I've been revising all that I have written and, as I explained to my mother, I seem to be suffering from a bad case of *SSS* *Sliding Synonym Syndrome* . I start at the top of the page and decide to change a word, I read down 3 lines and discover the word I just used up above is already in use here, so I change it, read down a few lines and discover....well, you get the picture!

I'm taking a break now to write this and then back to working on my Mom's surprise gift. I'm enjoying working on it and I'm finding that it is helping relieve the stress. Meanwhile, I'm letting all of this writing rest and I'll go back later and look at it with a fresh eye.

I'm experimenting with FP2002 and using the rotating banner feature for the first time. I'm not sure that I like it but I'll probably leave it up a couple of days and see how it goes...provided my IHP has installed the FP2002 extensions. If not, I guess I'll email them about it. LOL

I'm hoping to hear back about the new computer tomorrow. Darn, its hard to type with crossed fingers!!!!

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Saturday March 15, 2003

I seem to have gotten myself back in a cycle of working very late (I had my Mom up at 1AM while I read paperwork to her over the phone, getting feedback). The good news is that she was still awake (did I mention she loves me? LOL) and I accomplished a helluva lot yesterday and today.

I'm trying to get much accomplished so Susan and I can review it over lunch at Red Lobster next week. They are having their Lobster Special, according to Susan. Yummmmmm.....

The 'puter gave me a scare, just now. YIKES!!! That would be all I need right now...sigh.... I hope to hear back from the local computer folks early next week so I can make some decisions. Meanwhile, I'm holding my breath that everything will be alright!

I spent most of today writing, and I'm pretty written out, so I'll close for tonight. ;-)

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Friday March 14, 2003

I was up pretty late last night, but got much done last night and today. ;-)

I've been wondering what it is about Mastiff boys. Of the 4 English Mastiffs Jeffrey and I have loved, both of the big boys have been much better *snuggle bunnies* than either of the girls. Guido is a bed dog, which is fairly daunting when you consider he is bigger than either Jeffrey or me. *VBG*

He sleeps between us, but snuggles up to me, the end result being that I sometimes get squirted right out of bed...like toothpaste from a tube. Depending on what time it happens, I either go ahead and start my day, or bribe him on to the floor with a cookie and race him back into bed. If I'm quick, I can get back in and get the covers properly arranged before he heaves his 180+ bulk up onto the bed. *VBG*

I contacted the local company about the new computer and faxed the specs. Now we'll wait and see what kind of deal they can come up with. I have some negotiable points, so I hope we'll be able to work something out. Meanwhile, my fallback position will be to order the setup I found online.

I've been working hard on my *secret* project...which if you noticed the banner above, is actually called *Following the Thread* . Things are starting to fall into place quite quickly, I'm happy to say! I am going to try to use PDFs for part of the development phase and so far (keeping all appendages crossed) they are working. I haven't had good PDF karma in the past, so we'll have to see if things are going better this time!

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Thursday March 13, 2003 PM

Yikes! March is almost half over. Somehow, this year is going at a rapid pace. I feel as though I'm running to catch a bus....can you hear me huffing and puffing? I really need to get into shape! After it get warm...and dry, I'm going to start walking Guido on a regular basis. We both could use the exercise! ;-)

I've been putting together specs on the computer and will be making some phone calls about getting one tomorrow. I have a good lead on a local source, so we'll see what happens. If all goes well, I should be able to move up to a dual monitor system, which has me REALLY happy! LOL

I love the internet and its *small town* mentality, even though it covers the entire world. While I was talking with the folks at my IHP yesterday, Lee, the owner, commented that he is a long time member of the FrontPage discussion list I'm on. It's like being members of the same club. *VBG*

I also need to get back to Alphabetting, so I'll probably work on that tomorrow. I'm listening to a good recorded book, so I'll crank it up and graph my heart away! Meanwhile, I've been poring over scheduling and calendars all night, along with surfing on the TV, just to give me some background noise.

I think I'll probably put some time in on Mom's gift this weekend. I'm enjoying it AND learning a lot. I hope I can finish it for Mother's Day, but I have a lot on my plate tight now, so I'll just have to see.

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Wednesday March 12, 2003 PM

Considering how yesterday went, today was GREAT! I feel that as I mature, I'm better able to look beyond the bad moments and know that they will pass. On a light note, I was so numb from news about the computer yesterday, that when I got coldcocked late last night (metaphorically speaking) it really didn't hurt much! I was disappointed, but I know that as one door closes another one (or two) opens...which is what happened today!

