A 6 month check today.  Six months ago we first went to Shriner’s Hospital to get the official congenital scoliosis diagnosis for Cale.  We left feeling very optimistic, but still with a lot of uncertainty in our hearts.  Would surgery be eminent?  Would our family be turned upside down?  Would our baby takes months to recover?  Would we ever have another baby?

Some questions were answered today and some were left to the fates.  But, all in all, it was a good visit.  Cale’s scoliosis has not progressed much in 6 months.  He has a major growth spurt behind him and looks good clinically.  That means when you look at his x-rays he looks like he should be more malformed.  His shoulders should be more slumped and showing more signs of his scoliosis.  He looks relatively normal.  This has the doctor very optimistic about his upper curve.  His lower curve he is not quite as optimistic about.

No surgeries as of now, however, if surgery occurs it is less scary than Matt and I have been envisioning.  Yes, spinal surgery.  Yes, extremely dangerous.  Yes, any parent would be and should be freaked.  But we have one of the best doctors in the world treating him.  There are few orthopedics who have done as many surgeries as our doctor for this condition.   Plus, our doctor has this way of making you feel like it is all going to be fine, without belittling the seriousness of the condition.  When you are in the best hands, comfort just seems to envelope you.

I think I know what I am most thankful for this Thanksgiving.

As many of you are no doubt already aware, i spent Hallowe’en weekend in seattle with jo-ann and trevor. The trip started off with a somewhat ill-fated trip to Tan Popo for all-you-can-eat sushi. The sushi and assorted Japanese foods were fantastic, my ill-fated remark refers rather to Trevor’s stomach and his need to share it’s relative fullness for the rest of the night via assorted grunts and groans which Jo-ann and I only put up with because we were both well-sauced by this point.

The next morning it was up and out (at least in theory) on our way to Seattle. Trevor and Jo-ann had rented a fantastic grey Prius for our little road trip south of the border and somewhat predictably I now want one – in all fairness so does Jo-ann. Anyway, the road trip was lovely and we soon arrived at the home of Cale and Sacha. Needless to say, drinking ensued. That night we were off to Showbox SoDo – which was a wicked venue, like a big old warehouse, making me feel very much like i was Kyra Sedgewick in the movie ‘Singles’ – to see The Airborne Toxic Event who were brilliant. We did shots of tequila and drank supercans of PBR all night and it was amazing. (BTW, my favourite song by The Airborne Toxic Event is Sometime Around Midnight – click to see the video)

The next day was largely a hangover day and we sort of hung around the house acclimatising to the surprising warmth of Seattle. Later Trevor and I ventured out to the supermarket unsupervised which proved somewhat disastrous as it was not unlike two Id’s who’d left their Ego at home. We came back with over $100 worth of beer, chips, and pop, and beer only costs (!) $10 a case in the states. Any man who can pass a bag of Lay’s Limon or a six-pack of Land Shark Lager is a stronger man than I.

That night we stayed in and watched some terrible hallowe’en fare. The best of the three movies we watched was called ‘Shrooms’ and it was about some supposed friends who flew from America to Ireland on holiday to take mushrooms. I say supposed friends because very early into the film we found ourselves wondering why people who hated eachother as much as this bunch did would waste a thousand-ish dollars flying across the atlantic to spend a holiday together. Furthermore, are there no drugs in America? Who flies to Ireland to take mushrooms? Is this some sort of trend I don’t know about? Is this what all the kids are doing these days? Needless to say all but one of the “friends” ended up dead and the killer, after getting away with all the murders, escaped, for some reason, into the forest. It actually wasn’t a terrible movie apart from these and maybe a few more plot holes. We also watched ‘Stan Helsing’ which was just plain fucked up.

The next day it was time for some sightseeing in downtown Seattle starting with Pike Place Market. We stopped in for a Starbucks, Jo-ann had a thing for the fishermen, and Trevor, for some reason, drank a Hangtown Mary which included a raw oyster dangling nausea-inducingly from a cocktail pick. Later, despite protest from Jo-ann, we ascended the Space Needle which was actually properly amazing. It’s not right in the downtown core so you have a view of that, Puget Sound, and the whole surrounding area. Also, you can walk outside right the way around which is really cool; we had a drink up there and all loved it.

