The time is drawing near....

Ah, yes, my dears, do gaze with me into the crystal orb -- or your monitor, if you don't have one.

Less than a month remains before the opening of "Order of the Phoenix," and then mere days until the last Harry Potter Book Party/release (**sniff**) for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

I've just finished reading this book from Mugglenet, which raises questions more than answering them -- as is their intention.
http://www.mugglenet.com/app/news/show/412
http://www.alivans.com/custom/cart/edit.asp?p=96324

Actually, I got my copy through Amazon, but it's also at Barnes & Noble and other bookstores.

I recently reread all the previous six books in the series, balking again in HBP in the Cave chapter. Things are just so very great between Harry and Dumbledore by this time, you hate to move on. But you have to. So even as you read what follows, and you pay tribute within your heart, your heart is breaking with the grief individual characters are feeling. I had flashbacks to Aslan in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, but that was C.S. Lewis's take on the magical world. There is no coming back in J.K. Rowling's world.

Anyway, I was in mourning when I finished. Knowing only bad things can come to some of my beloved characters, at least until the Horcruxes have been destroyed and Voldemort made mortal once more, I was feeling bereft. I know my heart will be broken again the weekend of July 21, 2007, while I read book 7.

I'm asking off work that weekend, because I know the people I work with just won't get it. Several of them really like the Harry Potter movies and books, but I'd beat them in a Harry Potter trivia contest like Hermione could beat Crabbe and Goyle at ... just about anything requiring a brain.

Do I think Harry will die? No, I don't. But I think he will be *willing* to die for his cause.

Probably, as much as anything else, I will be mourning the end of the series. I know it can't be like M*A*S*H, and run for years and years, but I can't stand the idea that it _will_ be_ over.
It's like finding out Jane Austen wrote *only* six books, and that the only sequels to "Pride and Prejudice" have been written by other Janites.

To console myself, I browsed through my copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them -
http://tinyurl.com/3782rr

The notes in the margins of Harry's textbook, alone, could make you laugh. The descriptions of various magical creatures, many of which we've met briefly in the series, are interesting and delightful. Based on what I have discovered there, I will make the assertion that Crookshanks isn't an ordinary cat, but at least partly Kneazle. The Kneazle is a cat-like creature, which can interbreed with cats, but has its own interesting powers. Included is the uncanny ability to detect "unsavoury or suspicious characters" (can you say, "Here, Scabbers"?), as well as the ability to guide its owner home safely if he or she becomes lost. (Will Crookshanks be instrumental in guiding our Trio in book 7?)

Then I reread the four chapters of the fanfic I started years ago, before I read HBP. That story took quite a different turn from book 6. But I think I'll be working on it again, anyway, because it's fun, and it's going to be therapeutic.

Even as Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are still dancing and talking in my imagination, and Hawkeye and BJ are still sitting around the Swamp, so will these young wizards and witches always reside within my heart.

When I close book 7 next month, I won't be saying "nox," but "mischief managed."


Lorilei
*I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.*

Chocolate Moose - dog art

You have to see this one. It is too cool.

May the Force be with you....

Untitled (because sometimes words just fail you)

Recently, a friend of mine posted about something in his blog. Moreover, he linked to it in our Yahoo group so we would all be aware of it.

I think I have freaked out a few people, though they've been giving me plenty of space. It's time to come clean, so to speak.

I'm one of those people you hear about. I have clinical depression. I'm really not that unusual, in that respect, either. In fact, for a long time, I thought I was so not-unusual that I chose not to act on it. Even though as a teenager, I was afraid I was mentally ill, crazy, or on the verge of -- something dreadful.

People who are depressed can also be happy, can fall in love, can live life. It's all just so much easier without the depression.

In the last few years, I finally sought help. I went to a family physician first. (It's amazing how many drugs I don't respond to, or am allergic to.) And then a friend told me about a study at a nearby university hospital. I've been going there for a while now. As I said, I have been feeling much better. Happier, stronger, more confident, less inclined to mood swings and emotional doldrums. I was more visibly the person I felt I really was on the inside.

Last month, I realized I was experiencing something new. Not only did my mood change drastically, but I became physically ill as well.
I really hated that trip to the dark side. I don't want to go there again.

I'm better, though not the same. I'm speaking to some folks in the study next week about a reevaluation. We'll see if I need to make adjustments, and what kind of changes I may need to make.

Meanwhile, I'm not as active online. I'm trying to take care of me.
I don't want my friends to feel I have abandoned them. I'm grateful they've given me some time.
I'll be back. And I might be the me you all think you know, or it might just be me.

mood changes

This is probably not an appropriate place for this. But here goes.

I am frustrated. I feel inadequate. I feel like I'm covering something up -- and part of it is anger.
I don't want to direct that anger towards anyone else, especially anyone I care about. Neither do I want to hold it in, because that is not good for me.

