The video summarizes what the has been going on.
youtube video


I'm emotionally drained but this needs to be typed even if I'm the only one reading.

On Saturday I took my mac book 13" white laptop into the apple store to get it fixed. Friday night without warning it shut off and refused to turn back on. The genius guy who helped me was super nice and explained my options really well. I decided to see if the mag port chip was bad and they took it to fix it. Saturday night while shopping for dinner while my parents were out of town I received a call that started all the trouble.

It was apple. The mag port chip didn't work so they were gonna haft to send it to the center to get fixed. I asked if this would upset my hard drive and they said that if they found anything wrong it would be replaced so I should have a back up.

How can I back a computer up if I cant even turn it on?

They offered to back it up for a charge of $99.00 if I brought in my own external hard drive. So that Sunday after running errands and such my father, sister, and I went back to the store. Talked to a different genius tech who after going to the back to find out what was the problem was again helpful and answered any questions my dad and I had. I dropped of the external drive and had them wait while I made the decision between getting this computer fixed or replacing it with a new one.
We talked with one of the sales people about the different laptops and desktops that I would need to run the programs that I use.

We went for a walk around the mall while my dad and I talked about the pro's and con's of each choice. Being interrupted by cell phone from on the genius people looking the password to my external so that they could get started on it.

I explained the situation with her and that I had a later appointment the day and would give the go ahead or stop to the back up then. {Should have been my first clue that something was being crossed in the communication.}

I talked with my mother over the phone and after talking with my father in person came up with the answer. I would have the hard drive backed up and the computer fixed. Yes my mac book is almost 5 years old. Yes Macs only have a certain lifespan. I understand that. My problem is that I work part-time and have student loans, cell phones, car insurance, and other bills to pay each month. Any computer in my opinion is out of my price range unless I wish to further my debt.

Went back to the apple store and while my dad dealt with an entirely different situation I waited for my turn to talk with the genius techs. And waited. And waited until somebody finally saw that I was waiting and made sure I got helped. [It seems those working for apple are under constant multi-tasking situations. The always seem to be doing 10 different things at once and not really paying attention to the task at hand]

This tech [not sure what they exact title is other than genius and i don't want to sound rude calling them such, I dont want it to come off as sarcastic] went back and spent a while figuring out all that was going on and came back out. After a brief chat I gave him the password for my external and left the store with the hope my computer would be better by the end of the week.

Wednesday morning almost noon I received a call that my mac was fixed and I could pick computer and external up at my convenience. I rushed to the store before I had to go back to work and picked up my computer. I signed the papers and got printed receipts after spending over $300 to get everything fixed [it was the logic board]. I only had time to turn my computer on and see that hey my wallpaper was still their.

I noticed but it never registered that the amount of files on my desktop was a lot less than what I brought in. I turned it off and ran it home and then on to work with only seconds to spare. After a long day at work I was able to come home, barely eat dinner, and take my computer upstairs.

My intention was to play music or one of the podcast i listen to off my computer while working out. I turned my computer on and noticed while i tunes was loading that i had to resign the user agreement for i tunes.

That was the first flag.

The second flag came when I went to look for my newest digital piece that I had done for a Dark Shadows contest. It was missing. Not only that but my entire art folder was missing. I searched all over the computer to no avail.

I started to panic but plugged in my external hardrive and figured it was there.

It wasn't. And that's when my panic attack set in. I looked every were. I then crumpled to the floor begging please be here.

I'm not an outwardly emotional person. [at least I don't think I am]. I was in full time sobs when i brought my computer down. I could barely speak to tell my father that it was all gone. Eventually my mother heard and I told her.

Everything was gone. The folders were their but the files were not. 5 years of my life disappeared. My stomach dropped and I could barely breath my throat had constricted so much.

My father was able to sit down with the computer and external and attempted to find anything. eventually I think we found some of the files but to get to them the external needs to be plugged in and I have to go through my finder to get it.

One major problem. All the files that were new, new pictures, recent work, how everything was arranged, my job applications for 2 different places. no were to be found.

In a matter of days my computer went from being the thing i bragged about, that apple never fails. To the thing that is testing me and plaguing my without mercy.

I'm calling apple tomorrow and hoping they can figure this out since i payed good money to get it fixed. fingers are crossed. This was written 5.3.2012

life update

Its been awhile since i've updated this blog. Its somehow easier for myself to update my art blog.

Things have been pretty crazy and then pretty lazy. Its like a massive rollar coaster and all i really do is hold on and hope i dont lose my lunch.

I spent the summer working at a summer camp on a full time shift. And after that i now work the before care and after care as well as coming in and helping in the classrooms a couple times a week. But it was after the summer camp that our family got a very big upheaval. My Aunt passed away suddenly in late july.

This was not something that was expected or nor has it been explained [at least not that i know of].

And this past week or so I started taking Claravis to try and cure my acne, and while its a damn good thing that i'm still on my dad's insurance [the stuff costs like 1,200 dollars], I have found that i hate the stuff. My lips are beyond dried out, my skin is really dry, tight, and starting to flake. My eyes are even begining to dry out. But i'm only on the stuff for a handful of months so by January i'll be done. {any tips for anyone on this would be helpful]
i've been using gold bond, burts bees sensitive cleanser, and burts bees chapsticks.

also I really want a full time job not only to support myself and such but also because target has all of their Halloween stuff out and its lots of wants but i have a discussion for that, which i will post later.