Later, we all kitted up and proceeded to get our drink on. After some initial indecision Sacha decided on Dorothy over Lederhosen, Cale topped his outfit up with a mustache, and I affixed my Cher wig and slipped into my poncho. Upon leaving the house Trevor was already quite drunk, rather foreshadowing the events that later transpired, but at this point each of us were blissfully unaware of anyone’s drunkenness but our own.

After arriving at Showbox at the Market – again, amazing – we got stamps on our wrists and proceeded to enjoy the party-time sounds of Seattle’s very own Cool-Ade. It was a brilliant party and then all of a sudden Cale came up to the rest of us and said that Trevor had been kicked out for being too drunk. After some initial disappointment Cale hatched the rather masterful plan of re-dressing Trevor in some extra bits and pieces, including my poncho and wig (I was also wearing a fantastic psychedelic shirt). So Cale painstakingly removes the Fred Flintstone costume from the now balance-challenged Trevor and replaces it with the wig and poncho. Only after he is fully re-dressed does Trevor point out the big black X that is drawn over the entry stamp on his wrist, precluding him from returning at all.

After a fall in the parking lot and the poncho moving again from Trevor, back to me, and then to Sacha, we’re now on our way home and out of downtown Seattle having only arrived an hour previous. All is going swimmingly again until we’re speeding down the freeway and Trevor decides to open his door to vomit. Only we’re going 65 MPH. And he’s not wearing his seatbelt. So a bit of shitstorm unleashes in the car and Jo-ann and I are trying to hold onto Trevor as his relieves his turbulent stomach onto the busy road (and a little bit onto the car door).

Now, just as we’re trying to find our way back onto the freeway after diverging in order to let Trevor finish up what do we see but A LANDSHARK BILLBOARD! Realizing that this is indeed a stupendous moment Sacha pulls the car to a hault and Cale and I dance a jig beneath it as Jo-ann tries capture the moment on film rather unsuccessfully.

Upon arriving home Trevor headed straight for bed and despite thinking it was a good idea to drug him awake – we failed – the night died down after that. Needless to say Trevor woke up with the mater and pater of all hangovers and we hit the road home.

En route we stopped to get Jack In The Box which was BRILLIANT, Jo-ann decided she needed to try every flavour of vitamin water, and Trevor usurped a coat that I liked at the outlet mall for his own – coatstealer. Finally, the next day we had lunch at the Black Frog before Jo-ann and Trevor had to head back to their real lives in the Big Onion. It was a fabulous trip.

A few things I learned:
1. Trevor’s new nickname is Captain Obvious as he has an uncanny ability for vocalising the obvious.
2. Showbox is fantastic. Go there if you’re in Seattle.
3. Ditto, the Space Needle, it’s surprisingly good.
4. Avoid Trinity night club at all costs. It was aweful and an event transpired as confusing as it was angering.
5. I am quite good at the playing the drums in Rock Band.
6. Do not show Trevor a coat you like at an outlet mall.
7. Lay’s Limon are amazing. (Why do we not have them in Canada?)
8. Jo-ann and I are quite good at swaying a la Sonny and Cher, or at least we seemed to be after a few drinks.
9. Bluto may be the best name ever in the history of horror films.
10. Do not go to Ireland to take shrooms.

Timpul calatoriei mele este lung;

calea pe care o am de strabatut este fara sfarsit.

Am iesit pe aripile primei raze de lumina

si mi-am urmat drumul prin singuratatile lumilor,

lasand urma mea pe atatea stele.

Calea cea mai lunga ma aproprie cel mai mult de tine

si modularea cea mai intortocheata este tocmai cea care duce

la perfecta simplitate a acordului

Calatorul trebuie sa bata la toate portile inainte

de a ajunge la a sa.Trebuie sa ratacim prin toate lumile din afara

pentru a ajunge in sfarsit la templul cel mai launtric.

