Tania Salahat Cardenas

For My Mom

2011-06-21T23:32:00.006-05:00

My mother passed away at 3:30AM on Sunday, June 19th, 2011. She had awoken the day before suddenly feeling ill, perhaps with a stomach virus of some sort. Her symptoms escalated and finally she stopped fighting my father about going to the hospital. We were told she had some kind of cardiac event, possibly a heart attack. They transferred her to a qualified hospital and ran some more tests. The condition was serious and the damage extensive, but no one knew what had happened.

They ruled out a heart attack and it was clear that she had a pretty substantial infection of some kind. The road ahead of us looked difficult and expansive, but the doctors would reconvene at 10AM (it now being nearly 2:30 in the morning) with more test results and a better idea of what was going on. At 3:30AM an alarm sounded, and I rushed, terrified, down a hallway that seemed to go on and on forever. Her room was at the very end, 317, with a blue light blinking above her door. They called a code blue and the universe went dark. I spent an eternity at the end of that hallway, waiting for everything to be okay. Though I am here, I still feel like my heart is trapped at the end of the that hallway.

If you knew my mother, you know that she was larger than life. She was a hard worker, passionate about caring for the sick and helping those in need. She injected fun into everything she did. There wasn't anything I wouldn't have done just to make her smile, and no price too high to see that smile once more. Her happiness had the strength to overcome all sadness. She radiated hope. One day she was healthy and infused with a passion for life, and the next day she was gone, leaving the world dark and confusing.

It is as if she couldn't possibly be gone. The phone rings and my heart expects it to be her. Everywhere I go, I see her face. She was in everything I said and did, from her mannerisms to her influences and inspiration. She pushed me to be a better me, all the while loving me for my imperfections. She encouraged me to take on tasks I never thought I could do, and then she beamed when I completed them. She radiated support and love, without even having to try.

Being a mother is about being able to see outside yourself, and my mother was no exception. She cared for all others before herself. Her concerns were always the welfare of those around her, whether they were lifelong friends or recent acquaintances. It is my impression that my grandmother, who died at a young age, was very much the same kind of woman. My mother took the best of her and left the worst of her experiences behind her. She had every excuse to be a different kind of person, but every decision she made led her to the be the woman who touched the lives of so many people. She was exceptional despite all the available excuses to be otherwise. She refused to let the sum of her suffering be the whole of her heart.

I suppose many people have close relationships with their parents, and it would be arrogant for me to insinuate that my bond with my mother was anything special--but it was. In highschool, when everyone was hiding things from their parents, I would spend hours laying on the bed in my mother's room. We would talk about everything, from the silliest highschool dramas to the most serious conversations a teenager could have. I cherished these last night discussions even as a child.

Everyone said that as I grew older, we would grow apart. We never did. In college, I saw her almost every weekend. Even after, I visited often, calling even more. Anything worth talking about was discussed with my mom, and especially all the topics that were not. I couldn't believe what happened on One Life to Live today. Which color scheme works best for this crafting project? I had pasta for dinner tonight. What should I wear to this interview? The dog is wearing the tutu you made her. Do the sum of these symptoms equal a trip to the doctor? Nothing was too big or small, and so we would ramble on.

When the news finally sunk in, I didn't have to wonder if I had told her I loved her. She knew it. There was no doubt of that. And although I wished that I had called her Friday night, rather than just going to bed, I didn't hold on to that regret either. There could be plenty of "I wish..." and "Why didn't I?" but really, there is just one big hole in my heart and that's all it comes down too. My mother, friend, mentor, advisor, healthcare provider, business partner... my everything is gone. And though I go on, day to day, I feel very much empty. It is as if someone has possessed my body, and continues to run the show, while I am just glazed over and lost.

My heart is broken, and not just for my own loss. It is broken to know that she had finally gotten her spirit and passion back from the death of her own adopted mother/aunt, when it was so swiftly stolen away. My heart is broken to know that my father just lost his beloved wife of 33 years, mother of his two children. It is broken because my brother just lost his own mother, who loved him so wholly and unconditionally. My heart is broken to know that my mother, who loved children more than she loved anything, never knew the joy of having a grandchild. And even though I am unsure that I want children, I was never unsure about the amazing grandmother she would have been.

Matter of fact, the only thing I really did know about the subject was how wonderful she would have been and how much happiness it would have brought her. My heart is broken because my mother, who died at the age of 54, had an entire life of exciting possibilities ahead of her. Possibilities that she talked about constantly, adventures that she was ecstatic to embark on, stolen potential.

This post should conclude with some inspirational words about how she is in a better place and everything is going to be alright. But those words would be hollow and insincere at best. I am not certain of much this evening, but these things I know for sure:

My mother was not done living.
My family has been robbed.

Lynn's Memorial Website

The Great Jake (2001 - 2011)

2011-04-02T22:00:00.009-05:00

A little less than 10 years ago, I convinced my parents to buy me a lizard as a belated Christmas gift. I had my eye on a Chinese Water Dragon. There were five in the cage, but I knew just the one I wanted the minute I saw him. Maybe he knew too, because he immediately leaped onto my shoulder.

I named him "Uncle Jake," because I was a silly college girl who thought that was just the greatest name. An instant bond was formed and I know that's hard for a lot of people to understand. But Jake liked to cuddle with stuffed animals, and he liked to sit on my lap while I did homework. He was a pet and he was a great one.

Gah, look how small baby Jake was.

Once Jake got bigger, my dad, The Engineer, built him a 6ft tree to live on. He had MBD and his bones were fragile, though they healed up very nicely. Jake's tree had a ramp, but he loved to jump off the top anyways.

Jake was quite famous in his time. He starred in a small (student) indie film where he played a giant lizard. He was featured in a calendar for his glorious FancyPants™. Jake has been painted and drawn by many talented artists. He was even a guest star in our winning Green Mountain Energy video.

I'm not sure what the point of this post was suppose to be, because even now, just nearing the end of it makes me sad. I guess it was just to say:

There was a Chinese Water Dragon named Uncle Jake. He was a great companion and a famous movie star. When he was excited, he could run on two legs. When he took baths, he swam like an alligator. He loved the ladies and anything shiny. His favorite past-time was sitting. He ate flowers, even if they were silk. He lived 10 wonderful years and he will be missed very much.

My life wont be the same without him.

A Href says What?

2011-02-23T23:16:00.009-06:00

When I was in high school I decided I wanted to be a programmer. I loved coding and thought I had found the holy grail of careers. In college, the creative part of my brain starting calling out for more attention. Finding myself unchallenged and bored in my programming classes, I took on an Advanced Game Programming class to see how I would like it. From there, I ended up in animation, motion graphics, and finally, producing my own projects.

My programming background has always helped me to excel at my job in one way or another. It allows me to quickly pick up new languages, software packages, problem solve, and create tools to aide in the creative process. I find it very satisfying to be able to switch back and forth between the technical and creative, and so I frequently do this in my personal projects as well.

One of my latest endeavors has been working in html, and that is the driving force behind this post. I just wanted to share the latest website that I have built. I do not have a history in html but I am constantly trying to learn new things in this ever expanding technological frontier. This site was built from scratch for the company my husband works for:

(click the image to visit the actual website)

I have not yet worked on their sister site, DMCA Floors, but it is definitely on the to-do list. Hit me with some feedback, if you are so inclined.

(Logo provided by Shell of As You Do.)

Resume Writing Tips

2011-01-21T17:09:00.005-06:00

by someone who just sorted through over 200 potential candidates

Resumes are all about qualifications and efficient use of space. Represent yourself as the professional person of skill that you are. If you don't have an extensive work history, then focus on the pertinent skill sets you have built outside of work. These do not include random hobbies. For example, if you are applying for a job as an Administrative Assistant, it is not important to highlight Jewelry Maker at the top of your resume.

If you don't have much to say, don't insult yourself and your potential employer by trying to fluff your experience up to more than what it is (there is something to be said for a clean-slate). This includes line-spacing. It didn't fool your history teacher and it isn't going to fool a potential employee. So, remember that triple spacing your resume to take it from 1 paragraph to 6 pages only does two things: it kills trees, which in turn, kills babies. And if you were a dead baby then you wouldn't need a job, now would you? Something to think about.

Similarly, repetition and over-elaboration is boring. No matter how amazing you were at your last job, keep it concise and to the point. For example: If you were a Pizza Creator at your last job, knowing that you can make both pepperoni and cheese pizza will not going to change the fact that Pizza-Making sucks. You know this, because you are looking for a new job. Don't get mad at me, you know it's true. Here is another example: "I scanned and copied documents using a computer." Using a computer, you say? The only way this sentence needs to end with a clarification is if you scanned and copied documents using black magic bestowed upon you by the great Llama Sorcerer himself.

