Down With The Sickness

I miss my Tody! He's been sick with the flu for the past few days. So the last time I saw him was our underwater adventures. But I'll see him Sunday on his Birthday. Here are some pictures he's been taking!

Oh The Agony

I might be a tad dramatic. But it is the second day in a row I have woken up with intense lower back pain. For those of you who know me well, you know that is not uncommon to say the least. I've battled this back pain in one way or another pretty much since I hit puberty. So I've learned to cope with it with pillows and stretches and workouts and ice, but this past week has been off the charts pain wise. Nothing I normally do to alleviate the pressure has been working. I'm completely used to waking up to pain, and I can almost always fall back asleep after some cushion adjusting. But not lately. I've had to resort to medication, which I hate. IceyHot smells gross, and it's stuck to your body.. so it's you that smells. You can't walk away from it. Over the counter pills don't even begin to touch my back pain because I usually have ten other things that moderately ache, and I'm not one for anything stronger than that if I have to get it anywhere other than my doctor.

I'm pretty much just complaining now. I am enjoying my 4 day weekend. It'll end on Tody's birthday, and we have a small celebration together planned. I have a huge work weekend art wise ahead. I want to make honest efforts to frame and finish everything I have painted for the gallery. And I need to make the rest of the bracelets and necklaces I have planned out. I have two blank canvasses gazing mockingly at me, so I need to fill them this weekend. I liked my ink octopuses I did for the gallery, so I think I might do some ink elephants. I've noticed that the art I'm selling is sorely lacking for my favorite animal. If there aren't elephants involved how can it possibly be a good representation of me?! Lol.

The sun is shining, everything is drying and sparkly this brisk morning. I should take Dime somewhere. Perhaps a trip to the Reserve is in order today.

Check back soon for more art updates.

Did You Know This Case Might Be Waterproof?

So Tody got a new camera case for his birthday. It has incredible amounts of potential, but we have yet to tap into that. It's an underwater case. And for those people who need things spelled out clearly for them it has waterproof printing on and in it like 57 times. Just in case you couldn't figure that one out. We found that a little redundant. The look of the case is interesting. I want to do a shoot of Tody shooting with his camera in that case. It just looks so exaggerated and funny. We couldn't figure out where to test it. Neither of us frequent any public pools in the area, and although Spring is showing her face the water in the Sound is still way too cold for a quick dip to test out the case. Short of lowering the camera on a rope with the intervalometer shooting continuously my big fish tank seemed like the only option right now. Jaws is a good model for me when I feel the urge to shoot something different.

 
 


Our biggest issue... the camera refused to sink. Tody had to hold it down so we couldn't leave it in there to shoot continuously. We tried a few things I have randomly strewn about my apartment to put in the bottom of the bag to weigh it down, but they were sad efforts. Nothing was heavy enough and if it was it definitely wasn't the right shape to fit in there and not scratch the camera. So back to brainstorming for new shoot ideas. Tody and I have come up with a few good ones for underwater, and just some great ideas that would lend well to having that protective layer. Tody is excited about making an underwater lightbox.

My mind is racing with interesting ideas for wet photography! Leave us a comment if you have an idea you want us to try.

Kiss My...

...good fortune. Things seem to be going incredibly my way lately. I'm feeling confident in my art and my new networking skills. I've made new friends and am about to embark on a new chapter in my adult life. I am finally in my element again. I'm taking on new challenges and seeing rewards with almost all my efforts.

In case you're lost to why I am so happy right now check out my other blog I share with a wonderful British lady.

The boys and I even seem to be over that gross bug we collectively had.

As you can see Cam is as cute as ever.

Sketch

is how I have been feeling lately. Sketchy... not fully right. But I've managed to get quite a lot accomplished in the past week or so. I paid some bills, and got new supplies. Tody and I have been hard at work experimenting with shirt making. Some went well while more are interesting works in progress. He's been so patiently photographing everything I ask him to, even if the wait for getting the pictures online can get long. But we are finally current on all my finished pieces being documented. That includes my new ones I have yet to post. I've been playing with ink lately instead of painting. It's a lot more kid friendly, so the boys don't feel the need to make a mess everywhere with my expensive supplies. But I have discovered the joy of paint pens, so we'll see where that takes us.