Lasat-am ochii sa rataceasca departe , inainte

de ai inchide si de a spune: Tu esti aici.

Aceasta intrebare , aceasta asteptare

se topeste in lacrimile a o mie de fluvii si cufunda lumea

sub valul acestei certitudini: Eu sunt.

Rabindranath Tagore

“-De ce oamenii au putut sa descopere atomii, dar nu si mijloacele de a-i stapani?

-E simplu, prietene: fiindca politica e mai grea decat fizica.”

anyone and anything that’s loved by you.”
~Charlie Brown

… have been awesome. Whenever I’m in the middle of an event (like the dirt conference, basic training, women’s event, etc), I am totally in my element, and I love it. I will expand more later, but in the midst of my eventful week, there were some random and awesome moments, all capture by my cell phone, and I want to share.

The weekend brought an awesome surprise: Cale surprised me with flowers! He had them sent to me through Tyler, who works at a flower shop and had to track me down in LR to give me the flowers. How sweet is Cale? Sending me flowers when he’s so far away..

Then, I stayed the weekend at my parents’ house and read the newspaper Sunday morning. You can always trust the Sunday paper to bring you something scrumptious like this:

Setting up for the Dirt Conference was crazy on Sunday and Monday, but once it was finished, we got to enjoy everything. Here is a little glimpse of the creative genius that was behind the conference:

All the while, it’s beautifully AUTUMN outside:

Annnnd, now ladies and gentlemen, the most random animal sighting of the week goes to: The squirrel on the steering wheel of the Physical Plant truck at UCA:

I know, I know! My week couldn’t be more amazing, could it? Well, the dirt conference ended today. It was amazing, to say the least, and now we can all breathe a big sigh of relief, and settle into the feeling of acomplishment. To reward my week, my parents took me out for sushi at Gina’s in Little Rock. (Plug: if you haven’t been there, it’s amazing… it’s on Hwy 10, right before Taylor Loop/Walgreens).  Thanks Mom & Dad!

A lot can happen in 5 days, can’t it?

“Parcursul tau terestru a fost prestabilit chiar in momentul in care te-ai despartit pentru prima oara de unitatea divina: efectul seamana cu un bumerang care a fost lansat si care poarta deja in el chiar in momentul lansarii toate fortele care ii determina circuitul si distanta pe care o va parcurge, dar si timpul necesar pentru o reveni la punctul de plecare.

Caracterul tau actual si destinul tau sunt alcatuite din aceleasi forte, ambele fiind rezultatele unor cauze si ale unor efecte, ale unor actiuni si reactii, ale faptelor si experientelor din nenumaratele tale vieti anterioare prin care s-a manifestat Sinele tau si care s-au cristalizat in cele din urma in personalitatea ta actuala. Cum este caracterul iti este si destinul, deci si viitorul. Sinele isi emana energiile sale creatoare in actuala incarnare prin filtrul caracterului, iar aceste energii creeaza in strafundul sufletului viziuni onirice care sunt proiectate in exterior, in lumea materiala, unde se manifesta sub forma “persoanei” si a “destinului”. Sinele emana aceleasi forte creatoare in toti oamenii, dar enorma diferenta intre aceste viziuni onirice – faptul ca exista persoane si destine atat de diferite – se datoreaza nenumaratelor influente la care au fost supusi oamenii de la caderea lor din unitatea paradisiaca.

Aceste proiectii in viitor ale Sinelui nu sunt inca materializate dar isi astepta realizarea in strafundurile sufletului, in inconstient; ele pot deveni “realitate” sau pot ramane simple “viziuni onirice” in functie de nivelul de constiinta cu care se identifica omul.”

“Multumirea… aceasta vine ca urmare fireasca a intelesului suprem, a marii modestii de a nu face din noi insine ceva anume, ca si cum am urma un scenariu despre noi insine, ci de a ne lasa in voia vietii – de a fi lucrul acela inefabil prin care trece viata.”

One of my favorite Caley-isms, right now, is that every time we get to the stairs and he wants ME to carry HIM, he says, “Mama, Mama, I carry you.”

