Something Right ... Right?

Finally things are just about back to "normal" as normal as things can get.

I am "almost" satisfied with the results.

After a few hours of sleep and a cup of joe, my mind was fresh to tackle the software errors I was experiencing last night while rebuilding the website.

Yes, I was pulling my hair out but I still have a head of hair.

These are just ten things I fixed or made a mental note of, while fixing the website:

1. I have fixed the Mozilla Firefox error, so now you can browse without a problem.
2. I have fixed missing page links
3. I have fixed missing photos
4. I have adjusted the site counter back to about what it was before the site crashed
5. I have BACKED UP the entire site on CD (finally)
6. I have written updates here so you are fully aware that the site was down.
7. I have spoken to "me, myself and I" to not do this EVER again or ELSE!
8. I have made a note to check out Dreamweaver for their free 30 day trial soon.
9 I have also made a note to investigate Sitebuilder from Yahoo as an alternative to ensure the site is backed up regularly should "me, myself and I" forget.
10. I have also made a mental note to make time for a workshop on web designing in the future.

No matter how I am kicking myself or have beaten myself over this stupidity the last 24 hours and for having to spend time rebuilding the website, my thought is that you learn from your mistakes. I always learn from my mistakes. I don't enjoy making mistakes but they are good for me (sometimes unless I'm leaving for a BIG show! Egads, bitting nails.)

Now I know more about website designing and development ... or do I?

(sigh of relief)

Please visit the site and enjoy. Take a look at the new tool and bead wraps we are launching at Santa Fe in a few days. Note that I will only have about 3 of the medium sized wraps in each pattern, but will be offering FREE first class parcel shipping, if things sell out at the show. I'll take care of you.. don't you worry.

Sandy is human after all and did not have time to make more for the show. She needs rest/sleep for the day job, but will be ramping up the production of the medium wraps while I'm in Santa Fe.

Help me SELL OUT of these wraps! (gotta keep Sandy busy!)

Now it's time to clean beads

...string beads

...price beads

..and pack beads.

We are leaving at a crazy hour on Wednesday morning, like 3:30 a.m. to drive all day to get to Santa Fe. It's TWELVE hours to Santa Fe with no traffic. We will also start setting up Wed night so you'll know we'll be totally exhausted with the LONG day. Why do you think I'm bringing along Nick? Who do you think will be driving all that distance. HAHAHA! I'm not THAT stupid (smirk)

I will be knitting and working on my Rambling Rows Blanket (which is 1/3rd done) on the drive and possibly getting motion sickness but who cares? My friend Lynn tells me to just knit by touch. I will try that out! I hope to finish the blanket by end of March or early April to share here with you all.

(When does Lisa find time to KNIT?)

I'm looking forward to seeing all my friends, exploring Santa Fe, dining at some great eats, taking photos and talking to all of YOU. I'll post show details later today for those considering coming to the show.

Come to the show, okay?

(WHAT? Lisa is going to write on the blog again today?)

Yes

(and I heard that!)

Time to get busy,

(when am I NOT working!)

Lisa

Just about...

Just about as good as it can get at this hour...

(Lisa looks at the computer clock)

My it's 3 a.m.

This fiasco only took me less than 1/2 hour to foul up and about SIX hours to fix.

She's BRILLIANT ain't she??

La de dah... yes, siree

It's time to get some rest and then continue preparing for Santa Fe

I'm in a better mood knowing that all of you can see and browse the site while I'm gone.. but I am not happy with Frontpage!! Not the least. I'm not happy with myself. I know better than this. I used to take distress calls from people having problems with their electronics... why did I have to go trying "this and that". Why today? Why not when there is more time to tackle these mishaps! Eeeeee...

(self taught web designer here! now you know why all the periodic goof ups)

I want to thank Yahoo Small Business Tech Janardhan for his patience and allowing me to talk fast in communicating my frustrations. He recommended me to download the trial of Dreamweaver for a testrun and then shelling out the big bucks later, if I like the platform. No need to think this over... if I have to give up some beads and skeins of yarn for Dreamweaver CS3/4, I'll do it.