For the last few years, I've been taking part in a study on depression at an area research facility. I have been doing well, and I'm in a transitional phase. For a month and a half, I have been off the medication I was taking. It is rough, at times. But right now, it's -- worse.

There's a lot of change occurring in my personal life right now. It's a little overwhelming. So I may be around, online, or I may not be. If I'm not, it's probably because I feel like I'm going to blow up. Or I'm just too busy.

My younger daughter is home for two weeks before she returns to Iraq until October. I probably will see very little of her while she's here, but I'm used to it.

Even now, it's time for me to leave for work. I'm just not ready. So -- I'll see you around. Maybe.

Bunnies, bunnies...

My daughter Eve needs to see these. So I have decided to embed them here.
Eve has a warped sense of humor, so I think she will like this video. Then she should click on the link to go see Lisa's other videos, because they are also very weird.

I hope she'll laugh so much, there'll be tears in her eyes.

Dog Blogging!

It's a bird...
it's a plane...
it's another cool video with animals!

This one was posted by my friend Mary from evisionarts. The featured store is listed there.

Happy Easter, or whatever joyous event you may celebrate.

Insanity on a Stick

Arggggh!
I am going to run away.
I don't know when I will be back.

I'm taking everything with me. Except my computer.

I've been a moderator on the CafePress board since 2002. I rarely take a break from it. Sometimes -- no, often, I neglect my stores and my feeble attempts at marketing because I get so much into the behind-the-scenes stuff.

When I wasn't there, I was nurturing my group for CP-addicts and others.

Then, one day, all you-know-what broke loose at the CP board. There were changes afoot, and many people would be affected. No one was happy. No one could agree on answers to questions. Solutions were questionable. People were in an uproar.

And then someone mentioned my group.

Suddenly, hoards of disgruntled CP folk were applying for membership. I was approving new members, but keeping them on no-post moderated-only status.
My email filled up with approval emails for memberships and for posting. The posting had already gone haywire from the regular members. Now it was worse. I abandoned hope of catching up on old posts and tried to stay on top of new ones, still watching the fires burning on the CP board.

During March, we had 2,913 posts, breaking our old monthy post count record from November 2002. Today is April 2, and there have been 251, so far this month. It appears that it is slowing down a bit.

I love my group. But it isn't my "happy place" right now.





I was staying up for hours at night to read, edit, moderate, and post, but I was not enjoying myself. I was neglecting my stores, my life, and myself. So I decided to take a break.
Only I can hear it calling to me. No, I'm not. I'm not going to go there. They can calm down a bit and read. It'll do them good.
I'm going to work on stores and art. I'm going to expand my horizons and further educate myself. I'm going to relax.

But I'm going to be itching to get back to the peaceful, happy place. I hope they haven't blown it up by the time I get there.

There's something in the BLOG....

Since we've been talking about blogs in my online group lately, I thought this article might be interesting to anyone just now sticking their toes into the bog -- uh -- *blog* pool.

I subscribe to the SiteProNews newsletter, and I actually read most of the articles. Sometimes they contain information I have the ability to use. Sometimes they just give me some goals to work toward.

http://www.sitepronews.com/archives/2007/mar/16.html
"How to Create Your First Blog" (by Donna Gunter)

The title of this article sounds embarrassingly elementary, but the artictle itself is filled with information that might be good for even the experienced blogger to take into consideration.

When I started my first actual blog, I called it an online journal. It was a LiveJournal account, courtesy of my daughter Eve. I experienced some heavy-duty writer's block and froze up. I still have the account, but I don't think I've posted there in... years. It was sort of like when I joined the "serious" writers in a class at WKU as a dewy-eyed seventeen year old. (One class in, I panicked and dropped the creative writing class.)

Now I'm not quite as scared. The experience-hardened, mean-looking, carnivorous fellow creative writers aren't criticizing my looks and/or age, belittling my views on life, or chewing up my work.

At worst, my blog may get ignored. But sometimes people find it while searching for something we have in common. They often click through to my store after reading what I've written. How cool is that?

I'm bookmarking Ms. Gunter's list to remind me what to keep trying to do with my blogs.
Then I'm going to take off with the creative writing for Painters Bluff. -- They don't allow those writer types from the WKU class there.
Besides, now *I* have been published, too. Take that, you old meanies! :Þ

(Wow. This post was so much fun, I'm blogging it, too.)

Lorilei
http://lorilei-tees.com

Adventures in Lorileiland

Bleah. I am sooo glad tomorrow is Monday! You must keep in mind that actual weekends are busy days for me, and Monday and Tuesday are my weekend.

My son Paul had army reserve drill this weekend. He drives to Nashville very early on Saturday and Sunday morning, on drill weekends, coming home at night. So I was all prepared for working without him at the track on Saturday night.