Avoid vague statements and generalizing. It does not make you look smart. Case and point: "I am proficient at Microsoft Office and most other computer programs" is not confidence inspiring. Neither is the objective statement: "I am looking for a satisfying job in the field for which I am applying at a company where I want to work." If you can't think of something to say, then don't say anything.

The presentation of your resume is almost as important as what it says. If it is not readable, no one is going to care how talented you are. Format your resume to be read in 60 seconds or less. If it cannot be skimmed, it will probably get passed by. In the same regard, fonts are important in that they need to be completely unnoticed. If your font is size 36 and bright pink, they are going to assume that you are 5 years old and a violation of child labor laws to even interview.

Templates are not terrible. If you are not prepared or able to design your template to look professional and eye-catching, then check out a few templates and see if something fits your style. Your resume may end up looking similar to another candidate's, but at least your employer can tell that you cared enough to make your resume presentable. You must, however, examine the template thoroughly to see where you need to insert your information. No one is going to hire "Insert Your Name Here," and nothing says "lack of attention to detail" than missing information on your own resume.

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation are not optional. Keep your contact information up-to-date. If you can't take the time to proof read, why should they read it at all?

If you apply to a job via email and do not bother to write anything in the body, then there is no reason for your resume to stand out in the over 300 emails they will receive that day. However, applying for a job with a fancy signature that includes a quote or a smiley face is a great way to make your resume stand out... in the trash.

Bilingual means TWO languages. If you apply for a job in English and schedule and interview in English, chances are they are going to expect you to speak English. On the flip side, claiming that you are fluent in another language just because you took it in High School is a lie. The person reading your resume took a language class in High School too. Your chance of getting the job is as slim as them finding anything other than a bathroom, library, or discotheque in a foreign country. In other words, no bueno. (Hey look, I'm bilingual!)

An employer will not beg for your information. So, do not write in to say : "I am extremely experienced and have a resume that I know you would love! Let me know if you'd like me to send it over." Do not bother to ask if they are still hiring unless you are going to leave them with your information as a reason to consider you a potential candidate. Do NOT email them just to say that you are either to busy or incompetent to attach your resume. For example: "I am unable to upload a resume via iPad but I can fax it or apply in person. I have experience. Please let me know." is all kinds of stupid.

Finally, even the best of intentions will not get you a job. The most IMPORTANT aspect of getting your resume in front of a potential employer is remembering to ATTACH the document.

A Suite Bedroom Set

2010-09-27T10:59:00.013-05:00

(what a terrible pun.)

When Richard and I got married, we received a fabulous custom head/foot board from my Uncle as our wedding gift. It was beautiful! He did such a great job with head/foot board, it turned out exactly how we had envisioned.

We hoped that one day we could commission him to finish the rest of our bedroom suite, and I am thrilled to announce that day has arrived! We received the furniture a week ago and it is perfect! He did a fantastic job of matching the new furniture to the head/foot board that we already had, which is no small task! We got everything moved in with the help of our dear friend, Greg, and finished arranging and hanging everything this weekend.

I feel like a serious adult now, having a complete bedroom suite and being able to store away all my clothes in drawers rather than assorted baskets all over the bedroom floor.

The handles were selected by Richard and I, based on our memory of the color of our headboard. I'm pretty please to see that it turned out well!

I may have furniture, but I am not ready to give up all my baskets just yet...

So there you have it, a real bedroom with real furniture! It feels fantastic to continue working on "moving in" to the new house and getting everything situated.

If you are looking for your own gorgeous custom furniture, I highly recommend checking out Allen's Sawmill in Mineral Wells -- and as you can see from above, I'm not just saying that because he's my uncle. This fellow has some serious talent!

GME Contest Winner Announced

2010-09-13T22:35:00.007-05:00

A few weeks ago I wrote in about a video contest that we had entered for the "I AM Green Mountain Energy" contest. You can read all about it here.

Well, today the winner was announced and I am so THRILLED to say... WE WON!

Our video placed 1st in the contest, which means we won a $500 bill credit and a $3000 home energy makeover. Richard and I are very excited! A great BIG thanks goes out to Jason, Brad, Ryan, and Richard! The video wouldn't have happened without you guys-- all your help and hard work is what made it a 1st place winner!

You can see all the winning videos, including ours, on their site here.

It may only say my name beneath the video there, but there is a fantastic team of incredibly talented people behind the scenes. They deserve some serious props. Thanks so much guys!

If you haven't already seen our entry, here it is once more for convenience:

A Blast from the Past

2010-08-19T14:04:00.007-05:00

Today, my goal is to get the house cleaned up a bit. Usually, I will either turn on some music or put a movie on in the background while I work. Before I started digging through DVDS, I checked out the TV schedule to see if there were any good movies to record. I came across a movie from 1986 with the description: "A man becomes a heroic cartoon rabbit." A man that turns INTO a cartoon rabbit? I'm thinking that this certainly sounds interesting... I must see what it's about.

As soon as the intro screen for the movie starts up, my jaw hits the floor. I had completely forgotten about this movie, but within a minute it all comes flooding back to me.

I must have watched this movie a million times as a kid, because I can hear myself reciting the lines despite my own disbelief. Isn't it funny how nostalgia can hit you from out of nowhere? I feel like a kid all over again, giggling at these ridiculous scenes!

On a side note, I am noticing that many of the 1980's movies I watched as child have a similar theme. A very young child (or rabbit, in this case) suddenly finds himself with an disproportionate set of responsibilities which demands that he/she leave their friends and family behind for the betterment of the world. Yikes! Seems a little heavy, looking back on it now, but I much prefer it to the death-by-sequel approach we seem to have now.

I'm curious, did anyone else watch this movie as a child? It seems the movies that I remember watching -- no one else has seen! Amoungst these are: Rikki Tikki Tavi, The Adventures of Unico, and the above mentioned movie.

"I am Green Mountain Energy!"

2010-08-11T14:44:00.000-05:00

For the last month or so, in our elusive spare time, we have been working on an entry into the "I am Green Mountain Energy" contest. The goal of this contest was to create a video 90 seconds or less proving why you are the biggest Green Mountain Energy fan. The only other stipulation: use the line "I am a Green Mountain Energy Customer because..."

We finally turned in our entry in today!

Our team: Brad Herbert, Jason Moxon, Tania Cardenas, Richard Cardenas
With special help from our acting coach: Ryan Westenhover

Contest winners will be announced no later than September 15th, 2010.
In the meantime, I would love to hear what you think!

It's.... live... LIVE!

2010-03-24T00:34:00.001-05:00

Settlers VII was released today!

Get your copy at any gaming retailer or on Steam.

P.S. The box art above is for the UK, which I prefer over the one you're going to see in the stores here. Brace yourself for the X-TREME USA version:

Coming Soon... very soon!

2010-03-20T00:37:00.000-05:00

Ubisoft recently announced that the Settlers 7 demo is now available!

If you're interested in checking out the game, and just can't wait for the March 23rd release date, you can find information for the demo here:

http://pc.ign.com/articles/107/1078761p1.html

I'm looking forward to getting my copy; it will be fun to see how everything comes together once the animation is actually piped into the game engine.

Sewing Table: The Adventure Begins...

2010-02-22T17:16:00.001-06:00

Over the last year, I have picked up a few new hobbies. I think it is important to give any new hobby a "trial period," in order to judge whether or not it is going to stick. This way you do not get too excited about the prospect of your new hobby and invest too much time, effort, and money into something that might not be your cup of tea. A few months for a "trial period" also gives you time to hate the new hobby because you don't understand it, and then finally... love it because you do.

And so, this is what the last year has been for me in terms of sewing. It didn't take much time to realize that I not only loved my new hobby, but that I was going to need a serious workspace if I were to continue it. It was time to give my dining room back to meal times, and find a new, permanent home for my sewing machine and friends. It did take a lot of time, however, to find a suitable workspace.

That's why we are here today! Unable to find a sewing table that would suit my needs and match my furniture, I ended up having to take on a whole new project to reclaim my dining room table, dining room floor, and half of my guest room.

The journey started at Ikea.com, where I scouted the components for the desk itself. Everything you see here is from their Vika series. My only problems were these:

1.) Would it be sturdy enough for my serger?
2.) Would it come in coordinating colors for my existing furniture?

It seemed it might hold up to the serger, but most of the components I needed only came in white. Ick, no thanks.

I talked it over with a very good friend of mine, who encouraged me to paint the desk whatever color I wanted. Those of you who are familiar with Ikea, are probably aware of the fact that most of their furniture involves some wood laminate. I was doubtful that this sort of material could be painted successfully, but she volunteered to help and so we embarked on this crazy project and ended up with what you see here!
(I will review what steps we took to get to this point later in the blog, for those of you who are considering tackling a similar project.)