(Talks to self: What am I saying?...I must be desperate or really can't stand Frontpage. My yarns...my beads...how can I stop buying more?? Can't stop..don't want to stop... must think of alternatives like sneaking some expendable cash from Nick...(smirk) Aha! Yessssssss........)

I fixed it..and I'm not gonna break it again (yeah right!!)

(taking a deep breath)

It's late and I start writing strange things here...so that is a sign to get some rest.. I'll be up before I need to wake up.

I NEVER GIVE UP UNTIL THE JOB IS DONE... NEVER. You can't take me down Frontpage. I got you cornered and you are going "bye bye". Hasta la vista, baby!

P.S. I'm writing a lot here this week but after I return from Santa Fe, I will be absent from the blog for about two weeks or so, with the exceptions of the Thursday Tease posts. I need to work on several SUPER DUPER, seriously important assignments with real deadlines. I rather lose sleep over writing assignments than troubleshooting software issues. Egads!! I will learn with time..

Exhausted

but obviously

still loves to write

a lot

even at this hour
Lisa

Still Working on the Website...

Guess what?

You got it...

I am REBUILDING my entire website because this techie didn't make a backup BEFORE she decided to move things around and do FANCY things on her website. She played around too much and managed to mess up all the photo links instead of sprucing up the site right before Santa Fe. (site is uploading on the main computer while I am typing on the Mini 9 here.)

After Santa Fe, I am going to investigate other web publishing softwares and getting myself out of the Microsoft Frontpage platform. I am going to redesign my entire website as my next big task and goal. Frontpage has become obsolete and ridiculous. I was just too cheap to buy something more sophisticated.

I've HAD it.

I will be up all night.... who needs sleep right? I rather have things right. It's my fault for even sticking with Frontpage.

(screaming!!!!!!!!!!!!! in my head because I don't want to wake the neighbors)

Generally I LIVE for these challenges but not right before a show. It shows me to backup my website more often... this took up valuable time I could have had in the studio.

Let's see if I still have my touch of fixing things that I foul up myself. (shaking head profusely side to side)

"Do as I say... not as I do."

Back to troubleshooting... (upload is taking a long time because I have literally thousands of image files for the catalog!)

Lisa is slapping herself on the forehead, hitting her head on the wall, looking for a baseball bat, what else is there around here to hit myself with she thinks to herself.

Geez!!!!!

P.S. On the positive note, yes there is a bright side to all this, at least I have the Dell Mini 9 here to keep me company. It's the consolation prize for being stupid. Sometimes the more you know how to do something.. the more you really don't know a thing.

Website having difficulties...

Just to let everyone know...

I am aware of the website photos and pages not loading appropriately

And I am fixing it ...

I hope to have it fixed before I leave for Santa Fe on Wednesday...

This goes to show you that you should not make any major updates to the website right before leaving for a big show...

A bit frustrated since I thought my software troubleshooting days were over...

Back to troubleshooting
Lisa

My New Love ...

Diamonds are a girl's best friend?

Really?

I mean REALLY?

Maybe to some ...

But not to THIS girl

This girl is simply tickled pink with her new love...

(squealing with excitement)

(taking a deep breath to maintain her decorum)

Lookie here....

No look a little further below.....

You're almost there...

Not quite...

My new love is ...

My brand spanking new...

and RED,

Oh yeah baby....RED (in my best Austin Power's voice)

Dell Mini 9

Here she is...

I'm in love (smooching her Dell mini) ;o)

(actual photo of my mini will be posted later!)

What were YOU thinking?

Hey now... wait just one minute

Okay so my geeky, nerdy (and silly) side is coming out. You must have known that I can't hide that side of me 100% of the time.

I'm totally excited and psyched about my new mini. I can now leave the heftier Sony laptop at home when I fly to shows. With the weight restriction for flights these days, sometimes I just go on my travels unconnected to the rest of the world. So.... Nick got me the Mini 9 as a just because you're special to me gift. I'm one LUCKY lady!

