell shocked: "What do you mean? I have to draw elevations from scratch?? I can't just push a button and they appear? I have to cross reference drawings manually?! It's not done automatically?! We can't both be in one file at the same time? I can't work in these conditions!!"
Seriously, if I had a swear jar....
I got through it, but it made me completely miserable. Then I remembered a Shaw commercial that totally reminded me of my situation. Watch it. DO. IT. (It's only 30 seconds!!)
Okay, the kid at the beginning represents me using AutoCAD - the bolts are falling off the bike and the lady in the walker is moving faster than I am. The kid at the end is me using Revit - I have to put on my safety goggles before I fire up the program.
You know how sometimes when you buy a hand made item and find that it has a unique little custom label sewn on to it? It's just the perfect touch. Well, I was coveting these labels for myself but was finding them super expensive.
I found a great shop on Etsy recently, custom labels for super cheap! You pick the design or send your own .jpg image in and they print 'em up and mail them. My Etsy shop just got a little better.
After the ridiculous season finale of Lost the other night, it's made me realize how much I really hate television and how little it adds to my life. Therefore I am taking yet another step closer to my new books. I'm sure you guys are getting sick of looking at pictures of my new books, but bear with me....
On the weekend my friend IG came into town to visit. I was talking with her and Brad about how I would ever choose the first book to read from my pile. How the hell do I choose?! They finally got tired of hearing me complain about it and told me to go pick out my Top 5, and they would choose a book for me from the shortlist. Okay!!
My shortlist: 1. Possession - A.S. Byatt The first sentence has intrigued me beyond reason: The book was thick and black and covered with dust. I don't even have a clue what this book is about - there is no description on the back. I'm going solely on the first sentence.
2. People of the Book - Geraldine Brooks Tracing the history of an old book by items that are caught up in the binding?! I. AM. SO. THERE.
3. Elizabeth and After - Matt Cohen "Two love stories, one past, one present, mirror each other in this highly acclaimed story..." Plus, the author was Canadian.
4. Blackwater - Kersten Ekman This looks like an interesting mystery/thriller which I'm due for.
5. The Soloist - Steve Lopez I don't even know what's pulling me to this book. A woman I was standing next to in the book sale said it was really good, so I thought I would expand my reading horizons. (Remember two dollars a book.)
They chose Blackwater. It's easier having had them choose, otherwise I would probably be reading 5 books at once which is mental.
I'm also issuing a challenge to myself: There are 27 books in that pile. I'm going to read 23* of them by May 26, 2011. What do you think?
*I realize that a mere 23 books might seem like nothing to some people (ahem, Claire!) but I've chosen this number based on solid scientific research. I kept a list of books that I read in 2009 (nerd) and it was 18 so this is a legitimate challenge for me.
Years ago everyone was guessing it was purgatory, but the writers debunked this theory and introduced new elements to the show - time travel, flash sideways, Dharma Initiative etc. Then in the last 20 minutes of the final episode it's like "Oh yeah, by the way it's purgatory. Nothing that has happened thus far really matters."
Really?!
They could have introduced anything and 'explained' it with this summary. Pink hippos started falling from the sky! UFO abductions! The Canucks win the Stanley Cup!
I wonder what it was like back in Season 2 when they were introducing all these crazy elements to the show when they had no intention of everexplainingany of it!! Do they really think we are all that stupid?
We were looking forward to watching all of it again once we knew all the answers. But since none of it matters, why would we bother? It's not like watching Fight Club the second time around. Anyone want to buy the first three seasons on DVD? I'll start the bidding at fifty cents....
I've been waiting all year for what's known to Victoria locals as 'The Book Sale'. Remember last year?!
This year we got up early and went down half an hour before the doors opened. Click on the picture below to see what the line up was like. It started at the door, went halfway around the block, and through the parking lot almost back to the beginning. This made Brad super grouchy. He said he didn't think it was worth it, but I didn't let him get me down! Twenty minutes after they opened the doors, we were IN.
Once inside - total madness. But organized madness of course because we are all civilized readers.
The people in the bright orange shirts were the volunteers. Once books were picked out they walked around with more boxes of books and filled in the holes. (The tables were covered, and there were more books in boxes stacked underneath all the tables. Ohmigod.)
I brought one big tote bag and thought I might fill it. Brad on the other hand stuffed a plastic grocery bag into his jeans pocket at the last minute on the way out the door. What the hell is wrong with us?! (Remember pocketbooks are one dollar. Trade paperbacks two dollars. Two. Dollars.)
When I saw Brad (the guy who has spent two hours in a book store and not found a single thing he wants to read) walk across the room holding about 8 books in his arm I knew we were in trouble. I think you can imagine what I was attempting to carry at that point.
After two hours of book hunting, carting around my completely overflowing bag, the plastic grocery bag that was threatening to rip apart at the seams, and another entire box of books, lots of callouses on my hands and a couple broken finger nails - we cashed out.
This is what we ended up with between the two of us.
This might put it in better perspective.
This makes me so excited! I love books, I love reading! In the picture below are the books I bought separated from the ones I bought that I've read already (and loved so much I had to own them) and the books Brad bought - some of which I will read for sure (Agatha Christie!) and some of which I will never read (Building a Champion).
So now the big question for you guys: How do I choose which one to read first?! Any recommendations?!
Man, I was excited about this little lunch bag. Remember that fabric I bought a little while ago? I thought it would make a super cute lunch bag. Also. the picture in the book (One Yard Wonders) made it look really easy, check it out.
It's quilted with insulated batting so it's super durable and will keep your lunch cold! (And it makes a crinkly sound that makes Rawbean laugh.)
Now I'm no slouch when it comes to sewing. I had never worked with bias tape before but I found a great online tutorial so the bias tape on the straight edges were super easy and came out perfectly. Then I came to the last step - which says "...continue working your way around the entire bag...". Um, pardon?
Imagine taking a cardboard box with ninety degree corners and running it through a sewing machine. Neatly. How do you turn the corners?So anyway, here is my lunch bag.
Don't look too close! You will see the crappy corners and awful job I did at sewing the bias tape on the outside.
I think the awesome fabric makes up for it though.
Woah, it's been awhile huh? I haven't been in the mood for my mindless blogging lately. Actually I've been going through a bit of a rough time. (Don't worry though, I'm okay!)
You know sometimes when you just need to shut your brain off, dive into a big pile of blankets and pillows and comfort yourself somehow? Well, one day I wanted to do just that but I was really particular about what I put on to distract myself.
Nothing too sad, nothing violent, nothing too complicated or too dramatic. I found the perfect thing.
(cue the music)
Knight Rider. Oooh yeah.
It was the perfect, ridiculous, so-bad-it's-good distraction that I was looking for. From The Hoff's ridiculous leather jacket with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows to the souped up Trans Am....it was just what I needed.
Recently at work I had to work on a project in AutoCAD. For the first time in nearly three years. I was pretty shell shocked: "What do you mean? I have to draw elevations from scratch?? I can't just push a button and they appear? I have to cross reference drawings manually?! It's not done automatically?! We can't both be in one file at the same time? I can't work in these conditions!!"
Seriously, if I had a swear jar....
