Let Your Freak Flag Fly

There’s this guy that’s been assigned to oversee (read: HELP) my contribution to the Venezuelan project I’ve been put on at work. He’s the senior scheduler/controls discipline lead for my department.

For the life of me, I can’t figure out what his problem is - and I’m usually pretty good at deconstructing people’s personalities in my head to find the best way “in” to them.

Well, this one’s throwing me for a loop.

There’s always the outside chance that he’s just an asshole, plain and simple, but I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt.

When I first started in this department, it was under the premise that he would be my mentor, helping me throughout the duration of a rather large project I was assigned to. Keep in mind, I had never done scheduling before, nor had I the need to pay much attention to what all the engineering discipline tasks and deliverables were all about or how they linked together (I was in finance prior to my current position).
Soooo…big learning curve obviously.
I figured I had nothing to worry about, as my boss assured me I’d be in great hands with this guy, and would be an expert in no time.

IF ONLY.

From the moment I walked in to 3 months later, this idiot did nothing but bring me into his office for lectures on scheduling philosophies and elaborate white board flow charts that were completely greek to me and really didn’t help me in terms of actual schedule DEVELOPMENT or reporting standards for the project.

He also disagreed with everything the project manager proposed and refused to bend or cooperate to incorporate his wishes in any way.
I thought this odd, as it was obvious he didn’t give a shite whose toes he stepped on in management, it was his way or no way.

This continued for 4 months, and after getting no actual hands on training from him, this guy up and quits the project - leaving me to compile a ginormous schedule with no prior experience or support.

Thanks a lot douche bag.

Anyways, as I was obviously not yet seasoned enough for the scope of that job, I was put onto smaller projects, and have been doing that ever since.
I have learned a fair bit along the way, and am now quite comfortable with scheduling.
The next step is detailed high level scheduling, which I am eager to take on, and this Venezuelan project is just the ticket to the next step in my career development.

Here’s the issue though - our contract with the client outlines a very detailed level of reporting, which I have not been exposed to yet.
The project is accelerated, so it’s not like I have long to piss about and learn things along the way - I need to know how, and I need to know NOW.
Well, la-dee-frickin-da - this same guy gets assigned to “over-see” me on the project. Fuck.
So far, he has read NONE of the material we’ve been given, so he has no idea about the project scope. He has been absent at every meeting with the client this week also. So I called him up and was like “hey, I know you’re busy and everything, but it would be much appreciated if you could come to one of these meetings as a voice on the reporting issues”. He is the “expert” after all.
He said he’s too busy, but would send me a template to use and come and show me what it’s all about.

Well wouldn’t that be nice.

But don't bend over backwards on my acocunt or anything. I wouldn't want to put you out.

The meeting was all of 10 minutes.
He opened the spreadsheets, said this is this, this is that, this calculates that, this is linked to that, and the graph comes out like this. End of meeting.
WTF.
Thanks a lot, and fuck you very much.

So, I figure, screw him, I’ll open it up and figure out the formulas and links myself, but wouldn’t you know it - it’s source protected so I can’t see the graph data/links, and it’s also password protected from changes.
Asshole.

I swear he does this on purpose.
Why?
I don’t know really. You’d think you’d want your staff to be well trained, as we are all representing the same cause. I mean, that’s logical in my mind.
But apparently that’s not the case.

Ironically enough, my boss thinks he is the greatest asset this company has ever acquired, and would do anything to keep him on staff.

I just can’t figure this one out. Is he a know it all whose afraid to pass on information in case some one upstages him in the future? Is it a cultural thing (he’s Russian)? A man vs. woman thing?

Effed if I know.

One thing I do know now is that I’ll figure it out soon enough on my own, and that’s usually the best (hardest?) way to learn. It’s been that way so far in my working career; I guess I shouldn’t expect it to change much now.

You can only depend on yourself for most things it seems. I don’t really get that, but I accept it.

He can shove his “philosophies” down someone else’s throat from now on. It’s not doing me any good, which I suspect is his goal - to confuse me. Whatever floats yer boat I guess.

I’m going to forge ahead with this alone, and I know I will be better off for it in the end.

