Welcome to MissouriBendStudio!

This is an online journal of my artistic investigations and a way to communicate about my work, ideas, quandries and queries! I welcome comments and conversation and do hope you enjoy these musings. My artwork is available in my shop MissouriBendStudio on Etsy.com or on my website.

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Saturday, May 14, 2011

Just One Thing After Another

Hi Folks....a crazy time the last few days.  I guess everyone had trouble with Blogger being down for a while.  All seems well now, except that I received a couple delightful comments on my last post from Carole and theFairyyellowbugQueen, which I published, and now they appear nowhere!!  They've disappeard and I can't seem to bring them back. So, to Carole and the FairyyellowbugQueen, I say many thanks for your kind words!

That was just the beginning of my computer frustrations, however.  I've been so behind on my blogs that the other day when I went to read the backlog, I had nearly 450 posts to go through.  My poor computer, a dear Mac that has served me so well, is six years old and quite elderly now.  They say every human year is seven dog years...so, how does that work in computer years?  This poor baby is pushed to its limits from the first thing in the morning til nearly midnight and I fear it is beginning its decline.  As I scrolled through the blog posts, endlessly, the fan kept cycling on, which I never hear....a sign, I'm told, that the processor is just working really hard and may not be quite up to the task.  The battery on this poor baby, has long since died, so I can only use it if it's plugged in.  That means, if I want to move it, I have to shut down and then reset the time and date every time I bring it back up.  My main work desk is upstairs here in a little alcove off the kitchen, but the printer is so big (it's also a copier/fax...not that I can use the fax, since we don't have a landline, ha!) that in order to print, I have to take the computer downstairs to the printer, because the wireless doesn't reach and it's the only way to connect to the printer.  You can imagine what a pain this is....clearly, Ms. P. needed a new computer.

Well, now I have one, but only because I flew into a panic in the middle of the afternoon yesterday when I'd spent an hour making an Etsy treasury and just as I was about to "publish" it, the computer screen went black....dead! Not having backed up in some time, I was practically having heart palpitations, thinking this was the end.  I quickly packed the computer up, got in the car and drove the hour to Sioux Falls to the MacDoctors....alas, on the way, it slowly dawned on me, that it was possible that all that had happened was that the plug had come loose and with no battery, naturally the computer just shut itself down.  Ugh, I groaned, as I was probably in the middle of an unneeded venture....aha, I thought, at the very least I'm going to buy a battery for the computer.  But, once I got to the MacDoctors and we found out that yes, all was well, and that the plug had just come loose from the power strip (SILLY ME!), but no, they didn't have a battery in stock but could order one...I was in a tailspin.  Did I really want to put over $100 into a battery for a computer that was clearly a geriatric case?  I sat in the car for quite a while, before heading home, as I rationalized going ahead then and there with the purchase of a new computer.  I mean, really, I am trying to run a "business" and am clearly giving the poor machine a workout everyday....it took awhile, but I marched back into the MacDoctors, which also sells computers and in no time at all, I came away with a MacBook Pro.  Now I have to buy software....it's only money, which grows on trees...a laugh a minute!  I still sit at my desk off the kitchen, typing away on Old Faithful, but I will make the transition to the new computer, which should be noticeably faster and quite worry free....and what will it be like to be able to operate the computer on a battery when necessary??!!!

Such crazy antics I go through, most times feeling like a fool....does any of this sound familiar to anyone?  Needless to say, my work in the studio this week, with the rock adventure at the beginning and the technology mishaps toward the end, has been most sporadic.  I can only show you fragments of works in progress...I'm calling these collectively "The Pink Pages"....a little enticement I hope!




That's my report....we're off this afternoon to a very lovely nursery in Nebraska to buy a few plants....it's actually a cold, grey day in the 50's....what happened to 95 degrees?  Hope you all have a fine weekend.
Violett sends greetings to all the well-wishers!!!

Cheers and see you soon!

12 comments:

  1. Patti, I likely said something like "I love your work to bits, bits, bits!" as this is the truth, truth, truth! *smiles* Norma

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  2. Hi Patti - I loved this tale and the happy ending...and know that sense of panic when you think it's all fallen over. I wish you many happy years with your new whiz bang Macbook Pro! I also really enjoyed your story of the rock - how fabulous that the barge went from house to house with SO MUCH rock! We understand the need to stabilise tho - we live on a very steep slope and with all the rain there have been numerous slips nearby. Before I go I just wanted to say those glimpses/teasers look gorgeous! Can't wait to see the rest, go well and stay safe.

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  3. Norma....I did get your lovely comment and had actually published it on the blog, but by the time I went to comment back, Blogger was down and then the comment had disappeared without a trace! I was so touched and charmed by the wording of your dear comment.....so many thanks to you for loving my work to bits! That's mighty high praise!

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  4. Fiona....nice to have you back...of course, I'm still way behind on reading your blog!! Glad you enjoyed my rock adventure...that barge is still at work...they've taken the weekend off and it's "parked" on the river behind our next door neighbors house. More and more neighbors kept signing on to get the work done...smart move!!!

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  5. Computer problems... blech.

    I love these in progress works. Esp. that middle one. Have fun planting!

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  6. Your pink pages look fascinating - I'm looking forward to seeing the finished works! As I started reading your post I thought to myself I bet Patti ends up buying a new Mac. I think you made the right decision; costly though it may have been at least you now have peace of mind and can get on with your creative work.

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  7. Kelcey...thanks...glad you like these pink pages! Hope to wrap at least a couple of them up tomorrow and be ready for show them to the world.

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  8. Angie...yes, clearly it was time to get a new computer. Still have to buy software, but I'm not sweating it out now in case this one dies...I'm still typing here on the old white one!

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  9. Patti, I too have lost a few things on my blog! It was eyeopening for me to see just how addicted to blog reading and writing I have become in less than a year!

    You have enticed me with pink pages! I WANT to see more!!!

    Congrats on the new Mac. I got my first a few months ago. It was love at first sight.

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  10. Patti, I'm glad you invested in a new computer! I hope you two will be happy together! And yes, your ordeals with technology sound all too familiar! I have fallen hopelessly behind on blogs too, and had come up with a new routine of simply running through my list of followed sites and catching up blog by blog every few days instead of trying to keep track of every new post as it appears. Of course I decided to make the rounds an hour before Blogger died last week and most of my comments vanished! Sigh.

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  11. Carole....isn't it amazing how easily the blog world claims us....I'm following way too many to keep up with, but there are just so many interesting kindred souls out there!! I'll be posting at least one finished piece later today...hopefully two! The new Mac will certainly be an improvement...once I get some new software installed, I'll have it up and running! Thanks for your comment!

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  12. Gabriella...now I realize there was a comment I lost from you too....yours really disappeared without a trace!! Yes, heavy sigh. I'm reading my blogs through Google Reader and was trying to do it each morning with my tea....I don't know what happened to that routine, I'll have to get back to it on a daily basis, so it's manageable! Cheers, dear!!

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I'm happy to hear from you...comments and questions are welcome!