retiring this blog - find me on awritingrobin.com

It's official. I've decided I'm never going to post regularly in this space again. There are a number of reasons, one major factor being that I have not regularly posted here in ages and ages.

But another big one is I have seen some changes in my life. I have published a book.

it's on amazon, available the world over

And while this is cool in many respects, it means I have to become an "author." To be an author today means you have to be present on the web. So I have a new blog that is going to hopefully be somewhat like this one was, just a bit more tailored and professional.

My new blog is here:
http://awritingrobin.com

I'm also trying to be active on twitter:
@awritingrobin

This is all such a process. I've been blogging for over ten years now. Sheesh. Thanks to everyone who's stuck with me this long.

PS: my book has a trailer:

Oh Dell, Why U No Listen to Me?

I wish Dell had a scorecard of some kind, so they could record the number of times something like this has happened:

• My computer develops a problem. 
• I take all logical troubleshooting steps, determine it is not a software problem. 
• I contact Dell, tell them what I think the problem is. 
• They proceed to spend hours trying various fixes I already tried. None of them work.
• They suggest I reinstall I my OS. I say I'd rather not because I think it is a hardware problem.
• They send a tech out, sometimes replacing multiple parts that are not the one I said I thought was broken. 
• Multiple tech visits later, they do what I suggested in the first place and, what do you know, problem is solved.

I mean, really, not only would it save me a lot of annoyance, it would save them money (since this always happens when the computer is under warranty.)

On the upside, my computer now has a new wireless card, LCD, lid, screen and antenna; it didn't cost me a dime.

Solid State

I find myself in a bit of an odd spot with technology lately. I earn my livelihood on a computer, the internet is my office, and my morning commute has been replaced by the combination of all the little chunks of time in the day during which I have to wait for my computer. While plenty of my waiting time is caused by the internet (uploading a file to a server, waiting for a browser-based application to load) a lot of my lag time lately has been caused by my computer.

It's not really my computer's fault. It is a good machine with excellent specs. When I got it, it was fast and tricked out. I was excited about the 1TB hard drive. What I didn't foresee was the problem of data. In the two or so years since I got that computer, my business has boomed and that drive has filled up, mostly with things I probably don't need but *might someday. And as the drive has filled, the machine has slowed. I've installed and uninstalled a lot of programs. My OS has gotten progressively more sluggish. But I haven't done a reformat because there is so much data to deal with. Just offloading everything to an external hard drive would take an entire day. Then after I reformatted the computer, I'd have to put it all back on.

So I've been putting it off, and the machine has started to go eccentric on me. The first time I use Photoshop's save-for-web feature (which I use dozens of times every single day) I have to wait about five minutes for some erroneous data loop to run its course. Then it's fine until the next time I shut the machine down. But I actually tend to restart it a lot, to help with some of the glitches. That takes a little while too. In fact, I turn it on first thing in the morning and then go about my normal routine of drinking coffee and hanging out with my netbook on the couch, just so I don't have to wait for the thing to boot. But the netbook is even laggier. It has 1GB of ram. Even opening a web browser is a bit of a task for it. I use it only for writing.

Recently work has been BUSY, and the stress of having more to do in any given day than a single person can reasonably hope to accomplish in two has led me to notice the lags more, and make me wonder -- how much time do I actually spend each day waiting for my computer? Is there a way to cut it down?

I've been drooling over solid state hard drives for years, but they are expensive and hard to find in factory made computers. I've thought about building my own computer, but there is that time issue again. Also, I don't like buying electronics anymore. Well, that's not true. I do LIKE buying electronics. But I don't like what electronics are doing to our world. I don't like having to figure out what to do with old electronics, and I don't like the fact that every new piece of technology I buy is the direct product of exploitation and suffering. My cell phone is five years old. My ipod is well out of date. I don't have any other gadgets. And I haven't bought a new computer in years.

