Tenth Musee

I have a client who wants to use Windows Live Writer, so I wanted to give it a go to see if it would deliver. As much as I loathe Internet Explorer, this particular Windows goodie is pretty awesome. As I type this, it looks like I’m writing it on my live blog, not within Wordpress, but on my actual blog as if I could actually do that.

With this… I can!  Let’s try uploading a photo:

Huh. This is interesting.  I’m not sure if these effects I’m seeing in Windows Live Writer will show up and my images don’t seem to be floating properly, but we’ll see what happens when I publish.

Carry on!

Ok, I’ve since published this and I must say… I’m pretty impressed. I checked out the html code within Wordpress and it’s not a big hot mess. And I’m editing it right now within Wordpress and it’s keeping all the effects and styling. I don’t know if i’d use this all the time ,but for clients who really need this kind of WYSIWYG type interface, this would be a lifesaver. Kudos, Windows Live Writer!

File this under “One of those Things That Might Make Me a Jerk”, but it often bugs me when people use alternate words to describe certain colors. It just does. Like saying something is orange when it’s yellow or pink when it’s salmon… though, admittedly, sometimes salmon walks a fine line. Swims a fine line? Whatever. Or gray when it’s blue, etc.

Color-blind?  Ok, I’ll have to suck it up there – my dad was colorblind (or so I suspect of Mr. Olive Pants-Brown Shoes-Purple Shirt) – but only about 5% of men and less than 1 percent of women are likely to be color-blind so when I hear a reference to something as yellow when it’s orange or vice versa, it’s like nails on a chalkboard to me.  Hopefully, this doesn’t incite the wrath of the color-impaired.

I realize it’s the persnickety designer in me, the part that actually cares about the nuances of ecru vs. tan vs. cream vs. eggshell.  And I realize sometimes people can’t help it and color may be considered somewhat subjective, but I certainly am not going to go outside and declare the sky aubergine simply because that’s how I perceive it (that’s ‘eggplant’ or a deep purple/black with what some might call a slightly red undertone, in case you were wondering).  And no, I don’t think the sky is eggplant.

read more >

Well, my new design is up.  I’m still tinkering with things around here: tweaking this, adding that, finessing this, stroking that. It’s not perfect, but I’m pretty happy with it.

I’m sure there will be some of you that won’t care for the new look, prefer a lighter background, want bigger text, like more contrast, wonder why my ‘banner’ is way down at the bottom, wish Brad Pitt were your husband… whatever the case may be. And that’s ok, though Angelina might take umbrage.

So why this look?  Because I wanted to do something different. Because I wanted to experiment with textures and depth. Because I needed to break out of the box a little and at the same time, rekindle some of my joie de vivre! And because well… I like it like that.

*cue Tito Nieves*

Some of you may have noticed I’m taking a break from my long-term relationship with Expression Engine and having a fling with Wordpress. It’s not because I don’t love Expression Engine anymore (I still use it for clients).  I just needed to feel the tingles again. You know what I mean?  If Wordpress doesn’t sweep me off my feet, I’m sure EE and my blog will meet again… when 2.0 comes out.

If you are so inclined, please check back again to see if any changes have been made. Or, if the look is just not your thing, update your feed.  Muchas gracias.

I haven’t done it yet, though. But let me tell you somethin’ kids, these panels are HUGE!  I went to “How to Be a Web Design Superhero” this morning and it was filled to the rim (not with Brim, though. That was me. Caffeinated and slightly nervous are a classic combo).  It was a great panel, though with Andy Budd and Andy Clarke. It was entertaining and it made me feel better, really, about my process as a designer and how we do things.  We utilize most, if not all the “superpowers” they outlined in the panel, which was reassuring.  But equally and possibly more reassuring was hearing that these two designers also are growing and adapting and learning to better handle clients or critique or whatever… just like we do.  I mean, I assumed that. We don’t live in a vacuum, but it was nice to hear it, straight up like that.  I think that everyone is really their own worst critic, no matter how confident you are in your skills.  It is also nice to hear that many of the designers I admire may be like me, not formerly trained.  Sure, I had a year of design school way back in the Stone Age, but I quit, knowing I could do it on my own.  Comforting, somehow.  It lets me feel like maybe, someone I admire someday may admire my work in return, however remote the possibility.

So, I’m having a cup o’ joe and taking advantage of the free Wi-Fi they’re offering over here at the convention center.  Mike‘s back at the hotel. He’s still feeling under the weather and I’m working on catching it. I think I’m just staving it off until I get home.  Fortunately, working from the couch in my bathrobe is something I do best. 

I still haven’t run into anyone I know. At all. ANYwhere. Really makes me feel out of touch. I wish I had more time in my everyday life to connect with colleagues. I feel like sometimes we’re so busy that we don’t get a chance to come up for air and really network.  Obviously, being busy is a plus, but balance is really the key, I think.  We’re workin’ on it.

Our panel is at 3:30 CST.  I haven’t seen Susie, Peter, Paul or Lisa yet.  I suppose I may have and didn’t know it, but I’m fairly conspicuous with my pink bag and pink shoes and look of complete “holy crap!” so I’m sure they’ll find me. We have to meet in the “green room” at 2:30, which I’m looking forward to, mostly so we can chat about what we’re going to say. “How to Make Money with your Blog Design Skills”… what do I say? What do I say?  Add one part coffee, two parts photoshop. Shake and serve with a CSS garnish?