But before I could get my money and login to my machine, just before 5:00, my phone rang. (It's the Nokia ring, like Allison Dubois' on Medium.) Since I almost never get calls on my cell phone, especially when I'm at work, I felt anxious. It was Paul calling.

His car was losing power going up the long hill between White House and Millersville (Tennessee) on I-65. I told him to pull off the road in as safe a place as possible and I'd come get him. One of my assistant managers agreed with my plan, and I left.

Outside, the wind was blowing almost sideways, hurling giant fluffs of snow that, thankfully, were not sticking to the ground. But the sun was dropping, and so was the air temperature.

Rather than go back to exit 2 for gas, I headed down 31W (running nearly parallel to the interstate) to the first Portland exit to get gas before continuing south. Wow! The gas had been $2.249/gal at the Franklin (KY) Flying J at exit 2, but it was even worse, $2.379/gal, at the Portland exit. So I put in just $5 worth (slightly over two gallons) and got on I-65.

The Kentucky/Tennessee line is a bit north of the 121 mile marker. Paul confirmed that he was at the bottom of the 104 exit ramp, on the shoulder, so I would have to drive to the next exit past him and turn north in order to be on his side of the road. So I drove to exit 98, Millersville.
I could say several mean things about Millersville, but it wouldn't be nice. However, I may drop one or two of them into this story at some point. I'm only human.

Paul was wearing his work uniform. They used to call them BDUs or cammis, but now they have another name. They are kind of an urban camoflage print. He also had his brown combat boots and his wool hat. His blue eyes were rimmed with redness, showing evidence of his long day.

Okay, I'm his mom. I have to show him off a bit. (Isn't he cute?) This is a pic of him inside a tank, when he was still regular army. (He has shaved off the mustache since then, too.)

Anyway, back to my story.

We called for roadside service to come tow the car. The car had been smoking from under the hood as he pulled over, and Paul was afraid the head gasket had blown.

We took a quick side trip to one of the exit 104 truck stops to use the restroom and get something to drink before returning to the stalled car. Naturally, we had to drive back to exit 98 to get to the northbound lane where the Grand Am was parked. The 98 exit has to be one of the worst intersections of 31W and I-65 which I have ever seen. There is one lane for you to turn left, one to turn right, several options in each direction, and too much traffic trying to get into too few places. Whenever I come home from Nashville, I avoid the right lane in that vincinity, because traffic waiting at that intersection is usually backed up into the interstate -- yes, into traffic that should be flowing about 70 miles an hour.

Okay, I have to say it. I can't resist. I once commented on the fact that Millersville was starting to get some actual buildings, because it used to be one giant trailer park. That isn't entirely true, since there have been lots of tiny houses for years now. But when I used to deliver Domino's Pizza around White House in 1998, Millersville was the kind of skanky area to deliver to. Most of the places in White House and Goodlettsville were quite upscale by comparison.

That's one of the reasons I referred to Millersville as Redneck Central, as we watched Nascar Wannabees zoom past us. I later ammended the name to Redneck Alley, after an unfortunate Thoroughbred by the same name.

The tow truck driver found us and loaded the car on the flatbed. We led him back home, to the garage where the car will be worked on Monday morning. Then Paul and I headed back to the house. I called the track, thinking surely they wouldn't ask me to come back in at 7:30 at night. I was wrong.

So I changed into a warmer coat, since it had become much colder. I stopped at Flying J on the way and put $20 worth of gas in the car. It was running on fumes, again, after my 71 mile excursion. When I reached the track, it was 8:00. We closed shortly after 10:00. Meghan and Kayla had made tons of tips. I worked two hours and had made about forty cents in tips. {{sniff}}

Since Cathie is currently stationed in Iraq, her truck was at my brother Bobby's house. Paul will be driving it until he is able to drive the other car again. I'd let Paul use the Honda, but the manual transmission would be hard on his knee. He reinjured his knee during the previous drill weekend. He's off his crutches now, but still using an elastic knee brace. More about that at another time.

Fortunately, Paul didn't need me to wake him Sunday morning. Bobby and I had brought the truck over after work Saturday. I took Mom to church and got ready for work. (Hadn't I just left there?)

In addition to khaki pants, a turtleneck, and my black KD ranch polo shirt, I wore a green velour zippered hoodie, and a festive bow in my hair. Why? you may ask. Because it's March 4th, less than two weeks before St. Patrick's Day, and Kentucky Downs was having its 2006 Christmas party Sunday night after closing. Woo-hoo!
Yes, it is a bit late. We had the 2005 Christmas party in February, last year.

I'm recommending that we wait until Halloween 2008, for this year's Christmas party. We could hold it on the third floor, and wait to see if any actual ghosts show up....

Life at KD is too weird, to say the least. I'll skip over most of the details of the six hour shift. There were some odd occurances, but now is not a good time to get into all that.