I've also been hard at work on the blog for Our Sunflower Gallery! It's still a work in progress. I have a lot to do with it before I'm truly happy with is as a good website for our art. I'm also going to be manning our Twitter account and perhaps updating the Facebook too. Next month is creeping up quickly and everything seems to be falling together quite nicely. Forms are being filled out, insurance was gotten, venues are being booked, art should be getting framed... it's getting down to the hard stuff now.

So naturally I have been hard at work. I'm stressing a bit about my framing. I'm low on funds and resources but I have a growing collection of pieces that are not sellable if they aren't completely finished with a nice frame. But my output is still going strong. I'm gathering advise on how I should price, I was even going to post about pricing tips on the gallery blog. I feel it would be helpful. But I have a lot to do before I can start doing silly stuff like that.

I thought I would share some doodles I have been collecting over the years. I have just started photographing all my journals and drawings from before college and while I was going, because I'm curious about what I am still attracted to and interested in. I find these pictures are a good source of ideas for new projects or techniques. I am still drawing the same things even years later, I just have slightly different ideas.

Setting Up Blogger On My IPod

So as you know I got a new iPod Touch 4G and am loving it. I got it because my Blackberry had finally gone off the deep end. I love the term "There's an App for that!" ...because it's true. I have Google voice for calling and texting, so all I had to do was download a couple apps and I had my self a free WIFI phone. Combine that with a VIrgin Mobile MiFi you got yourself a cellphone. Sorry to go all nerdy on the blog today especially since I haven't posted anything in a while.

My point is we're more mobile then we where before. My iTouch and Kona texting on her phone gives us the ability to blog and post pics and tweets everywhere we go so I hope you guys are spreading the word about @konaandtody and the Elephant's Trunk!!!

No Pic

Just words today. I keep stopping myself from posting because I don't have any pictures to put up. But I have things on my mind that I need to release, so I guess I can only hope you guys will read on, knowing there's nothing eye catching to gaze at sitting below.

First of all.. Japan. I'm so sorry! I can't believe what has happened. I know I should, after everything else in the world that has happened recently. But it is still so hard to imagine that happening. Whole towns are gone now due to this natural disaster. I've never been there, Tody has though. And to think somewhere you have been is in wreckage now, is so scary.  Tody and I talked for hours about it all the next day.

But on our home front, things are good. Shirt stencils are almost done and I have everything prepped for making new Kona & Tody shirts. I'll just need my assistant back sometime next week. The last few times him and I have gotten together not much has seemed to get accomplished. But who can blame us... we've had a lot going on. I'm feeling more secure now though. I found a solution to my roommate issues, and now there's no chance of moving anytime soon. My art space is getting intruded on, but I can adjust. Having friends here will make up for the new cozier quarters, the people moving in are probably going to help me create anyway. I'm getting another artist in house, how exciting. Tody and I have another person to torture with body paint experiments and stick behind our lens. And the boys are getting another dude to be manly with, yay for them. Although I am pretty sure all Dime wants is more attention in general. He will love the new comfy furnishing and friendly scratches.

I'm still waiting on getting my new work stuff figured out, but once I get my new paychecks I'm definitely going to Michael's. I am getting quite the collection of finished pieces now, but they all have one thing in common. They are all unframed. I need to figure something out. I need it to be a cheap idea, but at the same time unique to me and my taste... I need a trip to Mom's. I need to talk this all out with Erich.

I'll take a picture of my octopus tomorrow in the sunlight. I promise. Check back tomorrow. Gnight.

Must Love Dogs

Everyone needs a pet. If it wasn't for Sonny I would be so bored during the days. He is always entertainment.

Kona: I feel the same way about Dime! 

Politics... Wow I've Come A Long Way....

