Technology Overload

Is it possible to get too overwhelmed with cool techie devices? I'm beginning to think so.

My battery in my mobile phone would no longer hold a charge, so I was forced to consider upgrading the phone entirely. So, now after doing a quick search thru Consumer Reports to determine the best rated phone -I just need to make/receive calls, vm, and have a comprehensive contact library- I arrived at three contenders through Verizon:

The Razor (Andrew already has one)
The Juke (isn't Web enabled, should I need it)
The Chocolate (fun name)

Because I had reluctantly settled with "the idea" of purchasing a new phone, I had had the daunting task of choosing the phone that would suit my needs, as minimal as they are. *Sigh*

Ooooooookay, I'll piiiick the Choooc'late. I want it in the great burgundy color that reminds me of a chocolate raspberry torte.

You probably can't sense the sarcasm thru my entry (I'm getting very tired) but I was delighted to learn that any photos I take can be extracted by using a card, rather than sending one-by-expensive one to my email. Now, between filling orders, I'm desperately reading the manual to figure out this gadget, because what I really want to do is finish my tutorials on video publishing!!

Studio Weekend Update

After returning from visiting a few artist studios on First Friday, we returned home to have a TinMan Marathon. Having not seen it during it's original air-date -we were recouperating from Boylan- it was a fun mini-series. I think I liked it better than the original -the fun animals and pretty gingham dress cloaking the dark and sinister scared the Hell out of me when I was a kid. At least this remake began dark and gritty -no false expectations there; I also love Alan Cumming & Zooey Deschanel.

Meanwhile, we're experimenting with a few items here in the studio, but you'll have to wait... it's yet another surprise to be revealed after the New Year. Watch for WinterIce.

If you want to get in the mood with a little Rosemary Clooney, listen to this abbreviated arrangement of "T'was the Night Before Christmas" -a song that was recorded decades ago that I remember as a kid. I picked mine up from iTunes.

iTouch, iWant, iGot

Andrew is the most fabulous husband ever!

Last week, he surprised me with a Jetson space-aged toy that will definitely appease my immediate need to research online at any given time. The iTouch, as was emphasized to me at the Apple store, was the music -even the tutorial online was all about the iTunes. That's nice -just give me the gadget so that I can show manufacturers my work at any given time and research them online as needed -any where, any time.


Baccharoo in the background.

Oh, and I'm listening to Handel's Water Music. While always a fav, the trumpets still cannot rouse me from my sluggishness due to taking this little toy under the sheets last night.

Okay, not quite, but this is only going to feed my inner Web-o-holic.

Cheers to Andrew!!

Now that I've got a chance to wind down after Boylan, I wanted to outline my gratitude to to my wonderful and favorite husband, Andrew.



The reason I'm doing so is because after all the hard work he devotes to my business, no one on the outside is really aware of the back breaking contributions and sacrifices he makes.

When Andrew comes home in the evening (from working for his mistress), he'll do anything from:

• Devising Strategy for ECStewart Designs, Inc.
• Writing the press releases
• Writing copy or editing my bad copy
• Counting Inventory
• Stuffing and collating notecards (can you hear the shuffle?)
• Affixes labels to the back of notecard boxes
• Stuffing and collating LUVBites (that's job burns fingers!)
• Shopping for Lumber for Frames (this is too warped)
• Building Frames for Prints (lights flicker in the house when he turns on the table saw)
• Painting the Frames (can you hear the metal ball inside the shaking spray can?)
• Varnishing the Frames (ewww, smell the fumes from the workshop)
• Cutting the acyrlic for the Frames
• Cutting the Corrogated Backs for Prints & Frames (again, lights flicker)
• Framing the Prints
• Stuffing the Prints
• Designing prototypes for journals (surprise! acrylic patterns)
• Shopping for fabrics and leather (he loves the cobalt!)
• Cutting fabric for journals (admire the organization of the materials in folders)
• Sewing the journals (yes, the man sews)
• Shops for lumber for our kiosk (how much can this truck hold again?)
• Builds the kiosk
• Varnishes the kiosk
• And make a fabulous dinner for us each and every night. (that's why I can't lose this 20lbs!!)

We haven't even begun to outline the work it takes to prepare for our local and national shows. Let see, he will:

• Count Inventory
• Pack the Inventory
• Pack the truck
• Drive to the destination (guys like to drive)
• Unload the truck
• Raise the kiosk (can you hear the power drill now?)
• Unpack the inventory
• Display the inventory (where are we putting the journals?)
• Talk to customers (Have you heard the story about Bacchus?)
• Sell to the customers (Cobalt is my favorite!)
• Make change for the customers (Lightning quick addition!)
• pack the inventory (out comes the power drill)
• Load the truck
• Do a face plant on the lawn in the dark because the millions of acorns
• Drive home
• Examine the cuts and bruises
• Count the money
• Hold a post mortem about how well we did and why

While this list isn't exhaustive, Andrew's supply of support in myriad ways is immeasurable and selfless. Because of all the stinky fumes, bloody fingers, bruised limbs, headaches, body aches at the end of the day I am so grateful for your efforts and unwavering enthusiasm.

Thanks darlin, for all that you do. I, no, we wouldn't be this far without you!

Love, NL.