I have been absent from my own blog for awhile now. Summer has begun and I start with summer school next week. I am still working on a revision of our school website. It is quite a handful.

I have been doing some Spring cleaning around the apartment and around my computer. I always seem to end up with folders named “Stuff” inside of folders named “Stuff” or “More Stuff” and those are usually inside folders called “Stuff.” Anyway, you get the idea. I have trashed a bunch on stuff, moved files to my external hard drive, and I think my computer is now a much happier camper. I even cleaned up my account in Entourage, backing up and then deleting a ton of old emails.

I joined a gym yesterday and go for a training session today. I need to lose about 30 pounds and need to get in better shape overall. Now is the time!

I have had a chance over the last couple of months to really do a lot of organizing at school. I set up checklists for each Credit Recovery course we offer. That will make keeping track of student progress this summer so much easier. I used GoogleSpreadsheets so I can even share viewing access with the student / parent for those who have chosen to give me their email address. I also reorganized our Course Recovery lab, re-imaged all the eMacs, and hung a bunch of new posters. The room is much more homey now. I am glad I get to stay there at least one more year and hope I will get to stay for many more years past that.

Off the personal stuff now. Here are a few new sites I have stumbled upon:

Beat spam with the best disposable e-mail service.

I just love his stuff!

I love looking at historical stuff.

Finally, here is a YouTube video I came across. I can’t get MY cats to do any of these tricks but I am trying.

I came across this website while Stumbling - toxel.com. It is just amazing how creative people can be. Here are a few of my favorites.

3M Security Glass Bus Stop Advertisement

3M was so sure their Security Glass was unbreakable, they put a large stack of cash behind it and shoved it in a bus stop.

Headhunting Agency Shopping Bag

Slow motion video of lightning

I have been through stages of craftiness in my life. I have gotten into cross-stitching, making beaded items (necklaces, lanyards, bracelets, key chains), painting fabrics (pillows, t-shirts), and many other endeavors. I like being able to make items for other people - either for birthday / Christmas presents or just everyday gifts. I think when someone spends time making a gift it makes it so much more special. I heard a story on the news recently that crafting is on the rise due to the troubled economy. While I hate our economy is in the situation it is, I think it is a good thing that it is motivating people to find less-expensive and more heartfelt ways of giving. On this website you can see what other people are saying about handmade gifts.

I have been spending most of my time on a new web design project but I think I will start looking at crafting again. I can start now making items to give as Christmas presents without feeling rushed as the end of the year approaches.

As I come across neat crafting projects, I will share them here. Maybe they will be of use to others.

I came across this neat project for etching glass. I think I will give it a try after I come up with some thoughtful words to etch. I think this would be cool to do with pictures of pets. I have many friends who share their lives with animals, as do I. Maybe a picture of a pet with a pet-friendly quote would be a good gift.

I really like the Zazzle website. No, I get no kickback for giving them a thumbs up. They offer a bunch of pre-designed merchandise (t-shirts, cups, mouse pads, stamps, shoes, business cards, buttons, stickers, magnets, greeting cards, post cards, keychains, bags, hats, aprons, ties, calendars, and bumper stickers) but what I like best is that you can create your own custom designs and order as many (or as few) as you need. Yes, you can design and order a single copy of a bumper sticker if you want. Of course, it is cheaper to order in bulk but their costs for small orders are very reasonable. You can even place your designs on their website so other people can order them and YOU earn a royalty of the sale of those items. So, if you have always wished you could find a bumper sticker that presents your favorite saying, just go here and make it.

Maybe I will order this embroidered shirt.

Today was warm enough that I decided to go ahead switch the direction of my ceiling fan rotation. FYI - Ceiling fans should rotate counter clock-wise in the summer (to generate a breeze downward to cool you off) and clock-wise in the winter (to cycle the warm air that rises to your ceiling.) I have a vaulted ceiling in my living room and the ceiling fan in there works really well especially when I have my balcony door open. I am glad to see the arrival of Spring, although Fall is my favorite season.

I have made my first widget for Mac OS X! It was much easier than I thought it would be. It is a simple countdown clock. The goal - MCHS Class of 2009 graduation.

This widget won’t be of much use to anyone not at MCHS but I just felt like sharing. It is available for downloading in a zipped file for anyone who wants it.

I came across this while Stumbling the Internet today:

When you thought I wasn’t looking:

I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

I saw you feed a stray cat and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

I saw you make my favorite cake for me and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

I heard you say a prayer, and I knew there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust God.

I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to take care of each other.

I saw you give your time and money to help people who had nothing, and I learned that those who had something should give to those who don’t.

I felt you kiss me good night and I felt loved and safe.

I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we were given.

I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn’t feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

I saw tears come from your eyes and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it’s alright to cry.

I saw that you cared and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

I learned most of life’s lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

I looked at you and wanted to say, “Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn’t looking.”

Each of us, parent, grandparent, relative or friend, influence the life of a child.

How will you touch the life of someone today?

- Author Unknown

I have to avoid the urge to download new fonts. I know - the first step to recovery is admitting the problem. Ok, I admit it. I am a fontaholic.

I especially have to avoid the “Download” button when I am working on some kind of design project, as I am right now doing. I have probably added 40 new fonts to my Fonts folder in the last couple of days. Now I just need to get into my FontBook and organize. I will probably wait until this binge is over.

In the meantime, if you feel like joining me, hop on over to SearchFreeFonts.

One of my latest activities is playing an online game called Tribal Wars. Tribal Wars is a free browser based MMOG (Massively Multiplayer Online Game). After choosing a world (I play in Worlds 17, 18, and 24) you get one village. That small village will grow bigger and bigger as you construct buildings and train troops. Neighbors are also looking to expand their influence. Players join together to form tribes. Players attack players. Tribes attack tribes. Wars break out. Villages get conquered.

What do I like about Tribal Wars? I like the sense of community formed by the tribal structure. I am lucky to belong to good tribes. I have had conversations (and planned attacks) with players from all over the world. I also like how organized a player needs to be in order to successful. I am a very detail oriented person and this game is a good outlet for me.

I expect I will write more about this at a later time but I just wanted to throw this on my blog to see what anyone else thinks about this?

I just caught the last part of “Rudy” on AMC. I have it on DVD but it is one of my favorites so I decided to watch a little. That last scene gets me everytime. Even when I tell myself I won’t tear up, I do. I just love it!