So I know you guys have Facebooks, I doubt you would be browsing Blogger if you didn't know your way around basic social networking sites like Facebook or for you pseudo retro's Myspace. So I can probably count on you guys all being aware of what's going on with our government these days and all the insane budget cuts... because I can't seem to log on to my Facebook without seeing more and more articles being posted to people's pages about higher tuition or friends turning their profile pictures to them holding signs to show support for Planned Parenthood. My roommate works for Americorps and her job is even in jeopardy because of all the budget threats - which I learned on Facebook. Don't get the wrong idea, I'm very enthused I'm getting all these messages on my newsfeed. I don't watch the news, nor do many people in my... let's call it.. "demographic". But by no means am I not civil minded. I care deeply about what is going on right now in America, I believe we all should care very much. Because it affects all of us. But I know the media spins a lot of what is on the nightly news and I couldn't care less about their political agenda. But I am becoming increasingly passionate about the political agendas I'm finding on my Facebook. My friends (I use that term loosely, I have quite a lot of these so called "friends" on there that I know nothing about after superficial facial recognition) have amazingly insightful social and political commentary.

"The proposed national budget cuts, which are in turn causing state budget cuts, will disenfranchise just about every social service in this country. I don't want to focus only on higher education, because it is only a piece of the gargantuan ice burg, but I want to say this about it....College level education is morphing into an industry that only the wealthy will have the ability to attend. What will our society become if higher education is only available to the financially stable, a class of people that is continually ...shrinking? The less financially stable would be helpless. And the government couldn't help because of a "financial crises" they allowed, and that they are perpetuating. These cuts will only put us into deeper debt, and set the stage for even more drastic and horrific cuts in the future. When will it be too much for society? I think it is right now. This needs to be stopped. K-12 Education is dismal. Who knows public education will even be able to educate the youth up to the levels of higher education, or prepare them for work in corrupted economy run by big business, stockbrokers, and banks. The class rooms wi...ll be filled with kids, because of a repealed law that ensures classes to be at a minimum of 26. And with up to half of the staff eliminated from their school in some cases, its no mystery how big those class sizes will get. Once again, private education will be the only "logical" way to go, and the wealthy will be the only ones who can pay for it. Is this what we want America to be? Is it not enough this way already? Hmm... so, children of wealthy parents will be the only ones able to get the important jobs of our society. Every one else either just can't do it, or ends up in student debt they cannot find a job to pay beck. All the scientists, children ...of the wealthy. All the doctors, children of the wealthy. All the politicians, children of the wealthy. All the business majors, children of the wealthy. All of the environmental policy writers, children of the wealthy. I think you get my point.
Maybe a few of the disenfranchised people will win a scholarship. But who knows how much money will be left for that?
Some brave low income students will take on up to 100,000 dollars in debt. And then even more in grad school. They might just end up with a decent job. But how much less time will they focus on improving our country and world because the debt they owe for their education?
This is slowly becoming reality. Believe it. And STOP it."
- Mike Colasurdo

I've known Mike since early high school I guess, never really friends, never really not. He was always someone I had on my radar though, because growing up in a majorly conservative home, I was fascinated by the liberal charisma. And as I got older and became more and more interested in politics on my own terms rather than what my Dad was telling me. I started to see how brilliant he is. Not sure what he's up to now besides going to Western and posting perfect status updates on his page that get me thinking for hours. But I wish I could go to all of my friends pages and see their thoughts on what we as a country our going through right now. As of late.. I sort of can, in a odd round about way. Most of my friends are posting their frustrations about FAFSA right now. So they are giving political commentary without even knowing. That makes me smile. Not much else about the situation does.

Better Pictures Soon

So I made shirts. I had a more epic plan at first, I wanted to make a stop motion video of the whole stencil making and bleaching process, but time got away from me. It was, however, a good trial run. I have good pointers now and a pretty good idea of what not to do. For one, do not take pictures with an Ipod. Two, wait till you have some kind of tape. And three, don't try to do it while your helper is completely mentally preoccupied. I should have known when he barely paid any attention to me when we were buying pizza supplies. LOL... I had temporarily lost Tody to his new electronic devise.

