Domestic Geek

I've had intentions of crafting more. Well, life got in the way and that hasn't happened. I've been pushing my projects to the backburner and I'm really sorry I have done so. As my friend Cass said the other day (at least I think she said it as I can't find the post amongst her many blogs), you have to make time to craft. So making time I am.

This afternoon I'm taking my birthday money from my company and going to take a knitting class. I've been wanting to knit for years and Marcus' mother even bought me a knitting kit for Christmas 2 years ago. I've tried to read the book and watch videos online, but for some reason I just don't "get it" yet. I can do the stitches, I just can't get a project cast on. I need a seasoned knitter to show me how to get started.

Speaking of Cass, she has started an Online Craft Club that takes place every Friday. I'll be a day late, but I'll participate this week with the results of my knitting class.

I'm so excited!!!

OK, I got Expression Engine 1.6 all installed over at my domesticgeek.com. Got the databases and everything set up with the host all by myself. I'm so proud. Everything I set up on this domain database-wise has to be done by Marcus. I just need to finish the darned theme I'm working on and we'll go live over there. w00t!

Did you know that I bought DomesticGeek.com a few months ago? I still haven't done jack with it. I had every intention of using that for blogathon this year, but we all know that didn't materialize. I want to make it the place I blog without paid ads. I know that's weird, since paid blogging is what is keeping me afloat, but it would be nice to have someplace to just rant and write and not have to worry about what an advertiser will see or if I have enough content or whatever, y'know?

I also had every intention of making this weekend a blog work weekend, but we got really busy and really behind at work, so I'm working tomorrow and on Monday to get all that extra cash. Should help put a dent in what I need for Vegas. I've got 3 web sites and several subdomains of this one that really need some TLC, but I've been so not into it. I really need to get working on my graphic design site so that I can actively pursue getting clients. I'm really going to do that this time. I was so ready to just chuck it all and go back to pizza the other day. Thankfully a new day and a cooler head prevailed and I talked myself out of that, but I do need more income coming in and a creative outlet to boot. I'll let you all know when that is ready (hopefully Sunday?). In the mean time, though, if you need graphic design or blog coding work done, feel free to comment here. I'd love to help!

When I was young, I absolutely loved getting a new box of crayons and some coloring books. I spend hours being entertained by that activity. I remember once that I got in trouble in 2nd grade for "coloring wrong." What kind of teacher tells you you're coloring wrong? I was fortunate that my mom always had craft supplies and drawing paper around, too, to encourage our creativity. As I was being nostalgic one day, I stopped to take a look at the selection of coloring books at a local store to see what kind of subject matter was now popular. I was shocked at how horrible the quality of the drawings were in addition to the books being really expensive. It made me a little sad.

Made me start to think that maybe one day, I'll release a coloring book. I can't do worse that what is already out there.

You know, back in the day, expandable themes were kind of cool. If you're not familiar with the term, it means that a section of a site can expand or contact as you make a browser window larger or smaller to fill the space so that the whole site fills the window. That was fine for the days of 800x600 or even 1024x768 resolutions, but right now I have an Apple Cinema Display with a 1680x1050 resolution. Most times my main browser window fills the screen. Do you have any idea how much of a pain it is to read a blog entry that spans almost that entire entry sans sidebars? It's a royal PITA! Even better are the ones that have two columns: one that floats right an one that floats left with no set width for the whole page. It leaves a big huge freakin' while hole in the middle of their site. Not pretty, let me tell you.