Date:	2008-09-01 15:12
Subject:	Adopting Alanna photoessay
Security:	Public
Mood:	busy

So we went up to Snohomish last week to stay with the Garcias for a last-gasp end of summer kidfest. The kids hung out together and had a good time, and we did as well, though somehow the week flew by and it all seemed way busy and there just wasn't as much time to simply talk as you might think. It was so great to be able to see Tony and Vixy and do a bunch of activities with the Garcias.

I ended up taking tons of pictures and chronicling the Garcia's adoption adventures as a photo essay for the photo group that I'm part of. Alisa helped edit and write and came up with current statistics for the written bits, and I wouldn't have done the essay at all if she and Luis hadn't approved the idea and the content.



The actual photo essay is here:
http://www.utata.org/speaks08/social/item.php?id=2808636805

It's only a small part of Utata's big annual project, which has gone live just today:
http://www.utata.org/speaks08/
Alanna's story is under Social Essays; there are a bunch of other essays under the various categories, and a lot of talented photographers submitted entries. Utata gets quite a lot of traffic to their site, so here's hoping that this little essay helps raise even a bit of awareness of the issues surrounding fostering and adopting children.

Date:	2008-08-11 11:31
Subject:	coolness
Security:	Public
Mood:	happy

I've been sent copies of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's latest Annual Report, not because I'm a big financial supporter, but because this image was on the cover. :)



They've used the image before, as the ending of their 'thankyou/explaining what they do' online slideshow:
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/md/thankyou/

I granted them reproduction rights awhile ago, since they are an organization that I fully support and love, and it really feels like an honor to be chosen for their cover from all the amazing photos they have available to them. Very cool. Here's to hoping that they want to use more of my photos in the future. :)

Date:	2008-07-31 19:13
Subject:	Weight Bearing Status
Security:	Public
Mood:	excited

For Alisa, since I've been thinking of you guys and we missed getting to come up there and see y'all. Hope all the camping was a blast. :)

Today I walked on two good legs. Not far, and quite slowly, but I walked without crutches, without any aids, for several steps. This is the first time I've really walked in 9 weeks, since the accident. I got cleared for 'weight bearing status' on Tuesday and have been slowly messing around with putting weight on the broken leg, but today I saw my physical therapist and he helped me learn how to walk all over again. And I can. It feels like a miracle, to be bipedal again.

The leg is sore and will be tired and hurts after being used much, but it can bear my full weight without buckling or undue pain. I'll be gradually using it more and more and I'm hoping to be off the crutches within a week or two. I may be moving somewhat slowly, but damn it feels good to walk.

This is the first picture I've taken in weeks, I think. I haven't felt like it much lately, but today was different. I got home from physical therapy, and put the crutches against the bookcase and walked over to take this picture. It seems like a nothing picture, a nothing tiny walk, but it's a milestone in disguise. :)

My orthopedic surgeon has cool machines in his office; one is this smallish portable xray machine that can rotate around to take various photos at various angles of the affected limb. Wish the hospital had had something like this when they took the original agonizing x-rays of my broken leg.

Most recent x-rays of my left knee.

This is a rough composite of two xrays. You can see the metal plate along the side of the tibia from a side-on view; it's actually much wider and weird looking and curves around at the top of the tibia and around the top of the fibula. There are (I think) about 8 screws total, and yeah, you're not imagining it; those screws do go all the way through the bone. One of them I can feel through the lower part of my leg.

Six weeks this week since I torqued the bone into cracking all to hell. The docs tell me I'm doing great on healing and getting my mobility back. It's all too slow for me, but things are slowly improving. I got on a trampoline and hopped around on my good leg at physical therapy this week, which was way scarier than it sounds, hopping up steps and onto the unstable surface of the tramp with my one wimpy good leg. I have a whole series of exercises to do every day to try to get my legs and my arms etc. stronger to be able to handle all the demands of getting around on only one leg. It's surprisingly hard on my hands; I have deep bruises on the heels of my hands from resting weight on them during hopping with a walker and crutches and my arms are sore all over from all of it.