Now I can keep in touch with everyone more easily from the road. No more being tied down to working in the lobbies of hotels to check-in from their computers or drive around looking for a FedEx Kinkos!

PERFECTLY decked in RED, I'm all set.

I'm actually writing this blog entry from the mini.

Dang this mini is soooooooooo cute, itty bitty and so tiny!

I will write a techie review after I have more time to play with it to express what I liked and what I may not have liked, so you can consider if you want one of these minis yourself. So far, the only "con" I see is the small keyboard profile, but that's one of the features being so small. I'm just used to a larger keyboard so it's just a matter of getting used to. I have to get a protective bag for it when I come back from Santa Fe but found one on Amazon already.

So pardon me as I go spend some quality time with my new baby... (wink left, wink right)

This is SWEET!

Now you know the way to THIS girl's heart is ...

with ELECTRONICS!!!

I have a wonderfully sweet and thoughtful husband, whom if all works out you will get to meet in Santa Fe, if you visit our booth! (We'll be at the Convention Center, Booth 412) Seeya all there!!

Lisa, Ms. Techie

The Thursday Tease

Uhmmm... tease, teasing your visual senses.

Will you ever look at slate again the same way?

Instead of just one image this week, I thought I would bombard you with four beautiful images of "slate" to entice you to create from your surroundings inspired by quite ordinary things and the Mother, our Mother Nature.

In my work, you will find many influences from Mother Nature. The earthiness, I so love. The color palette of earthy colors or tones. I'm not one for splashy brights (even if I use Swarovski crystals here and there for a bit of flash) but what calls my name is the more subdued and subtle shades. I also like the mystery and shadows created by gray/grey.

I like the rusted, the unexpected, the imaginative to be interpreted by the "eye of the beholder". Walking, looking, wandering, searching, and always finding Mother Nature is here to aid me. She shows me her COLORS, plain and clear. All I have to do is STOP, LOOK, and SEE!

See what I see?

Maybe?

Play with me, will you, as I tease your visual acuity.

I see a variegated scarf or shawl knitted up in some wonderful handdyed/handspun yarn.

I see a lampwork bead with metallic and interactive glass perhaps made with Zimmerman, Reichenbach, Moretti, or Borosilicate. Mind you, apart and not combined or it'll shatter. Shards everywhere.

I see a cuff with tiny precious size 15/o seeds in rounds and delicas sprinkled, intermingled with metallics, lusters and matte. Just a little not too much. Colors bouncing, complimenting, dancing lovingly.

I see a wonderful copper, brass, bronze or silver creation patinated or left to age gracefully with time.

I've got all the time to stop in this life and discover the wonders of my Mother. How I do love her and all that she selects to show me. My eyes are always seeking for the next tease....Thursday Tease.

Enjoy... and Please Create!

Lisa

photos in order of top downward borrowed from Beshanti2, Beshanti2, MeirionMatthias, and Perseverando from Flickr

Raindrops ...

Raindrops

I shudder restless under cover
Awakened by the sudden noise
Just outside the window
Tapping in rhythmic tones
Raindrops, Raindrops

*****

A bit cold and shivering
Thoughts roaming, dancing
Through my mind, thinking
Seeking, searching amidst the cloud
Raindrops, Raindrops

*****

Inhale to breathe in

Splash to cleanse with
A cup of java, plain old joe
Warms, awakens and caffeinated
Raindrops, Raindrops

*****

Trickling down, pouring out
Mother Nature soothes the pain
Washes away fears with those tears
The child, I am, listens and feels
Raindrops, Raindrops

*****

Her cries in hollering wind, embraces
She speaks through many or a few
It could be a tree, that branch, this leaf
Or maybe even through Me
Raindrops, Raindrops

written by
Lisa Kan
on 3/4/09, 9:45 p.m.

*****
Through My Words
I Hope
You Enjoyed
This Poem
I Gift To You.

photo borrowed from aknacer from flickr