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For those of you keeping track (and I know your numbers are impressive), this is my first post since #BlogathonATX occurred nearly a month ago. I have no excuse. I love to write, but everything else seems to fill in the hours, and I never find the time to do it. Once again I’m reminded that I can’t just wait for time to magically appear; I need to MAKE time. How do I go about doing that? Well, here are a few thoughts I’ve had: 1. Stock up on 5-Hour Energy shots. 2. Stop watching Law & Order reruns. 3. Move refrigerator from the kitchen to under my desk. 4. Teach the poodle to use the toilet. 5. Stop organizing blogging events. Of these options, the most realistic one is probably moving the fridge, but the mister might take issue with that (and the poodle is pretty small and flushable). I’m open to other suggestions. Anyone?
Read MoreIn case you haven’t heard, in addition to my graphic design business I have a little side gig called BlogathonATX. For reasons yet to be identified, last summer I decided that the best way for me to become more accountable for regularly blogging would be to produce a big event showcasing the fact that I’m a shitty blogger. To clarify, graphic design is my first love—the college sweetheart who stuck with me for years, providing a modest yet stable lifestyle. Conversely, BlogathonATX is the questionable, beer-induced fling from which one wakes in a panic, feeling somewhere between thrilled and nauseated, wondering where she is and how she got there (not that I would know). This one-nighter has managed to become a big part of my life and continues to bring me the kind of satisfaction I just can’t get from sitting alone in my office designing brochures and trade show graphics. I believe that creating BlogathonATX fuels my creativity and makes me a better designer, but sometimes I still wake up confused and unsure how I got here. I worry about getting so caught up with Blogathon lust that I forget my stable, dependable, clean-shaven day job. It’s hard to…
Read MoreI’m thinking the south doesn’t really deserve to rise again. Make mine a double D.
Read MoreSo, I turned 43 last week. It’s kind of a double edged sword having a birthday so close to the holidays. On one hand, I never had to go to school on my big day, but there is a down side, and it’s called the “combination gift.” Now, it’s not that I don’t understand laziness as a concept. One of the main reasons I choose to work from home is to save the step of changing out of pajamas in the morning. What most folks don’t realize however, is that there are very clear rules about the often misunderstood combination gift. First of all (and most obviously), a combo gift must be at least twice as good (read: expensive) as a typical birthday gift. This is best illustrated using fairly straight forward algebraic equations: If Hanukkah=Bathrobe and Birthday=Pedicure, then Birthukkah=Trip to Canyon Ranch. Similarly, if Christmas=Earrings and Birthday=Tickets to the opera, then Birthmas=Trip to New York for Broadway show with stopover at Tiffany’s. Get it? Another one of the challenges of having a holiday birthday is competing with family gatherings and vacations. As a child this may play out in poorly attended birthday parties where your dad has to dress…
Read MoreIn my recent post about why I’m the Worst Blogger Ever, I received sage advice from the always charming Tom Myer, as well as thought-provoking commentary from my friend and garden designer, Kirsten Bartel. Here’s a little of what Kirsten had to say in response to my ramblings: “It reminded me of a discussion we once had, Ileenieweenie, about the creative process. I remember asking you if you thought your graphic design work was creative, had an artistic process, and you told me ‘no’. That was a long time ago and I don’t know if you’ve changed your mind about that, but it could be part of the difficulty you’re having right now with writing – are you struggling with the creative process?” Oh how cynical I once was. Kirsten is probably right—I do struggle with the creative process—but that’s not the only issue. Using my profession as an example, the process of graphic design is a skill that can be taught/learned. While creativity (a soft skill) may be practiced/developed/massaged, it’s not what I would consider a tangible skill set. I’ve obtained design ability through study and practice. Creativity is a little trickier. Yes, it takes some creativity to come…
Read MoreAs planning begins for the next Blogathon here in Austin, Texas, I’m struck by the fact that my blogging has been so inconsistent. That being the case, I have to ask myself why I’d want to hold another BlogathonATX (Video compliments of Amanda Quraishi). I’m beyond thinking I’ll actually use that time “catch up” on my writing—it’s sort of like “finishing” my to-do list. Not gonna happen. So what’s my rationale for organizing an event that revolves around writing, when I myself am not much of a writer? I think it’s because I so desperately want to be a writer. I love the idea of writing and I’m an optimist. (That, and I believe in osmosis.) My good friend, Tom Myer, will probably have a lot of unflattering things to say about this statement, and I eagerly await his reply. In the meantime I’m sticking to my guns because the more writers I hang around, the more admiration/inspiration/guilt I feel, and that’s gotta be worth something, right? Right?
Read MoreFarmer Weenie discusses plants and dirt. She’s even sexier in person…
Read MoreThe term “passion” is one of those trendy words that’s been rubbing me the wrong way lately. It’s now practically expected that we feel passion for our work. Really? So I’m supposed to feel ashamed if I don’t leap out of bed each morning before the sun like some twisted Disney character who sings of brochures and annual reports while woodland creatures help me dress and start up the computer? Really? Books tell me I should find my passion and do that for a living, which begs the question: How do I get paid to sit on the couch and eat ice cream sandwiches? In my opinion the field of graphic design has virtually nothing to do with passion—unless one’s passion involves agonizing over the space between two letters and whether a sans serif typeface can appropriately carry the weight of the subject matter— in which case we have a much larger issue at hand. To say I have a passion for graphic design is like saying I have a passion for breathing or for my heart beating. I won’t go so far as to say it’s necessary for my survival, but it’s become a nearly involuntary action. I simply…
Read MoreIn a shocking turn of events, things have started growing at Farmer Weenie’s homestead. Panicking, she heads to the bible of gardening, Wikipedia, to find out what to do next. All that does is confuse the Weenie even more, so she reaches out to her secret weapon in the great white north. Dear friend and fellow farmer Kirsten Bartel owns Seed and Bean Garden Design in Edmonton, Canada, where they have things like snow and health insurance. Hopes are high that she will put down her shovel or knitting or delicious pot of soup she’s cooking (overachiever much?) to answer this question… ??? If you are having trouble viewing this fascinating video, click here to watch it on YouTube.
Read MoreSo I decided to become a farmer the other day. Never mind the fact that the closest I’ve come to farming is the science project I’ve got going on in my refrigerator. I have that dangerous combination of determination, passion and ignorance often found in trailblazers like myself (and borderline personalities). Determined to start this farming lifestyle as soon as possible, I headed over to the home improvement store to gather supplies. A nice young man in an orange apron approached, at which point I became the worst part of his day. A mere two and a half hours later, I was on my way home with a pile of items ill-suited to an uncoordinated graphic designer with a distaste for manual labor and sunlight. Who are you calling a hoe? Once home, I changed into a cute farming outfit, filled up my water bottle and headed outside. The plan was to build a wooden square, put dirt in it and wait for the bounty. While the plan took a bit of a detour that involved some flailing about and a near leg-gouging, the result was just as I’d expected—Mr. Weenie built the box for me, hauled it out of…
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