My New Playground:

The tabletop came in a black-brown finish, which was a huge relief. If I had to paint the table top, I would be very concerned about the finish holding up through all the work I plan on doing here.

The desk itself has 5 drawers on the left for my sewing notions, all organized with some simple drawer organizers that I purchased at Walmart and Target for nearly nothing.

The cabinet on the right has 2 sections that are the perfect size to fit both my sewing and embroidery machines simultaneously.

The extra drawers on the right are actually for my computer desk, which you can just barely see in this picture. Finally, all my paper and clutter is organized and contained here, allowing me to not only see my desk again but also enjoy being at it.

Now, as I promised above, here are the steps we took to transform this desk. If you aren't wanting to read a wee little tutorial, this is probably your stop. :)

How We Painted The Desk:

First off was a stop at the hardware store. We picked up some Killz2 High Adhesive Latex Primer (get it tinted if you are working with anything but white paint), 2 High Density Foam Rollers and foam roller refills, paint trays, drop cloths, touch up brushes, and Ralph Lauren Bone Black Latex paint- Satin finish. (If I were to do it again, I would consider using a oil based primer rather than latex.)

Once we were home, we removed everything from the boxes. Of course, this being Ikea furniture, everything comes dissembled. If you don't want to paint everything, I would suggest taking a moment to identify all your pieces and which parts need to be painted and do not. Even if you are like me, and prefer to paint everything, it is good to identify your pieces so you can make sure the utmost care is taken with those that will be the most visible. (Small note: I did not paint the drawer bottom inserts.)

At this point, I would suggest taking a fine grit sand paper and sanding down all your pieces. It doesn't have to be an extreme roughing of the surface, but when dealing with laminate I think it would be best to rough up the surface some and give your primer something additional to stick too. After you are done, wipe down the pieces with a tack cloth or wet rag to remove all that dust and residue. We did not sand down our pieces, but I wish we had.

Our first step was to take some rags and dampened them with rubbing alcohol. We quickly wiped down all the pieces to remove any kind of oil or residue that might be lurking and cause problems down the line. I would NOT skip this step, as it is quick, easy, and extremely helpful. Taking more time when starting the foundation of your project is only going to make your life that much easier.

Stir up your primer while you let the last of your pieces dry, and then start priming! Multiple thin coats are better than 1 thick coat, so go easy. Definitely let the pieces dry well between coats. The more time you can give them, the better. I put 2 coats of primer on everything over the course of 2 days. I would let your primer dry for a day or two, if not longer, just to make sure it has really set. The more time you can give yourself while working on something like this, the better.

Now time for more sanding. Fine grit sand paper is great, just lightly sand down the irregularities in your primer. Wash off all that dust with a damp rag. Let your boards dry, and then you can start painting. I took drying times very seriously between paint coats. Everything got atleast 4 or 5 hours drying time between coats or flipping over to do the other sides. Once everything was painted, I let it sit and cure for an entire week. Then came the very careful assembly and a little bit of touch up paint where necessary. I put shelf liners in all the drawers and I am making a little tabletop cover for my desk drawers.

I am having some issues with blocking (paint removal) when some of the pieces come in contact with each other or have other plastic items sitting on them. This was a fear that I had initially about painting the desk to begin with. I have heard that oil based primers and paints help, or you can apply a top coat. I also think sanding initially would have helped, but this is all just speculation. Since I didn't have to paint the tabletop, I am just taking precautions (table cloth, shelf liners etc) to avoid any additional blocking. If it continues, I may end up putting a top coat on. Overall, however, I am happy with my desk. I love it, but I just hope it holds up well!

I hope my experience is able to help anyone out there that is trying to sort through a million tutorials and decide if they want to tackle a similar project!

Now, the sewing begins...

The Announcement of Settlers 7

2009-09-25T18:33:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone,

The game I was working on earlier this summer has finally been announced, and so now I can share it with you! It is Settlers 7, in case you didn't notice the title, and I had a great time animating a lot of very interesting and fun characters! Check out the announcement trailer here:

Video Games | Settlers: Paths to a Kingdom | TGS 09: Debut Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

Just a blog on a log in the sun...

2009-07-19T23:43:00.000-05:00

Hey kids,

It's me. Neglectful blogger # 27397208. I just wrapped up with my latest project and am officially on the prowl for the next big thing. I'm excited about my contribution in this computer game and cannot wait to get my own copy and see everything in context-- unfortunately I don't think I can say what game it was yet! No, no, it's not that I think you would... tell anyone. It's just that, well you know, things travel fast on the internet. Anyways, the game looks like a lot of fun, and I have to say, character design was really enjoyable. Not only was it a neat project to work on, but it is part of a series that started out as one of my husband's very first computer games -- so that made the experience extra special. Sssh, that's all the information you get for now! Don't be greedy, you'll find out soon enough! :)

Oooh, I almost forgot! I started a new photo blog. You know, because I'm so active in blogging that it takes more than one blog to contain me. Haha.

http://tmcpics.blogspot.com/

A Curious Adventure

2009-05-06T23:37:00.001-05:00

A little something off the beaten path...

Weather

2009-03-23T11:57:00.000-05:00

If there is one thing an Italian Greyhound is excellent at, it is interpreting the weather.

In other news, hope everyone is enjoying their Monday.

Lights and Ears

2008-12-11T12:30:00.001-06:00

I keep forgetting to upload the good picture I took of the lights. It turns out, if ye 'ol EyeFi card doesn't do it for me, it doesn't get done. I better go easy on him next time, I don't know what I would do if he left. Post lots of boring words without pictures, I suppose.

So here is my meh picture of the lights.And, in a completely unrelated story...

Holy huge ears, batman!

Lola just cracks me up... what a personality she has. When she is in the mood to play, I am constantly giggling over all her strange little antics. And I can finally say: she is adjusting well. Slowly but surely, she is getting the house training down and is starting to sleep throughout the night. It has been a long windy road, but I'm confident that we are nearing a time and a place where our new family member will let me sleep. We certainly had to try a variety of methods to get there, and it just makes me think about the kind of life she must have lived before she found her way to us.

Hopefully, all she has to worry about from here on out is if she should bother Mosley now, or if she should bother him later.
Usually she chooses both.
That's just how she rolls.

Confessions Of An Eager Delete Button

2008-12-03T16:41:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, I had a very serious talk with my EyeFi card about image and responsibility. Today, it only seems fair that I take some ownership for why I still have no Christmas lights pictures.

This morning my EyeFi card tried very hard to impress me, uploading my pictures in a timely manner and fixing me a bowl of cereal before I was off to work. During my break I logged onto my website to review the pictures and select The Chosen One. In an overly eager attempt to organize and de-clutter the pictures that had been uploaded, I somehow managed to delete the picture I wanted to post. I'm not prepared to take 100% responsibilty for this mishap, as I know I was on the proper picture when I hit delete. But I'm not prepared to take Shutterfly down with me just yet. So I accept full responsibilty for why the only new picture I have to post looks like this:

Complete and Total Lack of Christmas Light Pictures

2008-12-02T09:22:00.000-06:00

Well, I went out into the cold, harsh weather last night to take some Christmas light pictures for ye 'ol blog, but my EyeFi card does not seem to have uploaded them.

That's what I get for trusting a itty bitty robot to do a woman's job.

Yo, EyeFi card! I'll give you one more chance to get your act together tonight, and then I'm pulling out the USB cord. That's right, you hear me? You'll never work in this town again!

Sssshh. There, there. Ssssh, don't do that. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it. But, listen, you've got to pull your weight around here, okay? Those pictures aren't going to upload themselves.

Happy Leftover Turkey Day!

2008-12-01T14:50:00.000-06:00

So I thought about posting on Thanksgiving, but I ate some deviled eggs instead. Now that, my friends, is true dedication.

I just wanted to say, "Hey, you! Happy Thanksgiving! Say hi to your mother for me."

Now that I finished that up... countdown to Christmas, right?

Whoa whoa whoa buddy. I've still got indigestion from the last excuse to eat myself sick.

Well you better snap out of it because I've already got my Christmas lights up and that super fresh Christmas tree is coming out of the box any minute now. Along with the many spiders who have probably been wondering how they managed to take a left at the cardboard wall and end up in Colorado. Don't worry spiders, cruel harsh reality is coming for you in the shape of a newspaper.

How did this happen, you are probably wondering. How did you, of all people, end up with your Christmas lights up this early? Well, hey, mister. Let's watch that attitude. I can do things. I can even do things in a timely manner. Like, take for example, this last weekend I watched my husband, who was feeling incredibly motivated by our first Christmas in a house, put up Christmas lights.

Okay, okay. I did, in fact, volunteer to stand dangerously high up on the ladder and stretch far beyond my reach to assist in the event. Yes, a rebel am I.

