Other Dreams

I vacuumed today. Nothing unusual about that. What was unusual was I smelled what seemed to be the odor of burning rubber coming from my vacuum while vacuuming our bedroom.

I flipped the vacuum over to inspect the beater bar and discovered - to my horror - it was completely filled with hair. To be specific, my long hair was wrapped in layers around the beater bar prohibiting it from freely turning.

I had wondered in the past why it wasn't picking up as well as it could. But it didn't take long for me to cut the hair with scissors and pull wad after wad out of the brushes and from around the bar. The vacuum picks up like a champ now.

What's this got to do with dreams? Nothing, really... But I liken it to a semi-bad dream. Like a dream I have periodically when sleeping about not being able to find a class I enrolled in when I was in high school. I haven't been in high school since 1974! Or, I sometimes dream I have to go to the bathroom really bad then finally find a bathroom only to discover that it hasn't been cleaned and there's feces all over the rim and on the floor.

I sometimes forget to check things creating my own semi-bad dreams. Motor oil is another example I forget. Some may call it neglect but I honestly forget. Oh, I occasionally remember as I'm driving a long distance but I can't pull over on the highway to check it. What's the point? I don't have another bottle of oil in the trunk although I probably should keep a spare. Forgetting to check the oil causes me to worry (dream or imagine) my engine blowing.

One day my shoes seemed to small for my feet. The shoes hurt the end of my toes. I had forgotten to check my toe nails which had grown to such a length as to cause the pain. Gross? I don't think so but my brother, Jim, thought it was when I told the story.

I do a pretty good job of checking my face for over long eye brows, chin and nose hairs. (Sorry, girls but when you reach my age - mid-fifties - estrogen dips allowing testosterone to be more active.) But my close range eyesight isn't what it used to be and I managed to miss a hair. While inspecting my face in a mirror that magnifies out the wazoo, I saw what I thought to be a long hair from my head on my neck. I tried brushing it toward the back but it wouldn't budge so I pulled at it. The one inch long hair was actually attached to my neck. How could I have missed that? I missed it because my eyesight isn't what it once was and it was baby fine; nearly invisible.

These incidents make me wonder if I will now have bad dreams about overly long toe nails and hairs growing out of my neck.

More Dreams to Dream

I had an idea the other day since having removed the virus that continually redirected my computer to unwanted websites.

The idea came on the heels of reading an article about how to save money spent toward doctors and dentists. I'm in need of a hair cut and style. My long hair is the length of my back reaching to where my spine nearly ends. The lady across the street is a full time hair dresser at a swanky salon in downtown Lawrence.

I flagged her down one day when she got home during her lunch hour and asked if she did freelance work. Yes, she said, she does. I asked if she would consider an exchange; she cut and style my hair and I would clean her bathroom or any room she chose. She replied that she would think about it.

This got me to thinking about other things I could barter. I bartered house cleaning for a self-propelled lawn mower. Okay, it cost us $100 to have the fuel tank replaced after using it three or four times but we couldn't have gotten a self-propelled lawn mower for $100.

I'm going to dream up other barters for us. What a great way to get needed or wanted stuff!

Removing the Virus Cootie

It's been a horrific several days since my last post.

As you know, a virus infected my computer. After spending what seemed forever perusing help forums and downloading experts' free virus removal software recommendations, I was still infected.

Oh, the software was finding the viruses all right but I was continually getting infected visiting Google websites. I thought I was going to have to wipe my harddrive clean and begin afresh.

I backed up my entire C drive which took three discs until finally out of desperation I headed toward Microsoft (tm) who said to down load Windows Essentials; another free virus removal program. I did not want to wipe my harddrive.

I've had it on my computer for several days now. I didn't think it was going to get all the cooties that had invaded my computer. But - alas - it has! I have not had one problem today being redirected to another website.

If you're having problems, have a legit Window OS, head toward their site and download the Essentials and let it do its thing.

Infected with Trojan Virus - Redirects Computer

My computer got a cooty, a virus that irritatingly redirects my computer to another website other than the one I chose.

I have a feeling I know where the infection occurred. I mean, I don't remember the name of the website but I do remember what I was doing when it happened and what the website looked like.

I was innocently looking for a particular piece of music and clicked on a link which took me to the source. Once I had clicked through looking for the piece, wham! I was struck. I spent the better part of yesterday working to rid my computer of the nasty infection.