Paul didn't stop by for the party. He has class in the morning, and he needed sleep. Bobby had to work security till 3:00 AM. But I did attend the Kentucky Downs party for over an hour, and I hobnobbed with coworkers for a bit. The two major pasttimes promised to be (1) dancing to (or watching others dance to) music and (2) drinking. There was food, but it was mostly food that was guaranteed to set my digestive tract on fire.

I don't drink, and I don't care for the popular mix of music. It was being played by Scooter Davis, a sort of famous area deejay. There was a strong possibilty of bouts of karaoke, as well.

It was a bad sign when I oohed over the beginning notes of the Beatles song "Let It Be," and after only one verse, Scooter turned it off in favor of some 80s-90s-esque crap. It was like no one could understand how THAT had ended up on the speakers. (Incidentally, this is no reflection on Mr. Davis. He was the one who brought the Beatles along. Apparently the bar-huggers gave my heroes the instant thumbs-down and told Scooter to stop playing that kind of music.)

"You're going? Already?" others were asking me as I began making my goodbyes.

"I have reached my Fun Quota for the night," I said with a grin. "I've had all I can stand."

So I came home, talked to my mom, fed the dogs, took out the trash, made something to eat, and got online.
Ah, now this is my idea of fun.

Party on, dudes!

Purr-fect Timing

You've got to love this video!
I'm sending it to my older daughter, who suffers from acute kitty-withdrawal.

My friend Brent

Excuse the interruption. I haven't told all the CPConnect story, but sometimes life take an unexpected turn.

There have been many things I have wanted to do, in my life. Besides being a mother, a writer, and an artist, I wanted to be a teacher. Although I never had my own classroom at nearby Franklin Elementary, where I could have walked to school on pleasant days if I chose, I was still a teacher. I did substitute teaching for many grade levels in several school systems. I taught art, English, math, chemistry, health, guidance, physical education, and computer science.

My favorite teaching experience was from 1988 to 1994, when I taught Head Start, pre-school, school-age, and infants/toddlers at my college alma mater's daycare center. I conducted circle time, read Dr. Seuss and Richard Scarry, sang "Willoughby Wallaby" on field trips, drove a university van full of kids to Berheim Forrest and Mammoth Cave Park, and met many remarkable people under 48" high.

There were many children I will think of with fondness the rest of my life. One of them was Brent. When I first met him, Brent was two years old, and in another teacher's group. I had a two-year-old in my own group named Jeremy, a fiesty, out-going little squirt who easily won people's hearts. By comparison, Brent moved more awkwardly and responded more slowly to things, rarely speaking more than a word at a time. Brent surprised me one day during nap time when he pointed to a drawing another child had done of a large bird. He pronounced a single word -- "Eagle." Not just a bird, but a bird of prey. Not just a species, but a subspecies.

As time passed, I learned he had developmental delay. He was not like other children in some respects, though very like them in others. He learned the names of other children in the center, but he was more interested in social contact with their parents or grandparents. He would buttonhole unsuspecting guardians coming to pick up children. Although he was large, somewhat unwieldy, and impulsive, he was sweet and loving. I was often amused by the way he would single-mindedly concentrate on things he was interested in, not to be distracted by trifling obstacles. He had a great sense of humor and would laugh until he cried at things he found absurd.

As time passed, Brent acquired a baby sister. Then he started regular school, although he came to school-age daycare in the summer and afternoons. One year, between our sessions, while his mother was working, I babysat Brent and his sister. While his sister was at kindergarten for the afternoon, I took Brent to the Sidewalk Chalking Drawing event in Franklin. He was very pleased to see my house and meet my mom ("Gran").

Years passed. I saw his mom and sister in Bowling Green when Eve and I went to a movie. I wouldn't have recognized his sister, who had just started high school. We discussed Brent. His mother said he hadn't come along that time, and he'd be disappointed to have missed me.

I saw her in Wal-Mart this afternoon. I couldn't think of her name at first, though I knew she was Brent's mom. I said hello, smiled, and went on my way to pick up things for supper. When I was checking out, I saw her again.

"I didn't know it was you at first," she said.

"How are the kids doing? Though they aren't kids anymore," I commented, realizing Brent had turned 20 this fall. A look passed over her face like a shadow, and I saw the sparkle in her eyes that foretold unshed tears. We walked away from the check-out line.

"Brent's -- gone home," she said, and the tears spilled from her eyes. "It happened last year."

I realized, with some shock, what she meant, and I gave her a hug.

"I had no idea. What happened?" I asked.

There had been a car accident. There was a missing stop sign someone had knocked down where his sister was driving, and an oncoming car struck the door where Brent was sitting. His little sister was having trouble dealing with her grief. I told their mother I'd lost my dad and my sister in a similar way. It can be hard to forgive yourself for surviving something like that, when someone you love has died.