Makes me smile every time.

Un paragraf dintr-o carte mi-a adus aminte de un act moral al nostru, al tuturor.

Mi-a adus aminte de toti oamenii ce mi-au trecut sufletul, dar si de cei ce mi-au trecut calea.

Mi-a adus aminte de bucuriile ce le-am adus lor, dar si de dezamagirile ce le-am provocat.

Mi-a adus aminte de lucrurile pe care n-am apucat sa le fac, de omagiile pe care n-am apucat sa le aduc, de cadourile spirituale pe care n-am apucat sa le daruiesc.

Impartasind acest paragraf, voi compensa. Sper. Si luati aminte ca…

„In loc sa-i condamnam pe ceilalti, haideti sa-i intelegem. Sa gasim motivele pentru care fac ei ceea ce fac. Este mult mai profitabil si mai innobilant decat critica; ne atragem astfel simpatie, toleranta si bunatate. A stii totul inseamna a ierta totul. Nici macar Dumnezeu nu are de gand sa judece oamenii pana nu si-au dat ultima suflare. De ce am cere mai mult decat Dumnezeu ?”

E clar ca nu poti multumi pe toata lumea. Indiferent ce si cum ai face, intotdeauna vor exista carcotasi, invidiosi, curiosi, invatacei, judecatori, binevoitori, apropiati sau nu, care sa-ti aprecieze munca, pozitiv sau negativ. Asa incat ai doua variante:

Iti faci treaba ca pentru tine, cu bun simt si responsabilitate, pentru linistea ta sufleteasca, dand tot ce poti pentru activitatea pe care o desfasori iar calitatea muncii e pur si simplu o rezultanta a experientei si expertizei tale. Nimeni nu te va putea invinovati pentru ca nu ai facut mai mult sau pentru ca nu ai facut mai bine.

Sau iti faci treaba ca pentru altii, dar cu acelasi bun simt si responsabilitate, insa urmarind obiectivele celor care te urmaresc: satisfacerea orgoliilor, dorinta de a controla pana in amanunt, eventual de a fi la curent cu tot ce misca la momentul respectiv. Calitatea muncii trebuie sa fie aceeasi adica ridicata fiindca doar acest nivel iti mentine o imagine buna in ochii celor din jur. Apar doar activitati suplimentare cum ar fi raportari directe, prezentari mai dese si detaliate asupra activitatilor desfasurate, poate mai mult stres.

O cale de mijloc este greu de definit fiindca sunt implicati factori psihologici si emotionali care trag catre una din parti dar indiferent de varianta de pozitionare a ta fata de munca, trebuie sa iti faci treaba bine. Cat poti tu de bine sau cat de bine ti se permite.

I’m off to a SEO workshop tonight and I’m strangely excited. What is SEO you ask? Well, it is Search Engine Optimization. It’s basically how to be Google friendly. Google doesn’t currently like me that much so I have work to do to change that. And I’m jazzed to learn all about it. I’m not normally that geeky but it is so essential to any photographer’s business. (No comments Nadine… contrary to what you think, I’m not that geeky. Honest). I’m considering scrapping my website and having a blog driven portfolio site. So many questions to ask. …

I’m not even sad about missing Flamenco tonight.

In other news… I managed to delete yesterdays picture! AHHH!!! It wasn’t good, but there goes my unbroken string of over 100 straight days of picture taking. Not really, because I did take the picture. But nobody knows but me

Maybe it is a good thing. It was awfully dark and made me kind of look like a demon. Which is always hawt.

Oct 10 – Day 102

Fall Photo Shoot with my ladies… will have a whole post soon about it. I’m the one with the hair issues.

Oct 11 – Day 103

Nathan watching something good on the computer. I was all ninja style getting this photo… crawling commando style on my belly into the room. Not that he would have really noticed…

Oct 12 – Day 104

Hahahahahahaaaaaa….. I LOVE THIS PICTURE. It cracks me up to no end.

Okay. Time to do some chores before I have to leave. Happy Wednesday!