So that was my shirt bleaching trial run. I am not horrified with my outcome. I just need to keep practicing. But The Trunk definitely needs some representation. Keep an eye out for our shirts, stickers and tags everywhere coming here soon. Thursday or Friday Tody and I are planning a much needed trip to the city, for some good ol fashion brainstorming. Seattle is perhaps our greatest shared muse. A big reason why I love Tody. He just naturally understands and shares the love and devotion that I have to our city.

Also keep an eye out for some of the other projects I'm about to start. I'm not sure how much of it all Tody will be involved with; as much as he would like, I guess. But either way I have a few shoots lined up for certain friends. I have a pregnancy shoot, a couples shoot and hopefully another person on board with me for Tody's 70's shoot idea, all creeping up on me. Plus I have lot of pieces of art at different levels of completion. The next thing I post on my Kona wall will probably be either my inking of the octopus and Seattle or my charcoal of the fish in the seaweed. So those to look forward to! I'm finally on the back end of my illness so my productivity level is coming back up to normal. All of those big hard to swallow horse vitamins and Orange Vita C lozenges have done me a world of good!

Poems

Found this book of Selected Poems. I will soon be posting poems I read

Yesterday was a good Sunday! I had to go out to Seabeck to help my dad do some things at our other house before the next person can rent it. Any way we did some cleaning and burned some branches and a bunch of old bark. Had a few drinks too, it was nice then went over to a friends house later and drank more. It was a nice day!

So if you don't know I follow the Shaytards! Kona tries to keep up but it's hard... any way I wanted to show you guys this video that they posted. It's their 2nd year anniversary video, I enjoyed watching it so much and hope you do too!

So Relieved

I feel so much better today. Yesterday was great, and it helped me feel a thousand times better today. I ventured out of my house for the first time all weekend and soaked up some sun and fresh beach air. A little exercise and fine dining was all I really needed to jump start my recovery. I had been cooped up inside all day and too afraid to really make anything that good because I'm too sick to be handling food. So we went out.

 

I'm not sure why my pictures are so pixalated... I have a fairly nice camera. I am pretty sure it's something to do with the hack I have. I have been trying for the past week to figure out the ins and outs of this hack, but I'm about ready to give up. It makes me sad, because I feel like if I just understood technology better I would be able to use this and have amazing pictures to show you guys. But I have no idea what I'm doing with my camera half the time anymore, and when I upload the pictures I realize that they just looked great on my little screen because they were so small. I have nice composition but the photo itself is lacking now. 

Oh well, if I have to go back to using my camera the way it was intended I'll do it. I was just so hopeful I had a sneaky way to improve it on my hands. Lame... 

BTW... if you want to know what the cute boy in my pictures is up to you should check out his blog. He's kinda brilliant.

First

I just want to say: I am so glad that I have Kona in my life! And that I don't attend some party school!

Sometimes I wish I had gone straight to college after high school. Now that I'm older and have seen what people I went to grade school have been doing, it makes me so glad that I don't attend a major college.

Anyway that picture was taken by our good friend Tasha Fox. Kona and I where at her house and Kona used half my blue backdrop to make me a turban!

This song has been in my head all day!

Can't Take Much More

I hate being sick. I'm rethinking this whole nanny thing, I can't take it anymore! The kids are great, for the most part. But I can't take being sick anymore. Those little snot balls are keeping me like this. I can feel myself dying, starting with my mouth and moving to the rest of my body.  My tongue gets dry and disgusting because I can't breath out my nose which makes my tonsils swell, and my throat hurt. I can feel something rattling around in my chest when I breath like the ball bearings they put in spray paint cans. My voice sounds like an old Jewish man's, and I just feel greasy all the time no matter how freshly showered I am. And perhaps the worst although it affects me very little - the horrible snoring! I feel bad. But I can't really breath, so of course things get complicated once I'm asleep. All in all I'm pretty miserable right now. I haven't been this sick in months, I've actually had a pretty good last year health wise, and this just sucked all the life out of me. Dime's been extra protective and cuddly cute. But I'm just trying to stay out of everyone's face. I don't want to get anyone else sick.

So it's probably good I'm just staying home and laying low all day. I'm gonna camp out on the couch and watch cartoons with my cough drops and kleenexs. Fingers crossed I feel better tomorrow and I can go to work. I need the money. I need to make a trip to Michael's very soon.

