Painted Potties - beyond kitsch

Just what the world doesn't need . . . at Painted Potties, it's like Hallmark mated with Hello Kitty and one of them had morning sickness in your bathroom. It actually improves the memory of your last hangover or bout of the flu - really! Because at least that wasn't as bad as this . . .

I can think of 101 ways uses:

• Snazz up the comodes at work while freaking out your co-workers
• Put 'em in your rental apartment toilet to get back at the pissy landlord
• Get yourself invited to your ex-whatever's house and use the bathroom. Decorate and make a quick escape
• Have speciality ones created of snakes, scorpians . . . hey, use your imagination! During your next visit to those obnoxious in-laws, set your alarm for 1:00 am and do a little interior decorating in the main bathroom. Guaranteed to wake 'em up - WAY up - when they stumble across this on their sleepy, middle-of-the-night visit to the can

Okay, I'll stop now. . . interesting how many of these they've sold out of, though. Just goes to show, there not enough kitsch in the world for some folks.

The Gigapxl Project . . . beyond cool

Check out the gallery at the Gigapxl Project. For those of us who felt smug and self-satisfied a few years back because we wouldn't be caught dead with a digital camera of less than 3 megapixel, this site will make you plotz. [rolls eyes at self] Now we crave 7 or 8 or even 9 megapixels. But a gigapixel? Fabulous!

The Balboa Park Reflecting Pool is one of my favorite examples. Scroll down to see a zoom of the original picture . . . and then a further zoom in . . . and then even further and so on - every zoom as crisp as can be. Note the zoom crop of the couple at the bottom of the page - then scroll to the original picture at top and squint to find them. It's freaking amazing! So exciting for where the technology is going . . .

Stress Stress Stress Stress (with apologies to Monty Python)

Why, yes - things have been a bit stressful. Why do you ask?

Because I haven't blogged in the better part of two months? Because you can tell my stomach is doing flip-flops just by the tightness of my smile? Or perhaps the little snap in my voice when I say, "Nevermind . . . I'm fine?" [jeeez, now I'm getting stressed due to concern that I'm stressing *you* (my gentle reader) by sharing this . . . arrrggh!]

Work has been . . . yeah, challenging - we'll go with that. Suffice to say, lots and lots and lots of change. Change can be good - heck, my career as a technology trainer & development team member is based on that premise. But after a certain non-stop volume and quantity for many months, I'm finally succumbing to the inevitable human desire for things to just settle down and find a groove.

The ILTA Conference is coming up next week - a very full week with legal geeks of all stripes from all over the continent (and a few other countries, too). Lots of learning, lots of networking, lots of catching up on office email in stolen minutes in between events.

The DigitalEve Seattle election process is underway . . . frankly, I cut it close, but got it launched by the skin of my teeth. Can my years of service finally be coming to an end? A bittersweet sensation mixed a heaping dose of relief. I'll probably still serve as a Member at Large on the steering committee, but Chapter Leader no more. [whew]

So . . . letting go of the "small stuff" - hired a friend to do some major household chores, yard work, maintenance and all the other stuff that has been suffering. Even having trouble meeting my deadlines prepping for that but I'm not going to let it get me freaked. He'll do what he can and I'll face the rest as time allows. How healthy is that? [wry grin]

Working out (dragon boat for 20, please) - eating healthy - being kind to myself . . . these are my focus for the next month. We'll see where things are after a month of good habits.