I had a loooong meeting with my IHP (Internet Host Provider) today about the upcoming (surprise) changes to my website. Jeffrey, Lee, Kevin, and I sat around and brainstormed about what I want to do, what we need to accomplish it and where we can go from there. I am sooooo psyched! I am very lucky that a large national IHP (mine, Chapel1 *VBG*) also happens, coincidently, to be located in my small town, and in fact is only about a mile from the house. This means that I can meet with the staff face to face and receive invaluable help as they make suggestions and tell me what I need to do and what my options are. Cold Fusion here I come!

I'm going to sit down tonight with a calendar and try to work out a time line for everything that needs to be accomplished.

All I can say is, Needleworkers and Quilters....HANG on to your hats! Things are getting exciting!

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Tuesday March 11, 2003 PM

Today wasn't as good as yesterday, but I have hopes for tomorrow. I've decided that the true test for being a *glass is half full*  person is how things look late at night when you are tired. With that criteria, I'm happy to say that I am still a *glass is half full* kind of girl. ;-)

I now have a working scanner, but with one thing and another, I'm looking at having to purchase a new computer...sigh....

I did get a little done on the Alphabet book and I worked on Mom's gift. *VBG* I'm really enjoying it!

On a funny note, Jeffrey has started eating yogurt. Understand, this is the man who thinks that the major food groups are salty, greasy, sweet, and chocolate! Anyway, he describes them by color...mauve (raspberry), chartreuse (key lime), and white (vanilla). I'm waiting to see if he survives. I'd feel better if he'd just break down and scoop it out with a chip, rather than use a spoon!

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Monday March 10, 2003 PM

Today was pretty successful, I now have 10 Alphabets for the new book designed! I've been working on my Mother's Day project tonight (one of the benefits of letting Jeffrey play his computer game.)

I got the business phone calls on my To Do List accomplished...AND the computer tech should be here tomorrow (fingers crossed).

I'm listening to a Jack Higgins novel while I work on Mom's gift and I'm enjoying it very much. Suspense/Adventure are what I enjoy most, as well as anything by Dean Koontz. ;-)

Please everybody, keep all fingers and toes crossed that I'll have a working CD-RW by this time tomorrow.

All in all, it has been a pretty good day! *VBG* Good night to all, and to all a good night!

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Sunday March 9, 2003 PM

I didn't get as much done today as I would have liked, so I'm considering staying up for a while yet to work on Alphabets. This is the time in the process when guilt seems to drive me. I wish I could claim it was self-discipline, but I think it is just guilt, pure and simple...sigh...I'd like to get the book finished a bit earlier than last year, when I actually picked up the first copies on my way to the Columbus Trade Show, while Julia finished printing the rest of the order.

I'm getting very excited that the 'puter tech is coming on Tuesday! I REALLY hope we can get all of the problems worked out. Please keep all fingers and toes crossed for me! *VBG*

I've been mulling over some new ideas/concepts for Hand Painted Canvas designs. I need to get sketching paper up on my drawing board so that when inspiration strikes, I can just start, without losing momentum by have to get prepared. I have 2 of the new Pendant Pal series stitched. Jeffrey has photographed them and I'll try to pics up soon. I have a new Sleep Mask design (cucumber slices) which is adorable and I'll try to get him to photograph it, as well. ;-)

I have my fingers crossed that this will be a VERY productive week!

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Sunday March 9, 2003 AM

I'm up waaaay early and enjoying my quiet time as Jeffrey and the dogs sleep-in. *VBG*

I'm continuing to work on my new project and, in part because it utilizes relatively new technology, I have been reflecting on the technological changes in the last 10-15 years.

I spend most of my days using technology and skills which either I didn't have 10 years ago or which didn't exist 10 years ago. Because Jeffrey is a college professor, I also spend a lot of time thinking about college and its purpose. Every now and then he and I discuss it, or I pontificate (I do have a lot of my dad in me *smile*). I really think that with the rapid changes we face in technology and the world, we need to be sending grads out into the world with skills for the future, ie: strong writing skills AND, most important, the ability to teach themselves new skills and technology. I rate myself one of the lucky ones in that I have always found it relatively easy to teach myself just about anything from books. (Brain surgery seems to be my limit, but more because all of that messy blood makes it hard to match the pictures! *Joke*) I am learning a lot of new stuff for this new project and I'm very grateful, because without my ability to teach myself, this new venture would not have been practical.

