Archive for November, 2008

Energized

November 4, 2008

Votiing – it energizes me. I voted this morning – twice in fact. [Once for myself, and I dropped off Ashlan’s ballot.]
We got to the polls about 6:50 (10 minutes before they opened). We were about 30th in line. My carpooler was about 15 in front of us. We were done by 7:20.
In King County they have been condensing many polling places to a few, so there were about 16 precincts. Finding the right little line after the signs were blocked by those in front was a bit difficult. But I can always think of better ways to arrange things for next time.

But alas, in Washington there will be no next time. We are going to all mail voting. 74% already vote by mail, and it is a cost saving measure. But I still don’t like it.

As I was waiting to put my ballot through the scanning machine, and put Ashlan’s into the drop off box, the man in front of me commented on the huge turnout (compared to most elections), we decided it was “fun” and that we would miss the social aspect of voting.

I am still energized. But – the Washington Governor’s race is expected to be quite close (129 votes last time), so I don’t particularly want to watch the results tonight. Think maybe we’ll get some movies.

If you have not already, and are eligible – VOTE.

Dueling Computers

November 3, 2008

I am home with two computers running simultaneously.
I have two presentations on Wednesday – one for the District’s 60th Birthday.
I was tasked with putting together a power-point presentation showing some historical pictures.
So of course it has blossomed, and I now have about a 10 minute show going. It is not done yet though.
All pictures have been assembled and a map that shows the District’s growing.
I am working on titles and animations.
The animations are somewhat limited for most slides. I have one that fades three different buildings (well houses) in over each other to show the changes.
The other is the growing District. This required drawing the boundary for each incarnation of the District. In 60 years there have been many many incarnations. I started this using the drawing functions in Powerpoint 2003. (I do not do enough art to have real drawing programs, and drawing in Office is generally pretty easy for me.) But when I worked on my home computer over the weekend I had to use Office 2007. Now most frustrations with the upgrade involve just finding out where they have put all of the functions. But the drawing has gotten too complicated – they couldn’t keep it simple (stupid). So after being almost in tears because I couldn’t figure out how to change the default from curved lines to straight segments and more annoying (because I know how to change the segment), I couldn’t get it to free up my placement of the vertices – it kept jumping them. Yes I tried to set all of the bits to let me be free – but. Eventually I went back to VPN, which was taking forever due to the number of layers I had going. I would move a vertice, watch some TV, move the next one, and on and on, watching it redraw each layer in between each move – twice. I got fairly far through my list, with about 1/3 remaining. I was able to finish the last 1/3 in about 1/2 hour at work today….

So, since I am still working on the animation and don’t want to wait an eternity for each move, and don’t feel like fighting the 2007 battle, I brought home a work computer (with 2003 loaded).

Ah – I think I just ranted.

Oh – VOTE!!! We plan on hitting the polls for their 7 AM openning. I am supposed to meet my carpooler there and leave after we have both had our turn.

Day of the Dead

November 1, 2008

We spent the afternoon/early evening at a Day of the Dead celebration for our friend Nick Gallo.
Nick was a great friend we had known since we moved to Seattle. His family misses him greatly, but are moving ahead and creating art that celebrates his memory and keeps it fresh. They are also making it possible for many old friends to gather, connections to be made and to expand the web of threads that bind people together into a society.

I had one of those, do I know you? moments, but we assumed it had been at a previous gathering with Nick & Laurie. But when Carl joined a conversation the connection was made to a toddler coop that we had benn in with Rey and they with their daughter. So, almost 20 years later … And this was after they had provided a potential connection for Rey’s job exploration. Fate – it works in funny ways.

Toast to all we miss – to your memory and continued influences on our lives.