Perhaps this evening I will take a picture of the lights and share it. I have to admit, though, that snarky attitude of yours isn't increasing the odds. Not by one bit.

The Envelope Please...

2008-11-18T11:01:00.000-06:00

And the winner of the 2008 "Name for the New Dog" is....

(drum roll please)

Do you want to read it?
-No, go ahead.
Are you sure? I don't mind.
-No, really, I know you've been looking forward to this.
Oh, gee, that's considerate. Thanks.

And the winner is... Lola!

Pie Crust on Shark Week

2008-11-17T10:15:00.001-06:00

A very good friend of ours, Phan, visited from out of town last week. He got in late Tuesday night and immediately started calling the new dog "Piecrust." Admittedly, we have yet to come up with a name that seems perfect for her... and we really need to settle on something. Calling her "new dog," "girl dog" and "hey you" just isn't going to cut it. Maybe that's why she started paying attention to Piecrust, it was the first thing that loosely resembled a name. Or, maybe her turning her head twice when he called was merely a coincidence.

On Wednesday I got a phone call from the rescue group, Lost Paws Rescue of Texas, notifying me that the new dog was to have her pins out on Friday. On Friday! What happened to three or four weeks? Sheesh, I was not prepared for this. On Friday we were having a party for our friend and I couldn't imagine that being a good environment for a post pin-removal dog. We arranged for the vet to keep her Friday night, and nervously dropped her off Friday morning.

I was not familiar with the vet that they used. It seemed like a nice place, and the people seemed like nice people... but I have to confess that I did not leave feeling comforted. I almost felt as if I had not received their stamp of approval, as if I were not worthy of rescuing this dog. I am sure it was mostly in my head, but it was there none the less.

At this point in time, everyone had started calling her Piecrust. Everyone except Phan, who was now calling her "Shark Week." Before he left, he encouraged her to "live every day as if it's Shark Week." We picked her up Saturday morning, and that is exactly what she did. Richard and I left to run to the store. We wanted to get some little baby proof locks for the kitchen doors, which was where we were keeping her and Mosley during the day. We also wanted to get some rawhides for her to chew on, since every once in a while I would see her nibbling on her bed.

When we got home, the kitchen floor was covered in brown snow. Richard had a look of dismay on his face, and I had no idea what I was looking at. As I got further through the door, I saw what he was pointing at. "Shark Week" had nudged the kitchen doors open enough to destroy whatever carpet she could get too. And I do not use the term "destroy" lightly.

On a happier note, the vet said her leg is healing great! I really thought once the pins were removed it was going to be quite the drastic. stomach-churning sight. But it really is minuscule! She is back to walking on it lightly, just like she was before they removed the pins. The vet says in a week she should be using it regularly.

So that's that for updates. Leg seems to be healing nicely, but the overnight trip to the vet seems to have set us back some training-wise. It is strange. In terms of house training and carpet destroying, I feel like we are back to square 2. But she is doing exponentially better when we put her up at night. Anyways, I hope we are back on track and doing great by the end of the week. If you have any suggestions for her name, please post them here. We could use some help.

An Unexpected Turn of Events

2008-11-10T08:50:00.000-06:00

Well, here I was on Friday talking about how crazy things are... and what do we do? We turn up the notch on the crazy machine!

This weekend my parents came over to visit. My husband and father went over to Frys to buy some parts for a computer they are building. As much fun as it is to follow boys arounds the component department of Frys, my mom and I opted for wandering off. We were heading over to Kohls to waste some time when we saw a sign for Lost Paws Adoptions at the pet store. A simple left turn and we were in front of the store.

As soon as I walked in I started mumbling curse words. There, in the cage closest to the door, was a beautiful Italian Greyhound. Why would this cause me to leap into profanity? Because I have always wanted an Italian Greyhound. But, we have also always said our next dog would be a rescue dog and you rarely find Italian Greyhounds in rescues. Add that to the fact that I have been saying we really should wait on another dog, you know, until things calmed down.

So we walked over to her cage, took her out, and instantly bonded. The rest is history! So enough text, here she is:

(Click to see more pictures.)

The name the shelter gave her is Athena, but we are trying to think of our own name for her. She isn't really responding to Athena, so it doesn't seem cruel to find something that suits her more. She is about 2 years old and a purebred Italian Greyhound. She the most relaxed small dog I have ever met. Up until four weeks ago, she had lived her entire life in a kennel. When she was young she broke her leg, but the breeder never fixed it. It healed wrong and she lost all use of it, dragging it behinde her. When the shelter received her, they took her to the vet to have her leg amputated. The vet told them he thought he could save the leg. So, they rebroke the leg and put three pins in it. She has to keep the pins in for 8 weeks. They are not sure if she will regain the complete use of it or not. But, she is already trying to use the leg. Last night she was even walking on it, slowly but surely. I am very optimistic. But, even if she cannot, she moves with incredible speed and balance without it. Thank god for the vet, because I honestly do think he saved her leg. Fingers Crossed!

That's it for now!

Epic Fail

2008-11-06T11:27:00.000-06:00

I am ashamed of how neglectful I have been with this blog lately. It has almost been six months since my last entry. I do not really have any excuse for it. Life has certainly been eventful those last six months, and there was plenty to write about. I kept thinking I would get back into things once Halloween came around, but then I managed to miss even that deadline.

So I guess first things first, Happy Belated Halloween:Alright, now that we've got that out of the way we can focus on catching up.

How have you been?

Me? Oh I've been fine. We closed on our house the end of May, and we've been working on projects here and there ever since. We are currently knee deep in home improvement projects, and finishing seems a million miles away. I don't mean it to sound ongoing, though, because for a couple of months we were mainly unpacking and organizing. Then being lazy. And now, back in the thick of it. I think the key is to do as much as you can before you actually move in. Once you can be comfortable and lazy... you will be.

We waited about a week before we moved into the house. We had planned on waiting longer but as the closing date got closer and closer, we both knew there was no way we would be in our apartment any longer than we had too. The first day we had the house we practically painted the entire interior. My parents and brother came over, we all suited up, and armed with rollers and brushes... attacked like there was no tomorrow. We finished all our goals and plus some in the period of about a day and a half. I could not believe we got so much done, and I will forever be in debt to them for all the many projects they helped us finish over the next few weeks.

I don't think you truly have any idea how much stuff you own until you are forced to put it all in boxes. We borrowed boxes. We bought boxes. I even found some free boxes on craigslist. After each acquisition we would say "Oh man, this is way more than we need." Then we would fill them up and the apartment would still look untouched. In the end, we had to unpack boxes just to take them back and pack more. Imagine how productive that feels! I honestly cannot fathom how we lived in a 980 sq ft apartment with enough furniture, belongings, and knick knacks to fill up an 1896 sq ft home. I kid you not, I am still trying to find places to put all of it.

But that's enough house talk for one post. No one wants to read 6 months of moving mumbo jumbo in one sit down. We will spread it out more. Enjoy it. Savor it. Bask in our accomplishments.

Flight School

2008-05-17T22:31:00.001-05:00

The baby birds are getting huge. Friday, they kept thinking about getting up on the railing with mom, but never quite mustered up the bravery to go for it. Athena was playing hard to get. She would just sit there, ignoring them both until they got closer and closer to hopping up there with her. Finally, realizing that they were not quite ready, she jumped down and fed them.

Saturday, however, they were really stretching out those wings.
(Excuse the quality, youTube always destroys my videos.)

I kept waiting and waiting, knowing that their first trip to the rail and back surely meant they would be flying soon. Sometimes they would be almost completely vertical, peering at the world below them. They would stare, shift their weight, and then start shaking uncontrollably. Rinse and repeat. They always ended up back on the railing-- wondering if they could fly or if it was just a cruel joke.

Finally, the moment of truth. Richard yells, "Hira knocked Hiro down!" I run to the window. Hiro is safe. He's staring at us from the tree that towers over our balcony, shaking a bit, but looking quite proud of himself.

Sometimes it just takes a push and a shove to get us going in the right direction. Apparently, that is all Hira and Hiro needed, because when we got home last night - they were gone.

Bird Blog?

2008-05-12T09:35:00.000-05:00

Yeah, I've noticed that my blog seems to have entirely existed of bird pictures lately. I don't hear any complaining, so we are going to keep going with it...

Things seem to be getting a little crowded in the nest lately.

Gaaah, moooooom, you are EMBARRASSING ME!

I suppose the hardest thing for a mother is letting go, especially on your very first Mother's Day.

We are also noticing that there appears to be something extremely undesirable about the east side of the bird's nest. Granted, it always seemed a little more industrial (see packaging from our last garden attempt), but I hear the weather is nice...

All in all, these baby birds seem to be getting along pretty well for siblings. I've noticed that one always seems to be getting sat on, but I imagine that is pretty typical adolescent bird behavior. Child dreams of sky diving, mom sits on child. Who can't relate to that?