Until last week, when I discovered that dell has started making a laptop with a fast processor, equal RAM to my desktop and, most importantly, a solid state hard drive. I agonized over the purchase for a couple of weeks but finally I made a decision. If  I want to make my living in this virtual world, I have to have some tech. So I should choose wisely. I found a refurbished model with the specs I wanted. It came with three years of warranty, including accident coverage.

And I love it. There are two things that are shocking about the new computer. First, is is fast. So so so fast. It's the hard drive. No moving parts. Massively improved ability for my processor to move stuff around. Also, its data capacity is 1/4 the size of my desktop's. This is going to be an adjustment, but it's actually something I'm excited about. If I don't have the space for it, perhaps I won't let so much junk accumulate on my computer.

I'm also really excited to have the option of being free of my desk. I've learned in the last year or so that sitting in a chair all day actually hurts a little. So now I can work on the couch or even lounging in my bed. It's a bit disorienting to be using this sleek little laptop that is out-clocking my desktop with every task.

Now if I could just get the internet to run faster...

Winter Again

There is a dusting of snow on the ground now, which makes the light behave in a way it only does in winter. At certain times of day it seems the light comes from nowhere, that it just is some integral component of the air.

It is cold, but cold feels different to me lately. I may have crossed some invisible biological boundary. I might be time for me to admit the possibility that I am no longer (physiologically speaking) a desert rat.

Come January, I will start my 5th year in Iowa. I can't say I ever would have chosen this place off a map and decided to live here, but I'm used to it now. There is even something about the deep freeze of winter that I like. I suppose it reminds me of the summers in Arizona. If you venture forth unprepared, you really could die out there.

Status Update

It would seem lately all I'm doing on this blog is announcing the creation of other blogs, and also that I am currently more interested in writing fake blogs than real ones. So I'm sure you'll be not that surprised to hear vitzy.com has already undergone another transformation. Don't worry -- you can still find the gerbil over here.

But my latest project involves a more cohesive fake blogging effort. My plan is to write a novel-length story via the blogs of the characters. The working title is Another Year or Two and it is set in the fictional town of Turnpost, which was also the setting of a novel I finished earlier this year, called East of Turnpost. Some of the characters overlap, but it is by no means necessary to have read my earlier novel to follow the story the blog will tell (which is good, because East of Turnpost is neither published, nor ready to be published).

So, this is an experiment! It's my serial-novel-meets-modern-media-frankensteinian-creation. It's still in Beta as far as both the design and my fine-tuning of the CMS that I chose to build it on, so bear with me as I iron out the kinks. Eventually I hope to expose it to a wider audience, but now for we're in sneak preview mode.

Check it out and if you're so inclined, read. :)

Is THIS Blog Dead?

Ahem. Well. That's another question entirely. I have at least redesigned it. That's something isn't it?

Is the Blog Dead?

Not long ago I happened across an article that declared the blog is dead. The fad has passed. No one blogs anymore. Facebook has carried the day, and we should delete our blogger accounts and move on.

Undeniably, there is some evidence for this conclusion. Few of my friends still blog. Even this blog has been sitting pretty idle lately. Reading this headline, then, made me experience a strange moment of discomfort. It was akin to that day in the 90's when I realized no one else was wearing Guess jeans but I still loved mine.

I have no less than five blogs. This one, a business blog, a blog devoted entirely to my horse, a blog written in the voice of a fictional gerbil, and a blog about my as-yet-non-existent career as an author. Obviously I haven't gotten the "blogging is dead" memo.

But when I started thinking about it a bit more I realized that while the day of co-eds sitting at computers late at night pouring their hearts into their xanga accounts has indeed passed (a status update or a tweet is a far more effective way to express angst to a huge slew of possibly sympathetic listeners) this very fact has actually allowed the blog to prosper. Blogs have reverted to the domain of people who actually want to write, usually about a particular subject, with some degree of expertise.

Of my five blogs, the one that gets by far the most attention is my horse blog. This came as a surprise for me, because I really started it for personal reasons. I wanted to keep track of what happened with my horses and I wanted a couple key people who are interested to be able to follow my progress as well. Since starting it, however, I've realized there is a massive internet community of horse-owners who are doing the same thing. Reading horse-blogs has become one of my favorite ways to procrastinate. But I'll be the first to admit that even my own horse blog is massively boring to anyone who's not totally into horses.

