In typical LA Blogger Gal fashion, I decided spur of the moment that it would be cool, if not FUN to create an ad banner to put on other blogs advertising the 50 Days of Giving ConstantChatter contests. You’ve been registering for those daily prizes, right? The 18″ pearls go live on Friday.
What was I thinking?!?! Thing is, while I know in theory what needs to be done…my creative juices just don’t seem to run that way. I open Photoshop, set the 150×200 parameters and well, I just go blank. And then the frustration sets in.
So I ask of all those creative, DIY gals that I know are out there…1) can you point me in the direction of a good, and let’s be honest, simple tutorial that can explain how this creating-a-banner-thing works. And 2) any chance you can offer up your expertise, no matter how you package it – tips, suggestions, idea, fonts, backgrounds, images…hell if I know.
I know it can’t be all that difficult. I mean hundreds of thousands of kids create MySpace pages and avatars. If they can do it, I can create a simple ad banner, right? Anyone? Please.
After our fiasco of driving around Dublin totally and completely lost, while our friends went here, there and everywhere without once getting lost using their GPS unit, we’ve decided to take the plunge. I’m thinking that Black Friday sales will bring me the best deal. But not knowing much about one brand vs another brand, I’m asking for advice.
So what brand and model do you have? What do you like about it? What don’t you like about it? Do you use a Mac?
We’re leaning towards either a TomTom (though it seems it’s not 100% Mac-compatible and no word when or if it will be remedied any time soon) or a Garmin Nuvi (which we know is Mac-compatible since it’s what our friends that we hung out with in Dublin used).
The obligation of having to write daily just isn’t working for me. Granted, there are only 8 days left and I could quite easily finish up, but really, what do I get out of it?
Last year it was a big deal. A test if you will, to see if I could blog daily. I was all sorts of proud of myself when I finished. This year, not such a big deal. It really felt like more of an obligation. Then again, with three blogs and a massive contest event, it really was just another obligation.
Now that I’m pretty much settled in I’d like to go back to focusing on work. I have articles I need to write. Seminars I need to create. Audio files that need to be edited. Clients I need to work with. I’m really more excited to focus on all of that than creating some drivel just so I can say “ta da! I blogged today.”
So having said that, I join the ranksofmyfellowbloggers and move on with my November and I promise you, no more sucky, obligatory, but-I-gotta posts. Can I get a WooHoo?!?!
Headed out to Kohl’s earlier today – they’re having a “power shopping sale” with “2 days of our most powerful prices.” I had a few gifts to pick up – family birthdays to be celebrated over Thanksgiving, baby shower, and friend’s birthday – so I figured I’d check out this powerful sale.
Man, total score. Seriously, the entire store was on sale. I managed to pick up three out of the four family birthday gifts, the baby shower gifts, three Christmas gifts, some Christmas decorations (needed a new wreath for the door) and something pretty for myself. All of that was only $166. While that might sound a bit pricey, I believe it was all a 30 – 55% off. Total score and well worth the drive.
At this rate, I believe that I have most of my holiday shopping done. All that really remains are the nephew gifts (have the neices already – thank you Will.I.Am and Grammy swag!) and the adult family member whose name I pick. Add to that a couple of small friend gifts for my long distance friends and I’m done.
Believe it or not, times like this I actually miss working retail.
Not that it’s anything to be proud of. Then again, it’s not really anything I had much control over. I woke up way earlier than usual this morning with a raging migraine. Even after taking my meds, it stuck with me all day. And of course, the meds led to prolonged napping and lounging about. Luckily, my client had to reschedule, so outside of the dreaded, post-vacation laundry, I didn’t have anything major planned for today.
The good news 1) I don’t have to cook dinner since I have leftover baked ziti from my Bunco dinner last night and it smells so good right now, and 2) I was able to catch up on quite a bit of the DVR backlog. Of course, a goodly amount of what we had on the DVR has recently been given the axe. I’ve also managed to avoid the computer until just now. I will say though that Chex Mix does not make for a good breakfast or lunch. Overall, I’d say that it wasn’t a totally wasted day.
I still have an Ireland recap to do. Well, not much of a recap per se since I blogged and posted pictures pretty much daily. But I would like to write up some of my thoughts and whatnot. I’ll get around to it soon.