I find myself much more fearful of trying physical things since this whole misadventure; I've had a hard time getting proficient on crutches due to lack of strength as well as fear; I have to build my confidence back up. I find that fear of going through such massive pain again colors my choices and my confidence in doing things like hopping up and down steps with crutches. Just watching other people do things like running up or down concrete steps has me cringing. Hopefully it will pass, because honestly I don't like this fearful self. I still hatehatehate having to ask for help; if that was a lesson I was supposed to learn from this whole thing I think I'm not doing well at mastering it. And the whole pain thing... well let's just say it's so overdone, I'm so totally done with pain, never need to go through that again.

This Tuesday will mark a month since I fell and twisted my left leg and fractured my tibia in several places, requiring surgery to put in a metal plate and a buttload of screws as well as some other bone to hold it all together.


I am so blessed with great family and friends. Tanya sent me her latest collection of short stories to save my sanity and Allison sent me a lap tray with lots of edible goodies to sustain me while I was in the hospital. Thank you for all the good wishes and support, everyone. Love you all so much, you have allowed me to keep my sanity and sustained me when I felt hopeless.

( Musings on the last few weeks )

Internet access, oh how you miss it when you can't have it!

I have lost the last two weeks of my life. If anybody out there would care to share something from the last two weeks, good or bad, I'd love to hear it. I don't know if there's any way I could catch up on everyone's entries, bankrupt pants and all.

I have been feeling quite disconnected and like I'm in the Twilight Zone the last two weeks. I thought once I got home things would be better, and they are, but there are so many things here at home that I can't do yet and it all feels weird. Twilight Zone. Hopefully things will get better quickly. Physical therapy tonight. Boys last day of school is today and Paul wants to take them out tonight to celebrate. More later, must go put my leg up for now.

Care to fill me in? What's been going on with you?

Fred and Robin's little lap harp was entrancing a whole new generation of potential harpers. This youngling got to try it out for the first time, thanks to Fred. :)

Home from BayCon; all of the Kwinn clan had a grand time. It does seem like there's been an explosion of children in fandom recently; there was a surprisingly large crop of new littles to be seen. I took a few pictures at the con, but very few, really. Most of my time was spent with the boys; they were either swimming (where it was freezing outside) or running around.

Much time was taken up with music rehearsal, but the final results were fun; Paul and Taunya were joined by Taunya's daughter Seanna, and Callie stepped in on a flute part, and I stepped in on a harmonica part. The boys stayed up very late to see the Puzzlebox concert as well as Seanan's concert, partly because Paul was playing in Seanan's concert and I did a couple of harmonica bits as well. They seemed to enjoy the concerts even after being in the room with so many rehearsals of the songs going on around them beforehand. I'm betting Paul will post a much more detailed account later...

I ended up having a couple of relaxing and fun conversations over lunch and breakfast with John and Chris, and later with my old pal Mike McLaughlin. I do believe it's getting easier to do cons with the boys now that they are a little older...

( ...a few more pics behind the curtain... )

Date:	2008-05-12 14:13
Subject:	Moms
Security:	Public
Mood:	thoughtful
Music:	Dave and Tom, "Woodland Dream"

I know everyone's been posting about Mom's Day and all. I have a sort of hard time with all the hoopla about it myself and tend to get a bit curmudgeonly about it, but this weekend was actually a very nice way to spend it; my mom and older sis were down to visit and I got quite a nice bit of time to spend with my mom. Life is usually so busy with stuff that we don't see each other all that often and when we do it tends to be packed with stuff and rather frenetic. So it was really nice to be able to actually get time with her, just she and I to talk to our heart's content. About tons of stuff, but mostly, you know, mom stuff. Since we're both moms and all, conversation tends to revolve around kids and family and foibles and troubles and how to fix various things. As well as quilting, sewing, knitting, and all around crafts and all. :)


( Gabbing about momhood and a little gallery of some of the moms I am proud to know: )

I've been collecting a number of intriguing children's books for reading for the boys; for them to read by themselves and for us to read to them at bedtime. I have rediscovered my love for reading aloud since the boys were born, and some books really make it so enjoyable for me, and the boys love it. I love the fact that they seem to be developing their own enjoyment for reading both to themselves and out loud to others.