We spoke for a few more minutes, both of us crying. His sister had graduated high school, but she was taking some time before starting college. I told her mother to give her my love.

"I'm thankful I know where he is, and he's safe and happy," his mother said. "Someday, when we're on the other side, this will all seem unimportant. -- I'm usually all right, except when I meet someone else I knew loved him."

Sometimes I wonder about Jordan and Chrissy and Brandon, and other children who were Rocking Horses, Androids, or other fanciful group members nearly 20 years ago. Today, I thought maybe it was better I don't try to track them. I could keep them in my heart forever as the children they were.
Maybe that isn't right. My own kids are adults now, and I love the adult-to-adult relationships I share with them just as much as I loved their growing-up years.

Then I thought of a comment I had made at the CafePress board earlier today, concerning the conference.
"I've decided that when you leave your heart in SF, you're really just taking SF along with you to keep in your heart."

That's the way it is with people you love, whether they're alive or "gone home." You leave your heart behind with them, and yet you take them with you forever. The rest of my life, I'll remember the summer afternoon when I drew Brent's picture while he colored on paper at the table. And I'll remember how he laughed when we played "abierto - cerrado!" I'll remember how he surprised adults by looking at their keys and telling them what kind of car they drove. He's in a better place, along with my little sister and other people I have loved, but he'll always be here in my heart.

The Incredible Journey - Part I - CafePress Connect 2006

Once upon a time, in the year 2000, there was a woman who wanted to be a writer and an artist. She loved her computer. She liked searching for things, visiting websites, lurking, and making contact with other beings. The inhabitants of cyberspace were, at once, both remote and intimate. This woman stumbled across a shop in a Yahoo club. The products offered by the club were amusing, but she was more intrigued by the shop itself.
So began the adventures of Lorilei in CafePressland.

Lorilei never thought that, just less than six years later, she would be flying across the country to San Francisco because of CafePress.

What can I say? I wish I'd taken a camera. I wish I had been able to spend a week there. I wish we'd all had more time. But that Friday through Monday adventure was a great experience I'll never forget.

In order to relate this story, I think I should first give you a little of the background story. When I started out at CafePress, I had a personal website. Actually, two -- or three. I forget. They were scattered all over AOL, Homestead, and Geocities. On my sites were examples of my personal experiences, photos, art, stories of my life, even my teaching resumé. I promoted my shops a little, but I didn't expect anyone to buy anything of mine. I was interested in making t-shirts or sweatshirts with my own art of them to give as gifts.

In 2001, I was one of many people who felt a need to reach out, after the shock of September 11. I saw other CafePress shopkeepers creating designs to promote patriotic spirit and support organizations like the American Red Cross. So I was inspired to create more designs and shops and take a more active role.

I joined the CafePress messageboard, which I had not really expected to meet my needs. I decided that something was better than nothing. The board was a great place to learn. I lurked and read and asked questions. I began to teach myself rudimentary HTML, using it in my basic stores. (Yes, they supported HTML back then.) I loved the CafePress community.

But the list of stores was something of a joke. You would submit to get on the list, but no updates were made. Then it was scrapped altogether. (Not a tragic event, trust me.) There was the promise of a new one. No one knew when that would be.

By early 2002, I knew there should be a directory. I also knew that the community members I'd been getting to know from the CP Ezboard should be able to talk somewhere that was a little less businesslike. Though I was mostly interested in CafePress, it would be a place where shopkeepers could discuss things not deemed on topic on the board. The Ezboard had reached a point where all new posts were moderated before going live. Sometimes it was as much as three weeks before new comments went public. Even though I discovered how to read them before they were approved (don't ask me how I did it -- heehee), I always felt impatient. I wanted more.

In February, 2002, I opened a Yahoo group and named it GreatGear. I invited a few people, and I put a link to it in my sig on the Ezboard. I planned that the group would be public, and that our links area would become a store directory.

GreatGear started growing. I eventually demolished the rule about staying on topic, at least as far as business went. We needed to be a support and friendship group for each other more than we needed to be a shopping directory. Incidentally, there have been about three different versions of the CP directory since then, and it's still a work in progress. But CafePress.com is becoming a well-known shopping destination on the web.
I started seeing names turn up in the member list like Maheesh Jain (one of the co-founders of CafePress), as well as people like Rodney Blackwell (of I Hate Clowns and T-Shirtcountdown.com), Adam O'Connor (BuyTees.com), and Fricka/Eileen (the T-Shirt Nexus).

