Art, Sleep, and Work

Yesterday was Monday. To me, this means I hang out with Katherine, eat pizza, and watch our shows: Chuck and Heroes. We had some time to kill before the shows started so we did our best to help each other with presents for other people. She needed help with what to make for Scott and I needed help on what to make for Tara.

I feel a little obligated at this point this give some back story on Tara's present. As some of you know, I make a number of my Xmas presents for people. Last year, I made a tresure map for Emily H., a painting for Katie, and a poster for Emma. I also made Emma a small book of pictures for her birthday. So last year, I made four presents in a time span of two and a half months. This year, I started shopping for presents at the end of October. I also asked some people what they wanted intermedeately over the month of November. I asked Tara near the beginning. She wanted me to make her something. She didn't really have much time to give me any direction. She's a busy girl. Over the next month, I had 3 other people tell me they wanted me to make them something and, in fact, they told me exactly what they wanted me to make them. Tara finally gets some time to give me direction, but answers most of my questions with "whatever, it doesn't matter to me" type answers. So my tally is 4 presents to make in 2 WEEKS! Thought to be honest one of the presents should take no time at all. But to be fair I still have no clue what I'm making Tara. I have been racking my brain on this for a number of weeks.

So back to where I started. I'm helping Katherine, she's helping me. I show Katherine some of my working to give her some ideas about what to make. She spins with some of the stuff and I spin stuff back that she could also do. She eventually narrows down what she wants to make. I'm still at the same point. I fill her in on some of my dead-ends and the overall look I kinda-ish want. She throws some stuff out and I take it into consideration. The pizzas arive and we break from this stuff.

In the middle of Heroes, Katherine is asleep and I get to making random crap with paint and toothpicks to see if I can just art the idea out of me. About an hour later I hit the exact style I want and most of the image I want. When Katherine wakes up, she sits up and falls right back asleep. When she wakes up again a half hour later I tell her where I've gotten and she helps to fill in the missing pieces. SWEET! She heads home and I get to my computer.

I talk with Ben about some technical stuff, but in actuality we "discuss" how we answer and ask questions and how stupid and annoying we each are. Such fun. HAhahaha. I soon get started on the project. At about 3:30, I decide to stop working and get ready to sleep. This means watching short videos on the computer to distance my brain from the project. I'm alseep by 4.

I am now at the part of the story that was the original inspiration for me posting right now. I don't think It will be anywhere near as long as what I have so far. But I didn't think the first part was gonna be that long either. Sorry for the interlude. I just felt like noting that. Think of it as post-commentary.

At 5:30 I get a phone call. The phone is ringing. By the second ring I am mostly awake and know that I need to answer the phone. The next two rings are spent staring at the phone trying to understand how to use my hands and eyes to answer this "phone" thing. By the time I pick up, so does my answering machine. DAMN IT! If I could set my answering machine to pick up in 5 rings I would. 6 rings is just to many. This always happens to me. Now I'm listening to an automated machine tell me about the sub job at 9 am today. I am also listening to it blaring out of my answering machine in the next room. This is annoying the ever-loving $#!+ out of me. Stupid machine! I take the job, set my alarm and go back to sleep. Bed nice.