So I hope everyone is well out there in the world. I hope Tody is warm and healthy at his house. I'll be here with my trusty stuffed elephant trying to recoop as quickly as possible. I took some pictures to cheer myself up.

Hello!

We were put on Earth for one reason: To Live. Most people lead very simple lives, they go to work and come home and repeat that on a daily basis. Then there are the people like me who just live, yeah, I want to get a job, I want to work, I need the money. But what I really want is to be self made. I want my job to be my camera and I want my camera to be part of me, an extension of my life that allows me to share what I see with you and the rest of the world.

I feel blessed that I have known Kona for so long and want to thank her for making me and my art part of The Elephant's Trunk. I hope that my joining will bring lots of new things for you to enjoy!

New Admin

I've always had high hopes for this blog. In the way that it is an outlet for my art and the images that inspire me. I have tried to stay honest and forthcoming here. And although I have no idea how many people I am reaching I've always felt good about what I put up on here as a representation of me at the time. But over the past few months as I have grown with my art and here with this blog I've come to see that I'm not the only one that contributes here. Of course my loved ones influence my mood and therefor the content for the day. But it's more than that. I have so many people that help me create. The thoughts and art put up on here are not always purely my own. I like to think of The Trunk as a space for all of the creativity in my life. And perhaps the most leading creative person in my life right now is my best friend Tody. I like to think of him often times as my partner in creative crime and art. He's my personal photographer and the first person I ask for artistic advise. A lot of pictures on here lately were taken either by him or by me with his camera. So it seemed natural to incorporate him more into The Trunk.

So now introducing a new admin to my site!! How exciting for us. There will be some changes coming soon along with him. My pages are going to change and grow and there will be a new person posting every now and then. Kona and Tody have a lot of art to share with you guys.

So stick around to see how this plays out. I'm sorry I'm a failure with the pictures lately. I've just been very sick and trying my hardest to keep painting through it all. So I've let my camera sit for a while. But there will be more soon. There will be a lot to look at up very soon.

I Have A Consistency Problem

Always have, probably always will. Call it what you will - "flaky", "inconsistent", "unreliable", "late"... I realize I have flaws. I'm working on it. But I think it might be too ingrained in my being to ever be able to have a daily routine. I'm just weird... but my blog is something I care about, and therefore, keep coming back to. I wont ditch my blog, especially now that I have myself some odd 20GB of picture space available to me. But I don't think I'll ever be able to post every single day. There are some days I don't turn on my computer at all. And some where I just can't think of anything to say. I've admittedly gotten better. The days I feel introverted I try to push on anyway and just post pictures I think are interesting from my life. But still, I sometimes go three or four days without posting anything. And I notice. Especially since I've put my blog archive back up on the side, I glance at it a lot and I notice that I only have around 20 posts, give or take, for each month. I'm missing days. I just can't get a routine.

I guess it all comes down to discipline. And I have never had very much of that. It's a hard concept for me to grasp, and I'm not quite sure why.

Anyways, I don't have a picture to post right now. I will tonight, but they aren't ready yet. I was just browsing The Trunk and felt compelled to give an explanation for my gappy posts. I did post yesterday, just not on the home page. I posted new pictures of some paintings I've been working on. Tody took HDR pictures of my new stuff because I was have the hardest time getting everything to show up in the pictures I was taking. My apartment and good lighting are not synonymous whatsoever. He also has been helping me with my computer for the past few weeks, little by little, and it's definitely getting better. It might have a little while longer with us. Fingers crossed it doesn't decide to jump ship and go live in computer heaven with Erica's desktop. I now have Adobe Photoshop Lightroom to play with. According to Tody all the professionals use it instead of Bridge for quick photo uploading and editing, and I have to say, the program is pretty sleek compared to Bridge. But I still have no idea what I'm doing so it is by no means quicker for me yet. But I think it could be. Most of the editing is all in the program so I don't have to wait for my slow computer to think about all the things it has to open. So we'll see. I'm excited.

I'll check back in later with pictures.