Then one day in July, I posted a semi-rant in GreatGear about someone who was promoting her cause on the CP board. Her cause was the acceptance of Anorexia as a normal way of life. She wasn't trying to recruit people to save the environment or become Mennonites, she wanted girls to join her in starving themselves to death. I was so completely disgusted, I had to let off some steam. And I named it, "It's a good thing I don't moderate the Forum...."
Within an hour, I received an email from Heather, a CP employee who took care of the Ezboard.
"Would you like to moderate the Forum? Drop me a line if you're interested."

I replied,
"Hi, Heather.
Wow! Be careful what you wish for ... I'm not sure how qualified I am, but I'd like to give it a try."

So Heather asked if anyone else was interested in being a mod. Several GreatGearians replied, and the Mod Squad was born.

* * *

The years have come and gone. The moderators have, too, to some extent. We moved from Ezboard to Webboard (ugh), and then to Eve/Groupee, where we are now. Heather got married and finally moved away from California, though she still works for CP. The Mod Squad got a new Den Mother, Angela.

I had attended the Louisville Meet & Greet last year, so when I heard about the CP-Connect plans, I really wanted to attend. On top of everything else, I would get to meet Jean (rotemgear) and several other close friends I had never met before.

The stories of my difficulties along the way will have to wait for my memoirs to come out in book form. I had my plane reservations, my luggage, my plastic bags (for the 3 ounce or less containers of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, toothpaste, etc.), and my CP t-shirts and stuff. Yes, of course I took CafePress t-shirts!


I wore the first shirt on the plane, naturally. Flight attendants noticed and complimented it as I was getting off the plane. But my hands were full, so although I thanked them, I didn't give them business cards.

I found the Marin Airporter and rode to Larkspur Landing, where I met Teddy (breast cancer survivor). She is a terrific and funny little lady with red hair and a Greek attitude. She looks like she wears a size 2 on a bad day, whereas I look like I went to college on a football scholarship. (Well, not really, because I'm short. But I digress.) I decided she wouldn't break, so I gave her a hug.

Back over the Golden Gate Bridge. I didn't have as good a view on the way back because of the mesh along the sides of the bridge. When I was riding the shuttle, I had a fantastic view. On the right was the bay, and on the left was the ocean. Clouds that had threatened but not actually rained on us were reaching down to the water's edge in the distance. A break in the clouds spilled a stream of golden light on the surface of the ocean in a ring like a spotlight.

Teddy and I talked like we knew one another, because we do. We had fun locating the Marina Inn, which is on Octavia at Lombard. (Official site at marinainn.com) We had to park her car in a garage a few blocks away. Adam (cp coupon) commandeered our luggage to take upstairs for us. (What a sweetie!)

The GreatGear bunch went to an Italian place a few blocks away known as Caffe Sport. It smelled wonderful, and it was charming -- but I couldn't eat the food. Things like tomato, cheese, basil, peppers, and a number of other goodies make me extremely ill when I eat them. So I slipped across the street to the Cafe Verde for a wonderful roast beef and lettuce on whole wheat sandwich and a 7Up. I rejoined my party when I had finished.

Back inside the restaurant, the "Papa" of the family chided me for not eating. (My plate was bare.) So Jean and I painted the plate with pasta, sauce, and crumbs from a roll. I didn't want them to feel insulted just because I have a wimpy stomach.

Saturday morning. It was beautiful, but we were still tired from the night before. We met in the breakfast/social room on the second floor, then walked to Fort Mason. I wore the second black t-shirt, my Leaving My Heart in San Francisco/GreatGearians at the CafePress Conference shirt. (Repeat that three times, real fast.)

After a speech by co-founders Fred Durham and Maheesh Jain (who secretly do a stand-up routine in their spare time), the sessions commenced. We heard Ryan talk about merchandise (and we saw the famous List). We learned more about implementing the affiliate program. We created descriptions, learned to market, created graphics, brainstormed holidays, and "pimped" our shops. (Don't ask.) For the next two days, it was grueling trying to decide which session to attend, since there were often four going on at once. I asked if I could borrow a Time-Turner, but there were none available.

There was a Happy Hour starting at 6:30 that night, and I felt reluctant to attend. It sounded like a cross between a high school dance and a class reunion. (I hate my class reunions, where most people seem to be racing to see who can get drunk fastest.) I slipped off to walk around and found a KFC at Lombard and Fillmore. **hangs head in embarrassment**
I confess, I was in San Francisco, and I went to KFC for extra crispy fried chicken. It was wonderful.

Happy Hour was happy. And we went to Barney's Gourmet Burgers (also here, I think) later. It was crowded, but Jen (lil goodies) got us in. I think she used a Confundus charm. We sat on a lovely deck in their back yard area. It was fun, but we were pretty chilly by the time we had eaten. Teddy laughingly said the waiters looked horrified when they saw our party being led through.

Sunday was more of the same. We exchanged mini buttons with other shopkeepers and CP folks (who were wearing their spiffy green t-shirts). I pinned mine on the lime green CafePress lanyard I wore around my neck.
After the sessions were finished, I won a prize for getting the Instant Winner mini-button from CP. Kristen Fox (art of foxvox) won a prize for getting the most votes for her mini button.