Now, trying to get a family portrait with two newborns is tough. Hiro (on the right) kept facing the wrong direction, and it never failed that Mom was sitting on someone.

Hira (left) decides to show a little leg.

Don't even try to blame the photographer on this one. As you can see, Mom was right there and perfectly capable of controlling the situation.

End.

Feeding Time In The 'Ol Bird's Nest

2008-05-12T09:28:00.000-05:00

Another excellent picture taken by the hubby, who seems to have exclusive V.I.P access to The Bird's Nest.

One at a time-- sheesh!

Athena's Surprise

2008-05-09T18:09:00.000-05:00

Richard came home from work yesterday to find that the mamma bird was out of her nest. And what did she leave behind? Not one baby bird, but two! That's right, she's been hiding another baby in there! I couldn't believe it. By the time I got home she had already returned and I couldn't really see them anymore. Thankfully, Richard got some pictures while she was out.

Birthday Bird

2008-05-04T11:15:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we finally caught a glimpse of the elusive Father Bird. We were pretty sure they had been taking shifts guarding the nest, but since they both look so similar it was hard to be sure. I couldn't get a good picture because, as it turns out, he is quite the coward.

I tried to get closer but he just took off. I think it is easy to figure out who wears the brave bird pants in this family.

But, much more exciting news, today is my birthday! I had just woken up a bit ago and was sitting on the couch contemplating the ramifications of being yet another year older when Richard cheered "There is a baby bird!" The world rejoices, Baby Bird was born! And, on my birthday!

I was able to get a picture, which I assume is worth millions just like any other famous baby picture.

But just like any other famous mom, Athena Bird was quick to shield the baby from the paparazzi.

I imagine that she has plans of selling her own pictures and sending Baby Bird to college, where he will become a world famous professor of avionics.

Update: Got a slightly better look at the little bugger.

Athena: Brave Bird or The Bravest Bird?

2008-04-24T08:49:00.000-05:00

I had every intention of introducing everyone to Athena bird earlier this week, but I got caught up in house drama and kept forgetting to post. So let's start at the beginning...

Friday afternoon I was out on our apartment balcony when I noticed the beginnings of a nest in one of our abandoned planters. Having a relatively small balcony, these nests are usually denied in their early stages to prevent our balcony from being rendered unusable. This day was, of course, no different; especially since we would be moving out soon and would have to take the planter with us. In one quick movement the nest was discarded and I walked away frowning. We hate to do it, but it has to be done.

The next morning I walked by the balcony and saw Bird sitting there. Right back in the planter where the nest had been. What are you doing, Bird? Didn't you notice you were evicted? I point out Bird to Richard, and then grab my camera to take some shots of our lovely visitor.

Bird is brave and doesn't budge while I take several pictures of her, but when our dog leaps off of the couch to see what is going on... Bird takes off. Tania gasps.

Nooooooo. Bird, what have you done!?

Well, Bird wins. We certainly can't do anything about it now. I am relieved to find that the Internet indicates the egg will take 2 weeks to hatch and 2 more weeks of nursing after that. That should be enough time for Bird to get her baby flying before we have to move. I hope. I also read that doves usually have 2 eggs, but Bird only had one. Now the odds are against her.

Well now that's she's practically living with us, I suppose she needs a name. Richard and I named her Athena Bird. But her friends just call her Bird.

Last night there was yet another huge storm, and the tree that is right behind Bird was waving around like it was about ready to snap in two. It was enough to keep me away from the window... but Athena Bird didn't budge. She sat right next to crazy tree all night long.

So I guess that brings us back to the question of the day:

Athena: Brave Bird or The Bravest Bird?

Birthday Art

2008-04-20T20:48:00.000-05:00

Yeah, okay, my birthday isn't for a couple more weeks. But, this weekend was the Main Street Art Festival and it is bound to happen that you see something you just don't want to go home without. This is, undoubtedly, one of my favorite times of the year. It seems like every weekend there is an art fair going on; and, lucky me, I'm just a hop and a skip away.

This year it all started in Fort Worth, and it was a great show. We saw a lot of great artists, and one of them was Jay Long. We walked the entire show and all I wanted to do was go back and look at more of his prints. My parents were kind enough to buy my favorite for my birthday. I spent most of today wandering around to find the perfect frame for it.

So, here is the finished product. I couldn't be happier.

"Hermann," 16X20
You'll have to forgive the photograph, I had a hard time getting a non-glare angle.

I know I said I couldn't be happier, but I suppose that's the problem. I can't decide if I could, IN FACT, be happier if I owed two more similar prints of his. I keep thinking about how great they would all look hung on the wall together... in our new house... that I should probably be saving the money for...

More House Hoopla

2008-04-18T11:34:00.000-05:00

So, again last night with the storms. This time they had all the sirens going. I think they were making up for not bothering with them last time when there actually was something to be alarmed about. Anyways, I watch TV until it seems the worst of the storms have passed and decide to head to bed.

Then, I start to have nightmares. In this particular nightmare: we were staying in a house, which I assume was our house, but it had some weird leftover furniture in it that wasn't ours. It was the middle of the night, and we were both asleep in our bed. I woke up and it was one of those things where in the dream you know something is off.

I kept looking at the strange furniture. I don't really know how to describe it except that it reminded me of what I imagined it would be like to sleep in a doll musuem. Not to insinuate that we were surrounded by antique dolls, which would have been creepy no matter what, but that the furniture around us seemed like something you would see at such a place. I feel obligated to include a quick note here: in the master bedroom of the house we are buying there is an antique doll perched in an old pink rocker just her size.

Suddenly, all the TVs come on, including the two that were in the bedroom. Written on the TVs and on some other furniture in the room is scribbled, in glowing text of various colors, "I miss my pet cat." Then the lights flash and the tvs go off. We keep hearing someone knocking downstairs, and it seems to just get closer and closer.
All of the sudden there is a loud knock on our bedroom door. The TVs come on really loud and there is writing all over the room now.

On the TV there is a note from the seller saying "I can't figure out why the TVs come on at night sometimes."

We can hear doors slamming all of the house. Things quiet down, and Richard jumps up suddenly compelled to throw something away. He walks to the bedroom door, which now looks like an old front door with a deadbolt. I yell "No! Don't open it!" But he does. They always do!

Standing right outside our door are all these old Mediterrean people. They are just staring at us. Richard just glances at them and walks out into the hall way and throws whatever it is away. I peer out in the hallway and there are all these people in a small room to the right making food. And then my dad walks by with an Arabic food dish.

In the dream, I remember thinking that I didn't care how awesome the house was I was so glad it was still in option because I was NOT moving in there.

I wake up and Richard is talking in his sleep. He lets out this distressful "No!" I'm convinced we had just had the exact same dream. I wake up him and asked him if he is okay. He mumbles something and rolls over. I couldn't sleep I was so terrified.

So, of course, I get online this morning to tell Richard all about this, and he says he had nightmares too.

Richard: In my dream, Obama and Hillary were debating each other about the repairs for our house. It was really stressful. Hillary kept insisting that we were getting a good deal on our house and we shouldn't be selfish in asking for repairs. I could be making this up, but I'm pretty sure in my dream Obama gave a speech about how we need to Change the Lightbulbs.

Welcome to Our Home

2008-04-11T14:53:00.000-05:00

Not too long ago, in the midst of our second house hunting disappointment, my friend Amber massively cheered me up by sending me a drawing of what Richard and I would look like when we finally found the right house. It was a wonderful, very thoughtful gesture that put smiles right back on our faces.

Exactly one week later, a house came up on the market. It had only one picture, a front view of the house, and a brief description. I read it and re-read it, this house sounded promising. Richard agreed. We couldn't help but get excited about it. I took Amber's drawing, photoshopped it over the house, and declared that it must be the one. We called and made an appointment to see the house immediately.

I'm glad to say that a couple of stressful, nervewrecking days later- they accepted our offer!

So here it is, ladies and gentlemen, for your visual enjoyment:

The hopeful new home of The Cardenas Familiy!

There is still much to be done before we can actually stand on the lawn, kick up our feet, and rejoice; But, we are one step closer, and I'm feeling confident that things will work out.

Everyone take a moment to knock on wood. Go ahead and knock twice just in case.

Done? Ok, thanks. Have a great weekend everyone!

Tis the Season...

2008-04-10T09:16:00.000-05:00

Finally, things were getting to the point where I didn't have to check the weather every morning to see if it was suppose to be 40 degrees out with a chance of snow or 80 degrees out with unrelenting sunshine... and then BAM. Welcome to tornado season.

When does this scared season of all seasons arrive, you might ask. Well, my friend, for us it arrived this morning at about 3 am. I woke up to what first seemed like the world's largest German disco: lights flashing everywhere, bass shaking the walls. Then the power abandons us.