S.

Visit my website www.sharinakagawa.com or on Facebook.

Busy Day.

Cale got his hands into his first pumpkin guts.

And then it was trick-or-treating.

Brodie insisted on wearing his disguise so it was impossible for him to see where he was going.

Finally at the end of the night we lit oir jack-o-lanterns.  Marley carved his all by himself for the first time!

On our way to a Halloween Party we had to stop off for some pictures.

Nerd love…

And, as expected, children can’t stay out of the mix… Family Halloween Costume Pic.

Povestea ei e destul de simpla: o pisica neagra, maidaneza, care a incercat pana la un moment dat sa para o aristocrata..sau poate..a ramas asa..incercand sa para..Anyway, toata lumea fugea de ea, nu reusea sa isi gaseasca un stapan, toti se fereau pentru ca era neagra si, spuneau ei, purta ghinion. Surorile ei o detestau pentru ca era diferita si asta, in opinia lor, era ceva rau, de neacceptat. Pana si ea a inceput sa creada cu tarie ca e blestemata.

Si totusi, cutreierand strazile pustii, a gasit intr-o seara un om abatut care, ca si ea, avea nevoie de cineva sa il scoata din intuneric. Asa ca el i-a oferit o casa si ea, la randul ei, un camin. Si a fost bine..o vreme. Isi aduce aminte acum si suspina. Doamne, ce mai torcea fericita la focul din soba, privind ochii fericiti ai stapanului ei. Pe zi ce trecea era mai euforica..atat de vrajita incat credea chiar ca a devenit o aristocrata, ca suratele ei.

Ducandu-se intr-o zi insorita la plimbare a intrat intr-un balci. Erau atatia oameni..atata agitatie..a ramas impietrita..o coplesea tot ce vedea. De frica imbulzelii si a tumultului infernal a intrat in prima incapere iesita in cale. Acolo era o ghicitoare care, vazandu-i frumusetea si puritatea, s-a oferit sa ii citeasca in globul ei de cristal..si a tresarit! Doamne cate lacrimi ii erau destinate micutului suflet, cata suferinta! Plina de compasiune, femeia i-a spus pisicutei ca va mai avea inca un stapan pana isi va gasi fericirea si linistea. Auzind acestea, biata fiinta neagra cu suflet alb s-a cutremurat si a fugit cu ochii in lacrimi acasa, la stapanul ei.

Dar, ca soarta sa ii arate ca nu poate fugi de ea, i-a luat tot ce avea! Pe stapanul ei! Acesta s-a imbolnavit si..si a inceput sa se schimbe, sa tipe la ea, sa o respinga, sa o loveasca, pana cand, in cele din urma, a gonit-o de-acasa.

S-a trezit in mijlocul strazii..era aceeasi strada lunga, pustie, intunecata, friguroasa, amintindu-si ca acolo si-a gasit protectorul..amintindu-si ca, in urma cu ani, suferea si ruga pe cineva..ceva..suprem..divin..sa schimbe totul. Dar acum nu mai ruga! Nu! Acum cerea socoteala! De ce? De ce asa? De ce ea? De ce?

In cele din urma s-a ridicat si a inceput sa cutreiere lumea-n lung si-n lat, sa devina insensibila, pierduta de sine, dar fericita. Fericita pentru ca nu-si mai permitea sa simta. Zgaria, musca pe oricine incerca sa se apropie, isi lovea suratele..

Si mergand zi si noapte prin frig, ploaie si vant, plina de ura si resentimente, a dat peste un om si..a impietrit.

Stia! Stia ca va fi noul ei stapan! Parca il cunostea de-o vesnicie! Stia! Stia si ce se va intampla mai apoi! Era doar un om ce facea parte din destinul ei..din calatoria sufletului ei din ce in ce mai fractionat..din drumul ei spre fericire! Stia ca nu era el ultima alinare, nu erau ochii lui ultimii pe care avea sa-i iubeasca. Dar s-a dus cu el atunci cand  a chemat-o! Poate ghicitoarea nu a avut dreptate..Poate va fi bine de data asta! Si a gasit ..fericire…amara..