My button can be seen above.
Next to it is the Team GreatGear hoodie I wore, as well. I will be sleeping in my hoodie quite a bit in chilly weather. It is so nice!

Ah, there is more to tell, young grasshoppers, but I won't be telling it tonight. I'm too tired. Maybe in the morning.

Name Change

I changed the name of this blog. Its purpose had changed since I first started it. And every time I would look at my blogs and other projects, the name would throw me, since Lorilei's Artist at Work was also the name of my primary CafePress store.

The blog that focuses on my shops is Lorilei's Tees & other artistic endeavors , or Lorilei-Tees for short. But this blog (the one you are currently reading) deals with not only my shop and art stuff, but with -- well, life in general.

Yes, I am a Harry Potter freak. Both books and movies, but books first and foremost.
I am not all work and no play. I love movies and TV. I love classic rock, 60s pop music, classic jazz, and some contemporary music (John Williams is king!). I love animals, especially cats, dogs, bunnies, horses, ducks, geese .... and it would probably be easier for me to list some I do not like. I'm not crazy about mosquitoes, fleas, ticks, chiggers, cockroaches, piranha, and a long list of microscopic organisms. (Since the microbes are neither vegetable nor mineral, I'm lumping them in here.)

I'm not a kid, although sometimes I still feel like one. I think that's why P.L. exists. Sometimes people on the internet think I'm younger than I am, because of some of my interests. Back when I was an AOL subscriber, my profile said: "Marital status - saving myself for Dr. Beckett." The TV show Quantum Leap was one of my all-time favorites. (I kind of had a crush on Sam Beckett, for lack of a better phrase.) It was unbelievable how many guys contacted me because of that line in my profile! It appears that women were not the only big QL fans. I don't think I once had another female contact me because of Sam....

Ah. The old days.

Anyway, I feel out of the loop. I had a computer crash on Thursday. Just my C drive. My son Paul reinstalled Windows XP on my D drive, and I'm back. But my bookmarks and a lot of other things crashed. Gone was the Bejeweled 2 Deluxe game on which I had a high score of over 930,000 points (timed version) , plus a rank of Legendary Engraver (I think?), the Hyperspeed game version, and 151 rounds of the Endless game mode. So although it is fun filling up my top ten scores again, I miss the other stuff. And I've only gotten back up to around 700,000 points again, so far.

My sound is missing. The computer says everything internal is working, but I believe the problem is my ancient speakers, which I've had since 1998. I have a headset, too, but I think Dusty decided it was a chew toy and loved on it a bit too hard. He's an adorable little fella, but I hate when he eats my belongings.

I have tried to upload images to Blogger, but it isn't taking them. Odd -- it worked Saturday night/Sunday morning for a while, but then quit. I thought it was just my computer needing a rest. Maybe I'll see if it still works on Firefox.

Life goes on....


Yay! It worked on Firefox.

Ron and Hermione's Ideas

I cannot help myself. I am a junkie. I found this HP video on YouTube, and it was love!
What can I say? I've been a R/Hr Shipper since before I even knew what that was.
I love the way the music and lyrics fit into the collage of footage from the first four Harry Potter films.
So now I feel compelled to see "The Swan Princess" as well, to see if it is as charming as this song.

Ire? - ack

Excuse the terrible pun. But that's the way I feel about it.

Cathie was supposed to be at Fort Bragg for a while. Then she found out she was being sent to Iraq. Cathie is a medic, BTW, not infantry.

I was upset. It's a mom thing. No, it isn't. It's just a -- thing. Human, animal, mother, brother, sister, cousin -- it doesn't matter.

Then we found out she wasn't going. There was a fluke of some kind, where the orders didn't go through and she wouldn't be going. We spent the weekend at a family reunion in the piedmont area of North Carolina. It broke up yesterday, and Mom and I returned to Kentucky while Cathie drove back to Fort Bragg.

I got this today:

"Alright here is the deal. I got orders. This time they are in my hand.
I am going to deploy to Iraq between Oct to Apr 07. I will be going with a special operations unit, so you know that I will be in the very best hands in the Army. .... I also have to get a passport, so mom, dad, or sugar [stepmother], I need to know who I can call to get one sent here asap. I will be taking leave some time in Sep to come and spend time with everyone.

I want you all to know, I am coming back. Lets not look at this as a bad thing. I was in Kosovo before, and I know how to handle myself. There is a possiblility that I can carry my own hand gun with me just in case. I really don't think that it will be a problem. I will have to report to ... TX at some point and deploy from there, so Eve I will be able to visit you too. I don't know what I am doing with any of my stuff, my truck, or Chewy [her cocker spaniel]. So feel free to volunteer any ideas. I will let you know more when I know more.
I love you all!