About 45 minutes later things quiet down and the residents of Valley Ranch emerged from their closets to assess the situation. (This experience, I might mention, not nearly as fun as what I would expect from a German disco.)

Drowsily we peer out the windows...

"Is your car ok?"
"Yeah. Yours?"
"Looks like it."

It is too dark to see much of anything. Listening to sirens in surround sound, we fall back asleep.

First thing in the morning I step outside. Our apartment complex looks like a disturbed ant hill. Everyone and their mother's uncle is outside to see what exactly happened last night.

To see larger pictures: click here.

Welcome to The Land of Updates

2008-04-02T14:02:00.000-05:00

Check this out people, I'm actually keeping up with the blog!

Don't get too excited, it wont last long.

This is a short post to say "Hey, look, I updated some stuff!"
I've got a great new link up for the website/blog/store of a my good friend, Amber, on my "Links" page. And, now I'm going a step further and putting it on the blog! If you haven't checked out http://www.ashadebetterthanstickfigures.com/, then you ought to be ashamed of yourself. Don't worry, that text up there is a link to redemption.

I also finally updated that 'ol reel of mine, which can be found on... yeah you guessed it... the "Reel" page! If you are wondering "Where has she hidden the link to this magical page?" then might I suggest you close your eyes, rotate your head ever so slightly to the left, and then open your eyes! Wa-la! What black magic is this!?

So, how is that for a busy bee? Updated reel, updated blog, updated links... I'm not sure what else you could ask for. But, knowing you, I'm sure you'll come up with something.

Oh, the holidays...

2008-04-01T11:05:00.000-05:00

I think it is wonderful when a holiday comes around and the people around you really take the time to show how much they appreciate having you in their life. I know that our apartment complex really cares because I don't know anyone else who would take the time out of their busy schedule to give us an old, failing air conditioner and then spend all evening ignoring our pleas for help. I don't know anyone else who would drop everything to not answer their "maintenance emergency hotline," just to prove how much we mean to them. Nothing says "I care" like three-hundred dollar electricity bills. Nothing says "I don't know what I would do without you" like pretending your loved one doesn't exist.

Here's to you, apartment complex, for making those holidays truly special. I know that you probably think we don't notice, but we do. We notice and we just want to say thank you.
Thank you so very much.

Oh, and... April Fools.

You guys suck.

And now, because I think this blog needs some cheering up... let's all take a look at Mosley dressed in his finest Easter wear.

Shame on me for not posting Easter pictures, oh say, around Easter.

House Hunting is Hardly Happy

2008-03-31T09:28:00.000-05:00

Richard and I have been house hunting for a few months now, and although it started out as fun and full of possibilities... it is quickly becoming a disappointing hassle.

This weekend marks the second occasion on which we have found a house that we really liked, only to have it swept away. Well, this weekend in particular, it turned out that the house was actually off the market before we even stepped inside. Which is unfortunate since we DID step inside, fell in love with several features, and starting taking action to make an offer as soon as possible. The house had been on the market four days, well, three days considering that it was not really "on the market" early on the fourth day.

"No! Someone stop that house thief!"

Needless to say, it was pretty tough to hear that our request for a second showing was declined. It put a damper on the rest of the weekend. I guess we hadn't realized how excited we were getting about the house until the house was no longer an option.

So, we are trying to start this week with a clear head. Everyone keeps saying that the house for us is out there and it is going to be even better than this one. I hope that they are right, and I am sure that they are... but it is just hard not to feel kind of crappy about it right now.

Nothing to really do about it but wait for that house to come along, I suppose.

Well that or pray that the other contract falls through...

Funny Video or Best TV Ever?

2008-02-07T22:23:00.000-06:00

Well, according to CNBC the writer's strike should be finally coming to an end. I'm skeptical when anyone reports breaking news anymore. In the rush of breaking the story first, it seems like new stations seem to go for timing over facts... taking the "oh, we can change that later" approach. But I will say that I'm quite happy to hear that they might have been able to reach an agreement. I'm glad the writer's stood up for themselves (and actor's stood up for them as well), and I'm glad it sounds like they are getting recognized and treated fairly in this whole deal, finally. I'm also giddy at the idea of my favorite shows coming back on the air!

But, I think one has to admit that even amidst the writer's strike, some of our favorite late night TV show hosts did a fantastic job of keeping us entertained.

I am not a morning person...

2008-02-04T07:22:00.000-06:00

I wish that just once I could wake up feeling like what I assume someone in their late 90's must feel like in the morning. So esactic to have actually woken up to another day that not even the fact that they are wearing Depends and have nothing scheduled for the day but watching The Price Is Right can bring them down.

It rarely seems to happen for me, though.

I stand in the bathroom, less than 2 minutes awake, staring at my face and wondering how I mastered the transformation from human to raccon in only 7 short hours. Vague memories of a midnight conversation float through my head.
"Sweetie, are you ok?"
"Huh?"
"You've been grinding your teeth pretty intensly."
"Oh."

I had been dreaming of painting and repainting a figure that I had finally finished earlier that night.

Now I've got the blow dryer aimed straight at my face, hoping that a little warmth might make me feel alive and happy to be so. The effect is reversed. I feel alot like a frozen dinner: the joyous idea of being revitalized replaced with the crushing disappointment of being swept past the oven and straight into a radioactive box, where it is taken from 30 to 90 degrees in a whooping 30 seconds. It is steaming, it is burning, and it smells like nothing that anyone would ever want to willingly eat. It is probably wondering why it ever wanted to be warm in the first place. Yes, I am that crusty, frozen, forgotten meal that was better off living its life in the back of your freezer.

I realize how ridiculous I sound. As if sleeping for an entire week would really be as glorious as it sounds. But it turns out that my brain is hardwired to believe it would rather be asleep than awake for approximately 60% of the day. Quality of sleep has nothing to do with it, just bury me 10 covers deep in the Sleep Number and I will be just fine.

Granted, I'll be fully awake in 30 minutes and all this will be a moot point. I'll go ahead and post it though, because something tells me it will ring true tomorrow morning.

Grandma's End Table

2008-01-29T23:27:00.000-06:00

Remember when you were younger and spent the weekends at your grandparent's house? How you would stare off into those pictures your grandmother would keep on her end tables, the ones that captured the simplicity of the "good ol' days" in gray scale. That quaint, old Greek cottage that looked like it might have been as colorful and vibrant as your grandmother's cheeks twenty years ago. With a stranger posed happily in the center, wearing a face that had an old familiarity about it.

Okay, sure, maybe that's not exactly what your grandmother had sitting on her end table, but I bet you wish that it was. Just imagine what our lives would be like if we had grown up with the strangeness that seems to be infesting the internet these days.

I can't take credit for the background painting there, that was done by a fellow in Greece. But the cute little bugger sitting up front is all mine, and he's not quite as old as he looks. You can see him in his younger days by clicking the picture up top.

And, last but not least, for you kids who are only on the internet for one reason and one reason alone... here he is showing a little tail.

Saying farewell to Joe Riley

2007-09-28T09:13:00.000-05:00

Wednesday evening Joe Riley suffered a massive heart attack and passed away.
That evening we lost a friend, a coworker, a great man, and a superb artist.
A world without Joe is a place I can't imagine, nor do I want too.
I could never express my feelings as eloquently as the other's before me have, other's who knew him better than I and can do him justice. And so, because of this, I am just going to point you to a better blog entry.

Thanks for saying what a lot of us don't know how to say right now, Deanna.

You will be truly missed, Joe.

Not Your Typical Value Menu Meal

2007-09-12T10:21:00.000-05:00

What do you get when you combine a rough day...

with comfort food...

and the ancient Japanese art of putting characters into food items...

Well, according to Shell Meggersee-Briggs, you get something like this:

Mind bottling, isn't it?

TV Super Star

2007-09-05T22:13:00.001-05:00

Well, as close as I care to get, anyways. You might remember me mentioning our victory in the Dallas 24 Hour Video Race a few months back. You might even remember me saying that it was going to be aired on PBS at a time yet to be determined. It has probably been bothering you for months. You've probably been laying awake at night wishing that you knew exactly when it was going to be on. Well, worry no more... turns out it is going to be on tomorrow night, just in time for my mom's birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom! It's not much notice, I know, but I'm just glad we all found out *before* it was on, before we all lost another night of sleep...

A Relaxing Weekend...

2007-08-27T09:50:00.000-05:00

So, everyone is always talking about how important it is to slow down, relax, and take time to appreciate the little things. That's pretty much what this weekend became for Richard and I. We decided last minute to take off to Oklahoma for a relaxing escape from the mighty metroplex. It was a fun little mini-road trip, our destination being the Country Charm Bed and Breakfast in Lone Wolf, OK. We had a great time! I will have to post some pics later, once I've had a chance to sort through them and get my upload on.