Now, moving away from this philosophical jag...today we're going to be watering house plants (long overdue) and I'm going to continue on Alphabets. I made pretty good progress yesterday, while listening to a good recorded book, but I still have a lot to do...and after all of the designs are created, I'll need to spend as much time, if not more, getting pages set-up for printing...sigh....

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Friday March 7, 2003 PM

Today was a pretty good day. Susan and I had a great working lunch and I'm ready to move on to the next step of my project. *VBG* More writing and planning...I'm really having fun, but it is pretty scary, too.

Inspiration struck and I found a computer tech to work on my system next week so I won't have to perform 'puter surgery this weekend! Whew!!!!! I sooooo need to be backing up data. YIKES! I'm hoping maybe I can get the CD-RW problem, the new scanner AND the dual monitor set-up all dealt with in one fell swoop or even one swell foop...I'd be happy with either!

I've been thinking about the amount of writing I do these days. I really enjoy it and like everything in life, the more you do it the better you get. I just wish my typing would improve. Hmmmmm, maybe I need to look for online classes. I LOVE taking classes online. I just signed up for 4 or 5 in the HP class session, coming up in a few weeks.

This weekend's focus is going to be on the new Alphabet book. I'm also going to get to work on the big re-working for the M's Canvashouse website. I have LOTS of new canvases to add. I've had to get new optimizing software and need to learn it so I can prepare all of the new canvases for fast loading on the web. I actually enjoy working on the weekend. For some reason, Saturday and Sunday always feel like extra days.

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Thursday March 6, 2003 PM

It was a raw 32 degrees here today. It has been a long, cold winter, even if we didn't get snowed in as I had hoped. I guess I'm just living in the wrong part of the country. ;-) 

Tomorrow I'm having lunch with my friend Susan. I'll be showing her the Mission Statement as well as some of the planning paperwork for my new venture. I'm looking forward to seeing her reaction. I have several of the next steps for the project on hold, waiting for information from other sources...but I'm getting VERY excited about it. I ended up expanding my Mission Statement, incorporating a Goal Statement that had appeared on one of the other pages. I think that it has helped to clarify things, but I'll wait and see what Susan says.

I'm reaching a crisis with the CD-RW situation. I don't have a practical alternative to making backups and I'm starting a LOT of work that needs to be backed up. I think I'll have to make that my number 1 priority this weekend. I just can't keep procrastinating about it...sigh...it's just that something about opening up the innards of my 'puter just makes my blood run cold!

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Wednesday March 5, 2003 PM

Mams'elle would like it noted for the record that my comment yesterday regarding 180+lb dogs (plural) was an inaccurate exaggeration. While she hasn't been weighed in quite a while, she is certain that she weighs no more than 150 lbs and is probably closer to 140 lbs. She would like you all to know that she considers herself a *petite and delicate girl*. I stand corrected. Because Guido weighs somewhere between 180 and 200, I figured it all averaged out. Obviously, this was an insensitive assumption on my part.

I've been letting Jeffrey use the computer to play games the last couple of evenings, which is why the notes get posted either very late or sometime the next morning. ;-) I figure I can always use the wife points, particularly since I had to re-order Alphabet books from the printer and he does all of the binding. He'll have a couple of evenings of work next week, bless his heart.

Julia (the printer) and I have been discussing the next Alphabet book. I had decided that the cover would be blue. We (Julia, Jeffrey and I) always refer to them by color  - pink, green, and yellow - the difficulty arising from the Duplicate Stitch Alphabet book which has a very light blue with clouds cover. Julia thinks of it as blue, but Jeffrey and I call it the *Big* book or the *Dup* book. Since it is bought by a different market, (the Knitting shops) rather than the NW shops who buy the other books, this has not been a problem, so far. I told Julia I'd look at cover stock choices next week when I pick up the next batch of books, but not to get her hopes up, since I was pretty sure I'd still go with pastel blue. When you start with a business the things that become the complications are never what you'd expect... book cover colors...sheeesh....

Well, it's late and I need to go. Guido is nudging me with his head and heaving heavy sighs...all part of his duties as the *Official Bed Dog*   *VBG*

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Tuesday March 4, 2003 PM

Dandelion (pronounced Dandeline), our small beleaguered Himi,  has been posing on the landing of the stairs recently. Today I caught her napping, but the tail draped so gracefully off of the step, I have to wonder if she was really asleep. I wish I had been able to take a picture of it. ;-)

She is so quick, getting out of the way of the 180+ lb dogs that we joke about teleporting.