Love Cathie"
(content slightly edited for privacy/security purposes)

I love her, too. And I know she wants to go.
This just so very much stinks.

KYD merchandise

Yay! **happy dance**
Even though the UPS tracking online was confusing, at best, I finally received my order of Kentucky Downs merchandise yesterday. I love it!

I ran the t-shirts through the washer and dryer first, so I could take Bobby his to work. I gave away all the magnets and several of the pins. A fellow teller, Dennis, wants a black tee as soon as possible, if not before, and a customer has requested a t-shirt with a chest pocket. Hmm. I don't have the pocket tees, currently, but it's definitely something worth looking into.

Now I get to figure out how best to order these in advance for people I know, and figure out what and how many I'll need to order for Live Racing. Although the event isn't until September, I know I'll need these next 15 weeks or so to plan, design, calculate, and order. There are a lot of variables I haven't even taken into account yet.

I wish I could run the booth, but I'm working as a teller that day. I hope Cathie (my daughter) will be able to work in the booth. She's a great salesperson, anyway.

Happy holiday weekend ~ Memorial Day

I should be grilling, or swimming. Or back in bed! It's just now 10:00 AM, and I've been up since 6:45! And it's Saturday... but Saturday is kinda like my own personal Thursday. Except for this week, when it's my Wednesday, since I work on Monday. (Are you confused yet?)

Is it as hot out there as it is here? I want to go soak my feet in some cool water. But I don't have a creek at my computer desk, and I work at 5 today, so the cool water thing isn't likely to happen. (But I can at least imagine the sound of water trickling over the craggy face of a waterfall. Ahhhh.)

I feel so out of the loop with things lately. The only person I have chatted with (besides Angela at CP) has been my brother. I have been working on my stores, but I'm still way behind. I can't even "see" where I should be, I'm so far behind.

But I'm getting some Kentucky Downs/Horses-Around stuff some time next week. Yippee! I got the email that it had shipped from Louisville. So, next Tuesday, after they send it north to Ohio, or 78 miles in another direction to Lexington, maybe UPS will ship it the 100 or so mile trip to Bowling Green from its origin in Louisville. Then it will mysteriously cruise around Warren and Simpson counties, looking for my house. But I imagine I'll have it by Friday.

What's in this highly anticipated package? Let's see.
The KYD 2006 ash grey shirt, size XL, for my brother Bobby to wear. It's made to his specifications, somewhat. It has the three race horses and "Kentucky Downs" on the front "pocket" position, and the large logo on the center back.

Then there's a 10-pack each of 2" magnets and buttons (or badges) with the round logo, as well. If these are as good as the ones I have given away at Christmas in the past, I hope to purchase more bulk packages (like 100s) to sell as souvenirs during Live Races in September. I'll also be planning to have t-shirts on hand, of course. I wish I were going to have computer access and a notebook at the booth... but perhaps another time. I will have business cards and flyers.

For myself, I have ordered a KYD 2006 canvas tote bag, which will get lots of use, and a KYD 2006 black tee (ditto!)

I really think these will trigger people's interest. Other employees are already admiring the print-outs on the bulletin board in the mutuels' office. I had brought them for our manager, Ryan, to approve before I could get actual permission to print them.

Even now, I'm wondering if I should have the horses a bit higher, under the "Franklin, Kentucky," because of the space taken by the racing dates text. I'll experiment with that option.
An artist's work is never done.

Lorilei

Whew! What a tiring "day off"

Work, work, work -- it's never done.

Well, I was "off" today. Which meant I was running errands, looking things up, and not getting nearly enough done. I found out that the Gallery On the Square will be open from 10 AM to 4 PM tomorrow, so I can take Mom to see Lauren Miliken's photography exhibit. Lauren's father and my mother went to high school together, so Mom was very interested in seeing Lauren's work.

Meanwhile, I've been reading and working on a design I'm helping a young man on the CP boards do for "a girl" (in other words, a special girl). I also posted about my "I'd Sooner Kiss the Blarney Stone" design over at the GreatGear News blog, complete with a picture of Cathie wearing the shirt. I need to add another post to my new blog, too.

However, "Medium" comes on in less than half an hour, and I'm definitely watching it. It's a new episode tonight, but I love even the reruns. -- When is this show coming out on DVD?

When I get home tomorrow, I'm taking Mom to the gallery. But for now, I need to get more work done online....

Lorilei

New!

I've started a new blog for my CafePress stores and designs. This blog (Lorilei's Artist at Work) will still be for my personal stuff, though I'll probably mention the other blog from time to time.

I've also added a link to the GreatGear News Blog, which Kristen (Foxvox) is managing. -- Welcome, affiliates! Come see our work.
:)

More later. Time for work!

Lorilei