One of the books I picked up is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo. We started reading it together the other night, and read some more tonight. I got up to about chapter 7 with the boys, and I've been so impressed and touched by the story and the writing. Really wonderful writing, elegant yet spare, and beautiful sepia and color illustrations with it.

So I felt I had to shout out especially to my sister Heather and to Teddy that they simply must read this book; it's about a china rabbit doll who is quite elegant and has a fabulous wardrobe and knows exactly how splendid he is. He is lost, and his adventures make up the rest of the story. I have to confess that I couldn't resist reading the rest of the story tonight after the boys had fallen asleep; and perhaps it's a good thing since parts of it made me cry. I'm not so sure that I'll be able to read it to them later without crying, too. It's so well done, really, and the portrayal of Edward the china rabbit and how he thinks is so marvelously understated but perfectly done.

Here's an easy link on Amazon for the curious:
http://www.amazon.com/Miraculous-Journey-Edward-Tulane/dp/140630770X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1209707882&sr=8-1
(sorry for the huge and clumsy link but it's late and I still have to clean up and make lunches and prep for a crazy day tomorrow and I've never figured out how to properly make neat little link tags...)

Date:	2008-04-22 12:31
Subject:	Found family
Security:	Public
Mood:	busy
Music:	Harmonica opener from Creature Comforts videos

Had a grand time on Saturday getting to hang out with Seanan and Teddy and Tom. What great guys. Well, Seanan certainly isn't a guy. I had such a great time. I could listen to Tom and Teddy jabber all day, and not just because of those lovely accents. We want to adopt them into the family. :)
I only took a few pictures, and didn't do a great job at it, but here's a few for the flavor of the day:


Tom in the mirror in the living room.

( A few more pics behind the curtain. )
And finally, just discovered this bit of Aardman animation today, and just had to share. Be careful, though, the Aardman Creature Comfort bits can be quite addictive...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDo_vs3Aip4
There are commentaries on art (this link) as well as the Iraq war and lots of other goodies. Apparently there was a short lived series called Creature Comforts. How in the world I managed to miss this show, I don't know. Great stuff, as always from Nick Parks.

Busy, busy, trying to finish up processing various photo shoots, trying to pull together a new set of artwork to send out to publishers, trying to keep the house and kids together so it doesn't all just fly apart. I'm so behind in everything... Must get back to work.

Date:	2008-03-29 14:28
Subject:	Happy Birthday, Ms. Ohi!!
Security:	Public
Mood:	cheerful
Music:	The boys and Paul playing WOW

Happy birthday Debbie! Here's a few photos that were hanging around in my archives. For some reason I can't find any truly embarrassing ones to use as blackmail material, so these will have to do!
Have a great weekend and next week, and next weekend too! Wish we could come out for FKO and see you and everyone and go to Tom and Sue's wedding and all. We'll be there in spirit, at least.
*massive hugs*


( More Debbie pics behind the cut )

Run through the tall grass with your arms up and wave your stick...

So a contact of mine recently posted a link to this article on creativity.
http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/000932.html

This post has my own rambling musings about creativity and may be of no interest to anyone but me, so I'll hide behind a cut tag. ;)

( And his main points were: )

Date:	2008-03-19 12:08
Subject:	Madness loves company
Security:	Public
Mood:	anxious

I have no interesting news to report, so I'm going to babble on because I need the company. (Madness always wants company.)

I have been happily buzzing along processing photos from the wedding a couple of weekends ago, and enjoying the process quite a bit. I figure this should tell me something, since I didn't much enjoy the project before that, designing a logo and identity package for a client who turned out to be just a tad obsessive and unable to let go, on a very short deadline.