Other areas where the blogosphere is booming are equally specialized. Foodie blogs, fitness blogs, and overall health/mental wellness blogs are hugely popular, some of these generating and maintaining massive readerships. There is also still ample demand for blogs attached to businesses. People love an inside look into the secret lives of professionals.

So if all this is true, how can we support the thesis that the blog is dead? I say we can't. It's an untenable argument, and I, for one, am glad of it. I must admit to personally despising Facebook. I only maintain a presence there because I feel obliged to do so. My blogs, however, are labors of love. The longer I keep posting, the more interesting it is to look back and see my own evolution as a professional, an equestrian, a writer, a gerbil, and a person.

The Moment You Have All Been Waiting For

I am happy to announce that after many years of being mostly lumped in with my professional identity, vitzy.com has broken free and is reborn once more.

>>learn more here

A Fall Stroll

Today Brian and I went for a little stroll in Hickory Hill park to enjoy the beautiful fall weather.

Summer's End

It's been quite a season, and now the weather is starting to change. The fall always feels like the most significant seasonal change to me for some reason, and when the nights start getting chilly I tend to experience a strange mood that is both contented and nostalgic. I am more likely to feel homesick in the fall than any other time.

Life has been interesting lately. I have both too much and too little to blog about. My business is giving me as much work as I can handle, and I am lucky to spend a lot of quality time with both my husband and my horse (and his horse). We tend towards the a-social, but when we choose to hang out with other people, we have fun.

A couple of weekends ago my in-laws came into town and we repainted the porch-step railing and installed a new screen door. The effect on the overall appearance of the front of the house was surprisingly dramatic.

And that's all I've got for now. So exciting, I know. Maybe someday this blog will experience a come-back.

The Old Days

Last night I found my old old old blog, which is still online in spite of the fact I'd more or less forgotten about it. It's funny to read what I was blogging about seven years ago. It's funny to get little glimpses into my daily life. It was all about the print shop for me at that time. The print shop and Flagstaff and going home to Tucson every few weeks. We had Leo then - my favorite of all the horses my parent's have owned. I was just starting my first few paid website jobs. At the beginning of the blog, I had not yet met Brian. By the end we were dating.

Our Trip to the UK

Images from our trip to the UK. We started by walking the Highland Way - 95 miles of trail between Glasgow and Fort William in Scotland. We went from there to Whitley Bay (near Newcastle) for a week with my brother and his bride. Then up to Beadnell (Northumberland) for the wedding. Click any image for more info on any particular shot.

Big Update

I find myself on the brink of change. I am excited and curious as I wait for the spring.

A few big things are happening in conjunction. One, we bought Brian a horse. Brian's goal is to spend the next year becoming an equestrian. He wants to get on horseback as much as he can, which means the two of us are going to be living and dreaming horses, all year.

The second thing is even bigger in some ways, and it comes rolled in with other big things. In June, my brother is going to marry. The ceremony will take place in England. Brian and I intend to go to Scotland for the month before the wedding and walk across the highlands. When we come home to the states there will be a big difference in my daily life. I have told my boss I won't be returning to work at the gallery. It's a big decision, because I like the work.

But BWS is growing and it has reached the point that I can't really make it grow more if I'm spending half my time on someone else's work. So, when I return from England, I will be my own boss. My only boss.

It's a risk. I must be about the only person in the United States quitting a good job right now. However, it seems now is the time to make a go of it. If I can succeed, I'll have flexibility and freedom - the ability to spend my early morning writing, my late morning riding my horse, and the rest of my day building websites. Every day.

I can't wait to see how it goes.

Sunday Stills

Two pieces of technology that make my life a little better, every day:

First Ski

This week we've had snow, and although I've done plenty of walking through it, today was the first day I went out and skied upon it. This afternoon, Brian and I headed up to the U of I cross-country course to ski around on the groomed paths.