CAI show or what happend 5/6/2011

So if you read my other blog which focus's on art you will know that i have done and entered an art show in Downtown Denver for the Colorado alliance of Illustrators.  I have two pieces in their and so far so good. would love to sell them so if your interested drop me a line.

So last friday 5/6/2011 myself and my family went to the opening night which also happens to be the first friday art walk. I showed up and got to check out the other amazing art work that was produced by the other amazing artists. I dropped off the last of my business cards and chatted with a few people. Then we walked around santa fe checking out a few of the galleries. After a while it was decided that food needed to be had so we headed back to leave. I checked in one final time and thats when I began to notice cop cars showing up and cops finding spots on the street.

That is a definte WTF moment, which caused my mother and I to look around to see what was going on. Over the blare of traffic and the police helicopter that showed up I was able to see that heading down the street in our direction was a large mass of people with banners and such. Apparantly a local cop made a mistake and an innocent man lost his life. These people were protesting it, and were coming down Santa Fe on first friday to do it.

It explains the cops and all that was begining to take place. I let some of the other CAI people know that the cops had shown up and a protest march was taking place and then I proceeded to head to the car with my family. I managed to get one shot of them:

yes its hard to see them.

After we got in the car we had to wait for them and their expletive slogans to pass and we took off for dinner. Had dinner at ted's montana and found that the one in belmar is not as well managed as the one in denver.

On the way home to cap off our evening their was an accident at colfax and kipling. that haddn't yet moved the body from the intersection just had it covered by a blanket.

How does your garden grow?

So I have had a small 4x12 garden in front of my parents yard for 4 years now. It has become quite the passion. I love to watch things grow, and having fresh food without the pesticides and such has been great. Although I will be the first to admit everything that  I have done is all by trail and error.

I know that while I can grow strawberrie plants the reality of my eating strawberries is none. I know that if i dont watch the spearmint it will spread and crop p every where. I also know that i like growing pumpkins, but then i like eating pumpkins.

I started growing my veggies already here is a photo from about 5 days ago

Some things were growing, mostly the lettuce, raddisshes, and turnips. and then only five days later its already blooming. I'm hoping to have most if not all of this in the ground by the begining to may. I'm having to wait until I know it wont frost over anymore. Of course Colorado weather cant make up its mind. It has been a really tame and dry summer so i'm sure that a week after i plant everything in may will get 3 feet of snow and i'll have to start over again....

If you have any tips or tricks you would like to share, or perhaps questions please feel free to comment below and i'll try and get back to you. One thing though is i planned my garden using, Gardners' Supply   which has a garden planner, you give them the size and by square foot they you can lay out what to plant and were.

what it looks like as of yesterday 4/19/2011

shock

I found out a few days ago that a friend from middle and high school was killed in a head on car crash. I think i'm still in shock over this because as some one in their 20's you dont expect friends to be visited by death.

That is a downside to living in the world of mass communication is that no one communicates. She moved away to boston after highschool and I hadn't heard from her until will hooked back up on facebook a few months ago.  while we friended each other we hadn't had a chance to talk. Their is a lot that I wish i could tell her, like how she was a great friend. Her and her twin sister were good to talk to and how supportive that they were. I am thankful thought, because after seeing the car wreck photos I know that their was no way she would have suffered let alone known what hit her.

other than this bump in my road, i have a new plan for my freelance art work and have already put it into motion. I hoping to have all this figured out so that by the end of the year not only will my finances be enough to cover moving out and supporting my self, but so that I will be able to do more and attend conventions and continue to get my art work and my self out into the world.

Until all this sets in I will be looking either for a full time job or a part time job to help out with my other part time job. And I will also be hanging out with friends a lot more, which translates into being a very busy bee.

Something else that will be taking a lot of my time will be my garden. I cleared all the weeds and dead plants out a few days ago. I'll be adding some manure to get everything ready for later planting. I will also be starting many plants inside so that I can have crops from the beginning of summer to as late in fall as possible.

Write to you later

So a lot has been happening in my life since last post. The mice, we hope are long gone mostly because we haven't been able to find any more signs of them. I got my website up and running just today which makes me happy. very happy.

Stuff at work has been interesting. Their have been many budget cuts and their have been many job losses. And as with any job their are people that i just get annoyed by, but on an almost daily basis.

My sleep schedule is very off kilter. I'm up until 1 or 2 am and then i dont wake up until like 10 or 11am. but when i'm trying to sleep i get really antsy and end sketching in my sketch book, or i think tonight i'm gonna start painting. Doing something that gets this apparent pent up creative energy out would be nice.

I have also made some important personal decisions and i'm hoping to reveal this all later. Gotta go write to you all later.

hellow 2011

This new year has brought many challenges and rewards already. Just this past weekend we found out that the local mice had found a way into our home. I have also been dealing with figuring out tax liscenses and such to a frustrating level. I've had to hold my website rebuild on almost indefinite hold while the hosting service i switch to fixes everything.

i have also found that i am trying to clear all the clutter away from my life. first by getting rid of all things i dont wear or use anymore. And then secondly selling all my artwork that is taking up space.