But for now, I pose this question. It is all good and well to stop and take time to smell the roses, but what if you find yourself face to face with this instead?

Dork Humor

2007-08-22T10:06:00.000-05:00

I've been writing alot of scripts up here at Green Grass Studios, and I'm really enjoying it. I ran into some problems on my latest endevour and turned to cgtalk.com in hopes of figuring out what was going on. About a day after I had posted my thread, someone responded with what has to be the funniest coding response I have seen in a long time. I'll save you all the scripting logic and just post the funny error message code that was at the end of the example script.

else messageBox "You're a Wizard Harry!\nUse your magic to select a Biped first!\n"

The code itself didn't fix my problem, but it sure did make me laugh. It also helped me figure out that the problem wasn't in my code, but in the order of execution.

Harry Potter saves the day, yet again!

Nothing More Than a Couple of Kids

2007-08-13T13:47:00.001-05:00

Too bad we can't use these pictures on our driver's licenses.

Chicken Flies North for the Summer

2007-08-05T21:11:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago a former co-worker and good friend of mine said goodbye to Texas and took flight to New York to try his chance at Hearing A Who. Things are not the same without him around, but he left quite a legacy and will not soon be forgotten. Some of you might have seen him in his commercial debut as the Ultimate Wing Fanatic, and if you had not...
I am glad that I was able to show it to you.

We tried to give him several reminders of his roots before he took off, and here was my contribution:

Good luck to you, chicken boy, and don't forget those generous Texans that gave you the once in a lifetime opportunity to dress up like a chicken and yell at people on the street.

Shall you forever be remembered as you were that day.

Looking Towards The Stars...

2007-07-08T00:16:00.000-05:00

Well, Star Wars that is.

My brother's 16th birthday was just a few weeks ago, and being the lovable big sister that I am I wanted to get him something special. After being inspired by an entry on Jeff Victor's blog "Wicked Cripsy," this is what I came up with:

It got quite a few chuckles when he opened the box, which I'm hoping counts as a sign of success from the oh-so-talkative species of a 16 year old boy.

Breaking News...

2007-06-11T19:13:00.000-05:00

Today, at 12:39 p.m, scientists announced that they have gathered enough evidence to conclude with utmost certainty that both software and computer crashes can cause aggression in the rare Red Land Squid. Studies show that the Red Land Squid reacts to these occurrences in two very distinct manners: pure violent anger and complete and total relinquished frustration. It is still uncertain, however, why these rare and beautiful creatures choose to spend their lifetime in technological scrutiny.

(Animation Crash Support Squid provided by Shell of Ineffabledesigns.com)

Photography, Fence Gardens, and Flowers

2007-06-10T22:03:00.000-05:00

This weekend we went out to the 'ol hometown and spent some time enjoying the quiet countryside. One of our neighbors has always been an avid gardener, and this year was no exception. I grabbed my camera and had a photographic field day in the fence garden that he and my parents share.

Entomo The Phobio Munny

2007-05-31T09:54:00.000-05:00

I was so excited about the 24 Hour Dallas Video Race victory that I completely forgot to post my latest project. For my birthday, my friend Amber spoiled me with KidRobot toys, one of which was a Munny. I finally got to finish it last weekend. I named him Entomo from a series of Phobio Munnys that I am planning on doing. Enotmophobia is the fear of bugs.

Mysterious May

2007-05-31T08:50:00.000-05:00

Everything is mysterious and foggy in downtown Dallas this morning. Driving to work was like driving into a big fluffy cloud. When I stepped out of the car the air was so thick you could eat it with a spoon.

The weather has certainly been bizarre lately, and every once in a while you end up with a strangely unfamiliar view of the everyday world around you because of it. I snapped this picture of the building across the street with my new cellphone. Not a good picture, I know... but not too shabby for a measly 'ol camera phone.

This just in...

2007-05-30T00:32:00.000-05:00

Tonight was the final round of the 24 Hour Dallas Film Race and...

We won first place!!

The winning entries are going to be aired on PBS at a time yet to be determined.

(Check out my last post for our entry, assignment, rules, etc...)

The Day of Wrong

2007-05-29T12:43:00.001-05:00

About two weeks ago I dedicated my weekend to working with some friends in the Dallas Video Association's 24 Hour Film Race. The race started at midnight on Friday when the guys got our assignment:

Theme: Wrong Turn
Prop: Musical Instrument
Location: Flag pole
Dialogue : "You don't owe me anything" which was misspelled on our orange assignment sheet as "You don't owe be anything."

We had to incorporate all this into our film, and it could be no more than 5 minutes long. Everyone started brainstorming and we came up with an idea, which was actually a collaboration of several ideas. Chad was sent away and told not to return until he had a script. At about 10:00 we started shooting and by 7:00 pm on Saturday we had all our footage and the editing process began. This is when I dismissed myself and started on my journey down 635 singing as loudly as possible in a desperate attempt to keep myself awake. Long story short, we survived first round of the competition placing as a finalist in our category. There will be another screening tonight, to decide 1st 2nd and 3rd place.

And to put an end to my babbling, here is our entry

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

Spam Can be Beautiful

2007-05-17T20:34:00.000-05:00

So, we've already established that I am not good at writing on a blogly basis. But I got to thinking today, I am good at coming up with random crap on a blogly basis... and maybe that's all the world really needs.

I usually go through my spam messages whenever I see them appear and delete them. I don't know why there is such an immedaite need to do so, but there is and so I do. Usually 5 - 20 messages have accumulated since I last sought to destroy them, and every once in a while the subjects form together in such a way that I find amusing.
So for your enjoyment now, here is a little something I like to call the Spam Haiku.

Or Of Deer

so fantasy go trust
historical
notify or of deer

When gmail caught me reading my spam titles, it tried to match my interest by suggesting that I might want to learn how to make Spicy Spam Kabobs. Maybe this unlocks the secret of what kind of email would start with "Or of deer."

"Spam kabobs? What is that made of? Beef?"
"Beef... or of cat... or of pig... or of dog..."
"Or of deer?"
"Or of deer."

Happy Birthday!

2007-05-07T17:23:00.000-05:00

Well its that time of the year again, 1 year older and 1 year wiser: here I am. This last Friday was the official date of birth, which was celebrated thoroughly with friends and family. The weekend started with guacamole and ended with the cutest cake ever.

In between the first and last course of the weekend was toys, toys, and more toys, along with a very Spidey feature film disappointment. Who knows what all went wrong there, but what is important is that despite it all, we had a very special guest grace us with his presence.

I'd like to offer up my gratitude to all of you for making my birthday so special, and place on top that gratitude a vanilla flavored apology for my inability to maintain a regular blog.

Remembering Highschool

2007-03-01T16:06:00.000-06:00

Our schools have come along way since the days of QBasic programming and one way halls. Students can graduate highschool with 3 to 4 years of animation and programming classes under their belt as they march off to college. Some of us had to wait until college and even after to start chasing our dreams, and today's youth is getting a head start on that complex question of what to do with the rest of their life. It's a beautiful, inspiring notion to see such opportunities filtering through the educational system... atleast until you realize that although the physical appearance might be different, highschool will always be highschool. And the drama that defines the highschool experience is not only being perputated by their peers, but also by an administrative system that is drowning in a new world of technology that it cannot begin to understand how to regulate.

The internet is filtered to such an extreme that most children have to go home to do their research. Each student is given a login, and it only takes one accident. One stressful day where a student might forget to logout, and someone else's malicious intent is recorded on their ID and punished regardless of all explanation. One accident and that student might be benched for months, unable to touch a computer; thus rendering homework and research nearly impossible in an age where technology drives every second of our lives.

The scope of a highschool education continues to impress and increase each year, and the drama that restricts us follows it exponetially.

Remembering highschool... and remembering how good it feels to be done with it.

"When one door closes, another window opens"

2007-02-15T20:50:00.000-06:00

Well, its been about a month since the Big Layoff of 2007. It's true, the Big Layoff of '07 wasn't nearly as large as the Giant Layoff of '06, but maybe the impact of being layed off is only as large as the space you grant it. Maybe the influence of such an event pales in comparison to the influence and privledge of being able to work with so many talented and caring people, and to be able to take that memory with you wherever you go. It may be sappy, but might it also be true?

Christmas time is approaching and that means...

2006-11-27T18:12:00.000-06:00

...dress your dog up in something stupid! Here we see Mosley dressed up in his finest Rudolph gear. You just can't deny that this is one of the stupidest cute things you've ever seen.