Today seemed to give a hint of Spring to come...but while I look forward to warmer weather, I'm still disappointed about not getting snowed in this year...sigh....and yes, I do have a one track mind! *VBG* I like to think of it as a positive character trait rather than a character flaw! LOL

I'm starting work on the book designs and have been working a bit each day on the new Alphabet book. I really enjoy the long term designing I can do (with sufficient planning time) as opposed to the compressed time frames I ran into when I designed for theatre. I generally plan in 18 month increments these days, with an occasional event thrown into the schedule up to 24 months ahead. We do sit down and have a major planning fest (dinner meetings at Sunny's B-B-Q) after each trade show where we fine tune the directions we are going in, usually based on the results of the show response. 

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Tuesday March 4, 2003 AM

I'm bummed because I missed writing yesterday's date anywhere. It was 03/03/03 and would have been cool to write on a check, but by the time I realized it, jumping in the car and rushing to make a purchase at 11:30PM seemed a bit ridiculous. ;-)
Ah well, at least I got to write a lot of checks on 01/02/03. *VBG*

Today, the day dawned bright and clear and sunny, for the first time in a long time. I don't know how cold it is because I haven't had to let the dogs out yet. I was first to bed and everyone else stayed up pretty late, so I'm having this brief bit of morning to myself...and enjoying it. LOL

I've been working further on that exciting new project, and I'm struck by how much my two chosen industries (Needlework and Quilting) have so many *Mom and Pop* businesses on all levels. Even the larger companies, such as some of the distribution companies, are family companies. One non-distribution company that comes to mind is the metallic thread/fibre company, Kreinik and another one is Mill Hill Beads. Jeffrey and I were interviewed recently for possible inclusion in *Professional Quilting* in an upcoming article on couples in the Quilting industry. I think for me, this is all an extension of my fascination with how people got involved in each industry, possibly because my personal story verges on the absurd...*What's needlepoint?*  *VBG* The recurring thread that I see is that each family/couple seems to have gotten involved initially as the result of one person's love/passion for the craft. I see this as a strength for each industry, the downside being that some companies may be lacking in the business experience needed. I certainly know that I'm playing catch-up from that angle.

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Sunday March 2, 2003 PM

Well, I wrote the Mission Statements. I'm happy with them but I'll let them rest a couple of days and then try to look at them with a fresh perspective.

The Stitch Guides are ready for their final proofreading and then I'll get them printed.

I'm six alphabets into the new book...if I can just maintain my momentum! LOL

The CD Burner doesn't seem to be able to read any CD, so I guess I'll have to open the box and take a look. At least the *Work on your own PC* book seems to be an excellent resource.

Meanwhile, I've started on my Mom's Mother's Day gift. Mom, if you read this, ignore it! It is trying to snow here, but I don't hold out much hope for any accumulation....sigh.....

Still working on the desk. ;-0

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Sunday March 2, 2003 AM

I'm starting to feel pressured that we are already into March this year. Deadlines are looming. YIKES!

I'm making good progress on the desk. It isn't all cleaned up, but it is on its way. ;-)

I am in the process of writing Mission Statements for a couple of new, exciting projects. You'll hear more about them later, but I was really intrigued...when I did a Meta-search on *writing Mission Statements* I found some really wonderful resources. I LOVE the web! *VBG*

Today I'll be working on the new Alphabet book and the Krause book and have a couple of Stitch Guides to proof and print. I bought a book on making PC repairs, so I'm going to look at it...CD Burner Watch OUT! I'm hoping that it will be a simple fix, otherwise I'll try swapping one of the other working CD burners...I'll probably get to that in a day or two, but I'm getting down to the wire and need to be able to use it soon.

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Saturday March 1, 2003 AM

I'm up fairly early again today...considering our late night last night. ;-) We had friends come down from Ohio to see Jeffrey's production of Brighton Beach Memoirs. The four of us had dinner, saw the show and then came home and talked 'til the wee hours. I'm pretty tired physically but re-charged creatively. *VBG*

I have more business stuff that needs to happen this weekend and Jeffrey will be helping, but I'll be starting the next round of *MAJOR* designing and I'm pumped. I'll be looking over my notes and trying to plan things so that I can work on a little each day...keeping in mind the late May and June deadlines I have coming up. ;-)

I do need to tackle my *not-working* Cd writer...and try to install the new scanner...sigh...but I might put those chores off until Monday. I'm afraid I'm going to have to breakdown and get one of those *How to work on your own PC* books. I have a total of 3 CD Burners in my possession. Two of them work and one doesn't, so guess which one is in the main computer? Rats......