And then yesterday my computer refused to boot, at first, then refused to recognize me and said that my personality was lost or corrupted. Well, tell me something I don't know.
( Read more )

Date:	2008-03-12 11:19
Subject:	Recharging the soul (and a question at the end)
Security:	Public
Mood:	busy
Music:	Becca, Paul and Vixy, "By My Side"

See this guy? He's a wonderful human being. John O'Halloran was everywhere this weekend, coordinating, sheperding, consoling, catching and working hard, along with everyone else on the concom and all the volunteers who makes Consonance happen every year, so that everyone there could have a great time. Great convention. Consonance was like a welcome oasis of wonderful friendly souls. Thanks, all of you who worked so hard to make it happen. Your efforts are very much appreciated.
( pics and musings behind the cut )

Date:	2008-02-15 13:04
Subject:	birthdays, time and perspective (always needed)
Security:	Public
Mood:	hopeful
Music:	Dave and Tom, "The Woodland Dream"

When you're a little kid birthdays are one of the coolest days ever. I had 20 first graders sing me a surprise Happy Birthday this morning, and they were all so tickled to surprise me and they all just knew that I was going to have the best day ever. :) It's been a long time since I viewed my own birthday that way, but their enthusiasm was infectious.


At four or so.

( Photos and musings about time and age and wisdom or lack thereof  )

Date:	2008-02-09 13:36
Subject:	Well meaning friends
Security:	Public
Mood:	nauseated

Difficult, difficult week. I feel stretched too thin, spread across too many things and people that need me to do things. I feel a strong desire to go fetal and curl up in a ball and avoid people, any people except Paul and the boys. But oh well, ain't gonna happen.

( Rantings about rowdiness; read at your own risk )

I'm going to offer a print auction of all three of the following photos to benefit Greg McMullan's family.

If you'd like to have a matted 8x10 print of one of these (or any other of mine) mailed out to you, just reply in the comments here with which print you'd like to bid on and how much. If there is another photo or art print that you'd rather have, feel free to request a different image from my Flickr site (http://www.flickr.com/photos/artbeco/) and I'd be happy to accommodate you. I'd ask that minimum bids not be lower than $25.00, to cover some of my costs and make a meaningful amount to donate to Maya and Greg's family.







Whoever has the highest bid on each image by this Friday will be asked to donate that amount to the McMullan Family by following the button at the bottom of this post, and I will mail out the prints once the donation has been made. I will cover shipping costs. Payment for the auction items will be on the honor system; if you win the auction I'll notify you and you then tell me when you've sent payment to the McMullen Family fund, we make sure I have your mailing address, and I mail out the print to you as soon as I can. I'm hoping that this can raise more money for the family than I could afford to donate myself. I'm hoping that this does not come across as crass or mercenary. My heart goes out to Maya and Faeryn and Greg's family, and I only hope that this small gesture can help raise just a bit more for them.

Direct donations can be made by following this link:

Words are so inadequate. Faeryn has posted what we know for now:
http://lovensong87.livejournal.com/13895.html

Our thoughts are with you, Maya. Please let us know if there's anything we can do.
*hugs*

I was listening to a talk today about mindsets, rigid and flexible, and how children can be taught and encouraged to lean towards a rigid vs. a flexible mindset.



It was said that children with rigid mindsets are frequently fearful, unwilling to reach out and learn new things or risk failure, whereas children with a more flexible mindset tend to be more adaptable and willing to try new things, be open to new ideas, be willing to fail, to get back up and try again. How do you teach a child one way or another?
( More musings on rigid vs. flexible mindsets )

Lester and Earl meet Wallace Hulk.

The boys have acquired two Bearded Dragons. The lizards have a big tank in the boys room with lights and a heater and several layers of strong steel mesh on top of the tank. Well, the steel wire cover came later, after Wallace Hulk decided to break in.
( Cats and lizards )