All doggie clothes aside, Christmas is quickly approaching and I haven't finished my shopping. There are alot of things I haven't done, including laundry, because over here at EXC we are nearing the end of episode one. (Cheer) And, as it always does towards the end of a project... chaos insues. I have a feeling that once things start settling down, braving the crazy holiday crowds in a quest to find the perfect gift is not going to be the first thing on my mind. I am mainly thinking of sleep, but then again, I usually am.

The other thing that I am usually thinking of... Mexican Food. Could really go for a tall magarita and some tableside quacamole right now.

Waiter...?

We're movin' on up...

2006-10-04T22:37:00.000-05:00

toooo the east side... of 75 in downtown Dallas.

EXC, previously located in Addison, now has a brand spankin' new location with brand spankin' new workspaces and brand spankin' new computers on the way. Its like Christmas in October!
We've also got a few brand spankin' new employees to decorate with. What I don't have is a new vocabulary, which is why I keep saying brand spankin' about 30 years after it was considered cool to do so.

All spankin' aside, life after dna at exc is ubr. I am continuously impressed with the amazing range of talent that I see on a daily basis, but even more so with how extremely friendly and outgoing the crew is. They really make you feel like you're part of the team, and I am very glad to have the opportunity to be part of such a great group of people.

But I must say, with all the familiar faces showing up at work and all the emails from friends dispersed amongst the globe, its hard to not still miss everyone. I know I've said it a thousand times, but I'll say it again... those guys were like a second family to me.
Well, families have family reunions, right?
Maybe in 10 years we can all get together around an Ant Bully DVD in Alex's apartment, play guitar hero, and reminisce about the good 'ol times.

On to the Next Big Thing

2006-09-15T22:09:00.000-05:00

Employment-wise:

On Monday, September 18th, I begin a new journey of employment at Element X Creative.
I have already met the owner, who seems extremely nice. It's a small studio at the moment, but it sounds like it will be expanding fast. They (or we) are moving to a new studio soon to accommodate this growth. There are about 10 people up there right now, 2 of which are former DNA coworkers of mine. It is nice to see some familiar faces, and one can only hope that as more staff is added on, perhaps even more old friends will appear. I'll be working as an animator and I can't wait to get back to work. How many people can say that?

Education-wise:

I recently played substitute parent at my brother's sophomore open house, and was thrilled to see some of the great things going on Animation-wise. Not only do they offer 3 or 4 years of animation classes in high school now, the stuff that these kids are coming up with is amazing. I saw some pretty nice animation, great models, and some impressive shorts. I was so proud to check out the model that my brother is working on after only 2 weeks of class. I wish that I had been able to pursue animation so early in the game, but its great that these kids are getting a head start!

Game-wise:

My brother is also a programming genius! He has been programming mods for some of his favorite games, and his latest release has been the top download on the game's file sharing site since release over a month ago. It has had more than 11, 800 downloads. How amazing is that?
I always knew it, but now it is confirmed... this kid can do anything he sets his mind to!

Wedding Whales

2006-08-17T21:13:00.000-05:00

July 30th was our 1 year anniversary, and to celebrate we went to San Antonio!
We rode the trolley, strolled the riverwalk, had great Italian food, and went to Sea World -- the most romantic place on Earth.

Ok, so its not such a romantic place by itself, but you want to know what is romantic?
When your husband surprises you with a backstage pass to suit up and get in the water with a Beluga whale! Que romantico!

After some mediocre Mexican food and a quick stop in Austin to watch a drug addict vomit into a trash can, we were home and The Ant Bully wasn't doing so great.

Many people, including former co-workers, have speculated as to why the movie didn't do so well, so I wont bother attempting to figure it out. I will admit, however, that I was extremely disappointed in the marketing strategy (or lack thereof). It is a really great feeling to be talking to someone about the movie and get the response "When does it come out again?"
Oh about a month ago. Yeah...

So anyways, it sounds like there is going to be a quiet time up at DNA for a while. Most people who were left at DNA were layed off earlier this week, many for the second time. I thought it was quiet up there when there were 20 people left, I can't imagine what its like with only a handful. That signals pretty much the end of the road for those of us who were trying to wait for DNA. It's time to find something else, at least for now.

A Recap of 2 Months

2006-07-24T00:42:00.000-05:00

Well, it has been over 2 months now, and there is so much to say that it seems pointless to try and say it all. Here are just some of the main events:

May 19th - Official last day. It was a long day full of tears. But, thanks to several friends that encouraged me to go out for a drink and movie after work, I kept my sanity through it all.

June 4th - Flew out for Amsterdam. It was a long flight and we were all glad when it was over.

June 8th - Ran into an old co-worker, International Richard, in Amsterdam, and packed up for our flight to Amman the next day.

June 9th - Arrived in Amman and saw my dad's entire family for the first time in 6 years. Saw my cousin Abdula for the first time ever.

June 24th - Arrived back in Texas, and was not ready to be back home.

June 25th - Family travels from Amman to Lebanon to visit relatives.

July 8th - Ant Bully Premiere. The movie turned out beautifully, and it was bitter sweet seeing everyone again. I tried not to get too bummed at goodbyes yet again.

July 12th - Starting to see lots of Ant Bully trailers on TV, hurray.

July 21st - Despite my computers worst obstacles, I finally finished my reel.

July 24th - Family safely returns to Amman despite hostilities, rejoice!

And now we are happily anticipating our 1 year anniversary on July 30th, which we will celebrate in San Antonio.

Sunset in Amman, Jordan

The Countdown: Day 3

2006-05-17T10:19:00.000-05:00

3 > 4
Who knew? Its Day 3 and I feel much better. I don't know if it was the full night of sleep or the relaxing evening of watching TV and thinking of nothing... but something has really lifted my spirits today.

True : I am leaving on Friday.
True : I have only 3 days left.
False : I can't enjoy what's left of my time here at DNA and try to make the best of things.

I don't know how long this optimism will last, but at least for now...
3 > 4

The Countdown Begins: Day 4

2006-05-16T16:47:00.000-05:00

...4...
Alright, so the countdown really began long ago... but regardless here we are, 4 days from the last day of the best job I've ever had. I find that it's difficult to be up here and not be sadden by all the empty desks of what used to be many of my co-workers, and I am haunted by the fact that I'll soon be an empty desk also. An empty desk with a white sheet of paper that reads "Render Node ANM - 036 and ANM - 059." I also find it incredibly difficult to focus on my work when all that hangs over my head is
...4...

Friday, May 5th

2006-05-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

Every year my birthday (May 4th) has been surrounded by emotional conflict. The happiness of a birthday celebration with all your friends and family meets the stress and pressure of finals, one year after another. But this year, 2006, promised to be different... I was so excited to think that my birthday would just be my birthday, and not the day in which my Calculus final revealed whether or not I should pass the class. And then came the news, that of course you are all aware of by now, layoffs. The most intense of all my emotionally conflicted birthday weeks, Friday, May 5th, would be the last day for almost the entire Animation Department here at DNA Productions.

And so the day began, mostly in denial of what the coming hours meant, with a shot to be exported here and and a retake there... We were busy enough to keep our minds distracted.
Lunch came around 12:30, a good bye celebration for our assistant coordinator, Amy. The celebration was large, light hearted, and fun. It wasn't until after lunch when the goodbye emails started pouring in that the day started feel as heavy as it was.

It started out with an Unemployment Orientation, filled with corny jokes and constant "tough crowd" observations aimed at getting a laugh or two. The seminar was boring and depressing at best, and was ended with a comment "I thought you guys were suppose to be animated people," in which I responded "we were, we're layed off now" -- That got a laugh or two.

After the seminar, it was off to the Animation meeting. Where everyone's favorite person, Karen Prell, made a heartfelt and loving speech about her time here at DNA that brought us all to tears. It was only downhill from there.... Down the hill behind the building, in fact, to smash the hell out of David Tart's retarded cuckoo Clock.

One cannot begin to understand the despise we all felt for this clock without having to listen to it chime its submerged submarine sounds every hour, off the hour, month after month after month... There were bows, explosives, airsoft guns, hammers, cantaloupes, tomatoes, and even a recliner to assist in its destruction. The entire animation department lined up for an opportunity to express the anguish and anger we were feeling that day. It wasn't long before the clock was pulverized, and we all gathered in the breakroom for some much needed drinks and laughter over the clock's demise.

All that was left was to say goodbye to what many of us can only describe as our second family.

And for those of us who have yet to expire, repeat.

And then there was a website

2006-05-03T00:02:00.000-05:00

So after alot of struggling and help from some very nice co-workers of mine (you know who you are)...
I have a semi working, semi presentable website!
Oh, hurray! A splendid victory!

Just in time to send out my link as we all disperse into the wind.

And the party's over...

Mrs. Technology Here...

2006-05-01T20:26:00.000-05:00

With her very first blog, aww!
What will I come up with next?
Hopefully a working website...
(Don't hold your breath.)