I did a search using the words "spy ware redirects my computer". Sure enough, many... MANY others were having the same problem. I ended up at a website called Techspot.com. They were extremely helpful; had already posted steps to take to (hopefully) remove the virus.

My computer still isn't right and I still have work to do in order to get rid of the pesky bug but I do want to take a moment to thank those kind people at Techspot.com. Without helpful people and free spy ware removal programs, people like me would be would be wiping our hard drives which - if anyone has ever done it - is a pain in the behind.

If your computer has been infected with this Trojan virus visit http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic58138.html. Hopefully, this will help.

Finding Inspiration in the House & Copyrights

I look around the house for things to scan to use in my candy wrapper designs.

I've scanned things like western place mats, old family pictures, bits of lace from my grandmother's handkerchiefs and even part of a sand painting. Of course, with things like the place mat and the sand painting I have to alter them as to not infringe on the copyrights of the piece.

This has been done in advertising through the ages. But it doesn't stop with advertising. Songs writers get inspiration from other songs, alter and change one up. Writers get inspired by other writings; use ideas and change them up. It's against the law to use another's work in verbatim and with its (basic) inception, the copyright begins. That's not technically true but it's something I try and live by.

Were I to come up with an idea and voice it someone before I even have it on paper I would be pretty upset if they used my idea. If they had asked if they could use my idea I might say yes. This would give them permission. I might put restrictions on their use of my idea.

However, the moment my idea is on paper it is copyrighted. Usage of other people's work without their permission is a no-no. That is to say unless they have given specific permission and have given specific instructions on how the piece can be used.

There are many clipart artists out there who do just that. Yet there are many artists who merely ask that you provide a link on your website to their website. Others will ask you to simply give them credit.

It's touchy and it's tricky. But if you understand their rights as well as your own, you should be okay. It's just a matter of a little research and reading.

Plodding Toward the Dream

Below: A jar label I designed for my husband's Pico de Gallo. Did I mention he's a wonderful cook?

Getting organized, having enough in my portfolio to show and keeping the website updated all takes time. In order to sell my goods - for that matter - anyone who has goods to sell has to have the goods. It's not any good to walk in to a place cold calling and tell them about your wonderful product if you don't have anything to show. Or that you have a website but there are very few items on it to look at.

Not only do I need a portfolio of designs but I need - as well - samples, lots of wrapped samples. All the candy bar wrappers simply show better if they're wrapped around something. Because I don't want to carry around chocolate bars I cut out cardboard fakes. Yes, they are fake but they show off the product and the customer gets a grand idea of how the end product will look.

And I have to have pages of clipart. Pages and pages of clip art. Although it's easy enough to print out all of these necessities, it's still time consuming and the printer wants ink. Lots of ink. I also have to do a lot of cutting out of things. Then there's the gluing or taping to make the end result look professional.

It all takes time and I'm an impatient person. I want to get out there to begin showing my stuff. I also want to get all the "no" responses behind me. But I've had enough experience - life experience - to know it does no good to get impatient. I know that if I keep plodding forward - as slow as it may be - I will eventually be on the road stopping into places and marketing my candy wrappers.

Sometimes it's just a slow process to see out a dream.

To Dream or Do Chores...

Yesterday's day off was not entirely without some work. I'm still cleaning places that haven't seen a dust rag or cleaning solution for years. That's what happens if you work full time and don't want to spend time off working more.

I'm back at work designing more wrappers this morning and managed to come up with a couple of wedding designs. But with Valentines Day looming just a little over a month away, I feel driven to continue designing Valentine wrappers.

Along with designing, maintaining cleanliness in the house, feeding the dog, supervising ferrets during their release from cages for play time, and feeding guinea pigs I have taken on additional tasks. While my mother and father enjoy a lengthy vacation in Texas, I receive and pay their bills. This is not without problems. It seems the electronic payment I made through the bank has not yet been received by the recipient. Of course it's Daddy's credit card bill. They use this credit card almost exclusively for purchases. The bank tells me it could be another two days before the company receives the check.

I also promised my husband I would look into medical insurance for him. He got a new job in October that doesn't offer insurance. Instead they pay him insurance allowance. I am not looking forward to this. I hate insurance companies and their personnel. I can never truly understand what they're talking about.

Let's see... Do I want to continue designing or do I want to begin calling health insurance companies? Gee, I think I need more Valentine wrappers.