Suspina! Sta la geam, lingandu-si parca ranile si suspinand odata cu ploaia sub privirea protectoare a lunii! Se apropie..e aproape..Iar vantul ii completeaza gandul, suierand violent si demonic:” … Sfarsitul!”

“Invata sa citesti ce-a scris iubirea,

Dibaci, amoru-aude cu privirea.”

Am dat întâmplător peste un film care m-a “dat gata”.
Am căutat să aflu mai multe şi am încercat câteva unelte din Inkscape.

Formă purtată pe o cale.

Rezultatele sunt prezentate în această postare.

În primul rând filmul despre care e vorba.

Necazul e că aici apare (deşi în spaniolă sau portugheză) o extensie pentru căi numită Freehand Shape.
Din păcate nu am reuşit să o găsesc pe net. Probabil au renunţat la ea, nefiind încă finalizată (nu ştiu).
Lucruri asemănătoare (până la un punct) se pot face şi cu Pattern on path.

Mi-a plăcut modul în care o forma poate fi folosită de-a lungul unei linii dar poate fi oricând modificată.
Generare de formă şi familii de forme, utile pentru creaţia de literă.
Am făcut câteva teste:

1. Înţelegerea procesului şi evaluarea rezultatelor.

2. Contururi dinamice.

O altă “descoperire” pe care am făcut-o şi mi-a plăcut este legată de opţiunile de modificare a contururilor în sensul variantelor Light sau Heavy pentru litere.
Testată în varianta dinamică.

3. O altă exemplificare.

4. Aplicare la creaţia de literă.

Teste pentru folosirea “descoperirilor” prezentate mai sus.

5. Din nou exemplificare pentru contururi dinamice.

Lucruri similare se pot face şi în CorelDraw însă forma nu mai este editabilă.
În Illustrator încă nu am încercat dar am să încerc într-o zi, la şcoală.

Se pare că va trebui să acordăm mai multă atenţie programelor open source şi/sau freeware.

http://inkscape.org/download/ | Site-ul oficial Inkscape, pagina de download. Versiunea stabilă este 0.46 însă curbele Spiro şi noutăţile pentru căi sunt în versiunea 0.47 pre 4 – 1 care se poate descărca sub forma unei arhive 7zip, din aceeaşi pagină de pe Source Forge.

http://inkscapetutorials.wordpress.com/ | Blogul oficial cu tutoriale al celor de la Inkscape

http://www.microugly.com/inkscape-quickguide/ | Un ghid rapid de învăţare.

http://andy.brisgeek.com/archives/92 | Un tutorial despre Spiro şi căi.

http://www.inkscape.org/doc/basic/tutorial-basic.html | Un tutorial basic la ei pe site.

Cale got his big boy bed today.  Last weekend we moved Cale and his crib into Marley and Brodie’s room.  Today is the big transition to a twin bed.

He was so excited.  Marley and Brodie were pretty stoked too because their room got a mini makeover, which included new Star Wars sheets and jammies.

“OUCH! My bum-ble bee hurts!”
~Cale Abrew in reference to his own hindquarters

“The cookies in my nose are delicious.”
~Cale Abrew upon smelling the cookies baking in the oven.

the warmth of sun on our skin.

Earlier this week I tried to take a few shots of some flowers Matt bought me.  I had all intentions of taking some macro shots of petals and stems.

I was interrupted.

But it was a good interruption.  I had no creative juices flowing for those flowers.  But when little interruption entered the scene, my excitement was sparked.

It started with feeling the flowers.

Moved onto smelling them.

And finally, like a chip off the old block, photographing them.  (Please note the upside down camera LOL).

We definitely needed our hats and gloves when we went to the Arboretum.  In an attempt to soak in the last few weeks of being able to frolic outdoors, we headed to Morton Arboreutm.  The boys always forget just how much they love it there.  The boys favorite part, finding a new friend, Calvin, to run and play together.  My favorite part, watching Cale do all of these fun things for the first time.