It was a pretty good first ski for me. My lovely husband had thoroughly waxed my skis, so they were nice and slick. The snow cover was good. The course was well-traveled. I had a fun time and actually felt quite solid despite not having been on skis for so many months.

Although I am not nearly as fast as Brian, I am excited to get out there again in the near future.

A New Perspective

Well, it's that time again. I changed the look of my blog. This time the change was inspired partly by the restless knowledge that it had been the same for a rather unprecedented amount of time for me, and partially because I'm trying to remotivate myself for posting here. One thing that might help with this second goal is the new toy Brian and I recently treated ourselves to.


It's a Canon Rebel - digital SLR. Something I've sort of wanted for a very long time. So, I'm excited to mess around and see what I can do. I'll be subjecting my readers to frequent snapshots, I fear.

Here in Iowa we are currently experiencing a blizzard. That's what the weather reports tell us, anyway. It snowed all night, and this morning I took our new camera out of doors and tromped around in the drifts, attempting to get some images that captured the early-morning-not-quite-light-winter-snowy-beauty.


Then I came back indoors and pulled some scones out of the oven.

A Nice Trip Home

Another Year

I passed irrevocably into another year of my life last weekend. To celebrate, I spent the day with my favorite Iowa City companions - Brian and Steen.

this photo was not actually taken on my birthday, and it's already on Steen's blog, but it cracks me up so I'm posting it here, too

We let Cal hang out with us as well, and we went for a nice ride, followed by tea and a quiet afternoon, with much talking on the phone to family and friends not in Iowa City. One exciting feature of the day was a video call with my brother and his fiance Susie, who are currently in England.

we had a nice chat, the two of them on one end of the camera, Brian and me on the other

they even lit a candle for me, though in the end Susie had to help me blow it out

In the evening, Brian and I headed downtown for a lovely dinner. It was a pleasant evening and we enjoyed the walk and the food.

So, really, my brithday was mostly just like any other typical weekend day in the life of Robin. I suppose it says good things about my life that I find it difficult to think of any other kind of day I could enjoy more.

Almost Frosty

Late last week a huge late-fall storm rolled in and blew all the pretty leaves off the maple in our neighbor's yard. This has done a lot to change the feel of the study. It's looking increasingly wintry out the window.

I find myself actually looking forward to the next season this year. I am anticipating skiing again, and even the glacial simplicity of winter rides at the barn hold a certain appeal. I kind of enjoy the change to fluffy horse-hair and bareback rides, and working on little, refined things that won't cause Steen to break a sweat.

A few weeks ago I went to the Orthoptics Clinic due to the eye-problems I was having, and when the doctor stepped out for a few moments I chatted with the resident. She told me she had just moved to Iowa City and was already certain the winter would be horrible. I gave her my advice - get out in the cold, do something in it to get your blood pumping, and you will adjust. She looked at me with great skepticism and said, "I'm an indoor girl."

What can you do for these people?

Finally

I generally like to think of myself as the sort of person who finishes what I start, but I must admit so far my track record for this summer's projects has not been so great. The blinds, for instance, hit a number of big snags after I got the first one up. Mainly, all of my attempts to cut the second piece of music wire I bought to weight the bottom of the blind failed miserably and ended, eventually, in the temporary maiming of both my hands. So I gave up and put it off and put if off and then nearly two months later we still had mismatched blinds in the study.

I nursed my wounds, healed and returned to the music wire with new gusto and failed and failed and had my very strong husband try where I had failed and he also failed. Finally I decided to just hang the blind without the weight and revisit the weight issue later. So, yesterday I otherwise finished constructing the second blind, which took rather longer than it should have for two reasons. One, I'd completely forgotten much of what I did when building the first one and two, I sewed all the ribs to the wrong side of the blind the first time around.

Ah, home improvement projects are so wonderful.


But, they are up, anyway! They look fine raised. Now I just have to find a way to conquer the music wire and we'll be finished.

And in case you are wondering about my lack of posts here, do keep in mind I have two (yes, two!) other blogs. Steen's blog and my newly created, 100% professional BWS blog.