Oh and don’t forget to enter the 50 Days of Giving contests we’re running over at ConstantChatter. While everything might not be for you, please spread the word, as there’s something for everyone over there.
I was poking around my stats today and saw a new incoming link that I hadn’t noticed before. One of my bloggy friends (that I don’t participate with often enough), Ami of Writing: My Life, is inviting her readers to ask her questions. I thought that sounded like fun, so following along, I’m going to invite you to play along and do the same.
I know that I have much more readers and subscribers than I folks that actually leave comments. Well, here is your chance to delurk, say hello and ask me that burning (or not-so-burning) question. If there’s something you’ve ever wondered about me or my antics, or maybe you need an update on something I never did get around to following up on, then have at it…ask away!
With luck and a little focus, my goal will be to answer each question in a different post. This could be fun, dont’cha think? Feel free to play along on your blog as well.
We’ve talked about this before, I’m a sucker for magazines. The worst though is that winter holiday season. You know, now. I’m tempted by all the recipes and crafts, and all the gift and decorating ideas. I just can’t seem to avoid it. I’ll be innocently standing in line at the check out, and I just have to read the covers.
One of my grocery stores recently remodeled. Today was the first time I’ve been back since the remodel, so I figured I’d walk around aisle by aisle (not like I don’t have 50 other things I need to get to today!). I actually perused the magazine aisle. I was intrigued by the Rachael Ray Holiday Special Edition. But I used restraint and walked away.
That is until I saw it again at another part of the store. This time I just shrugged and picked it up. What can I say, it’s the holiday season. I need ideas for food I can’t cook (since my inlaws don’t like to try new things) and gifts I’m not going to make. It’s all in good fun? At least it’s not like I’m impulse buying new shoes or purses, right?
So what about you, what’s your holiday season weakness?
It’s nearly midnight and I’ve yet to write something for today. Not cool. Even worse, that this is going to count for my “something”. I can’t help it, the jet lag is intense. We’re both just so sleepy…going to bed early and taking naps in the middle of the day. I tried to stay up later tonight, but man, it’s killing me just to keep my eyes open. This better end soon though, since I’ve got clients to schedule for this week and next.
And speaking of next week…it’s Thanksgiving already?!?! Seriously??? I’m so not ready for this.
We got home late last night, after midnight. By the time we went to bed it was 1:30 or so. Before we could even think about settling down, the cat demanded that we give him the attention he felt he deserved. Of course, by the time we went to bed, he was meowing up a storm to let us know that he wasn’t yet ready for bed.
We woke up far too early this morning, around 8:30 or so. Again, more loving with the cat. We headed out to breakfast (Mexican, yum – you don’t quite realize how much you miss certain flavors when you’re away). Then it was on to pick up the pupster. The cat saw us walking up the walk together and let out two big meows and ran to the door. As soon as we walked in the door, the cat was rubbing up against the dog welcoming him home and trying to snuggle with him on the couch.
From there it was back to bed for this bunch. All four of us fell back to sleep for two hours or so. I woke up so hot from having both boys snuggled up so tight. Well that and the fact that it’s 90+ degrees out. Why the hell is it 90 anything in the middle of November???
I feel a bit better. I’m not as congested as I was. There’s hope this might not turn into an infection yet. Then again, half of LA County is on fire and the smoke and ash in the air is insane. So who knows. I’m just thankful we didn’t come home to any fires in Griffith Park. That would have just been too much. We’re still waiting to hear from my BIL to find out how he is. There’s a mass amount of fire activity over in his neck of the woods and he’s just up the hill from all of it (with his exit on the freeway being closed on and off).
This has to have been one of the world’s most boring posts. To make it up to you, here are a couple videos from our trip around Dublin. If you listen closely you can hear the tour guide (see, I did get some Irish for you CurlyWurly).
More of our bus tour, this time covering the only remaining “old wall” of the Dublina and the Guinness area (I talk a bit through this one a bit, repeating what the tour guide says). Guinness bought up tons of acreage in the city and then took a 9000 year lease on it all. Wow.
PS – it’s not easy to shut off the Flip when you’re wearing gloves