Blech

Ugh.

I have had a nasty bout of stomach flu since last Friday…I just want it to go away now.

I’ve recently been made the department lead on a huge new Venezuelan EOR project, and yesterday the project team from the tropics arrived in Calgary. I obviously couldn’t miss the project kick-off, so I had to stick it out the best I could for the very looong day.

Thank eff for Advil and Kaeopectate is all I gotta say.

After 9 hours of meetings, it was off to the Petroleum Club for cocktails and dinner.
Several glasses of white wine later (my glass mysteriously kept getting topped up), I forgot about the flu, and ended up having a great evening. The food was great (their Crème Brule is orgasmic), the people from Venezuela were very nice (also holy knowledgeable & organized…oy), and the hob knobbing with the top dogs of the company I work for was actually kind of fun. Except of course for the bosses’ wife - she kept dragging me out for cigs, and it was minus 40 degrees outside last night. Fucking frigid.

Anyways, before I know it, it’s like 9:30 - and I’ve been at “work” for like 14 hours already. I decided to go home, but good luck getting a cab in this weather. I bundled up as well as possible and embarked on a very quick walk home - I tell ya, even with long john’s, a sweater, a scarf, ear muffs, and insulated gloves, I FROZE. Seriously. I couldn’t feel my head face or legs by the time I got home, which was only about 15 minutes away.

This weather is nothing short of inhumane.

I know I shouldn’t complain - everyone is freezing their arses off this week in Alberta. I feel especially bad for the Venezuelans that are here for meetings all week - they are experiencing a 70 degree temperature difference from Caracas!
Sucks.

Then of course there are the homeless people. I can’t even imagine what they must be experiencing out there. The city opened an emergency shelter at the Stampede Grounds this weekend to help those that couldn’t get into the other shelters.
Despite the effort (which was too late IMO), a homeless person did die on the streets from the elements this past Saturday night. That is sicker than anything I can even think of, and I don’t want to get started on this topic again.
There’s no need for it in this or any other city in the country period. Shelter is a basic human RIGHT.

Anyways…here I am at work today, nursing a wine hangover, operating on very little sleep, and still fighting this blasted stomach flu (I’m sure the drinks last night didn’t help). GAH.
I just wanna go hoooooooooome and get in bed for the day! I am sick and tired - literally.

There. That’s better.
There’s my whoa-is-me post of the year.

Stay WARM everyone!

Dancing Queens

So this group of 3 gay guys living in the apartment next to mine are driving me up the effen wall.
They are young - I’d say under 25, and LOUD LOUD LOUD.

Like all the time.

Screaming, hootin and hollerin, and generally acting like kids whose parents have permanently left them without a babysitter.

Then there’s the music.

Oh My Gawd, the music.

They constantly blare this euro techno crap in their place, and lucky me - my bedroom wall is right next to where I suspect their stereo is.
It doesn’t matter what day of the week, what time of the day; it’s always this BUMP-BUMP-BUMP-BA-DA-BUMP-BUMP-BUMP.

Egads - it never stops!

Kay - first of all, do you not have J-O-B-S? Or do yer mommy’s and daddy’s subsidize your rent and party funds for you?
It makes me wonder, because they party every night until well past 2 or 3 in the am.

Secondly - what exactly makes you think that the entire neighborhood wants to hear your shit trash music everyday? Not everyone feels like partaking in your impromptu raves every night! Jeesh. There are kids in some of the suites too, like how the parents get them to sleep at all is completely beyond me.

Going to my landlord to complain is absolutely pointless, as he is a useless tit that technically just lives there. Getting him to fix something, clean the hall ways, the laundry room, the foyer, the yard - not too likely. Getting him to get off his ass and tell one of the tenants to shut it probably isn’t in the cards.

So I have been partaking in a battle of wills with these fools myself for the last few months, and I tells ya, I’m getting tired of it. I just wish they’d move the eff out.

I’ve called the police on them twice on weekday nights at like 4am, but they just tell them to keep it down.
I printed off a copy of the noise bylaw and shoved it under their door. That shut them up for all of about a week.
I pound on the wall and yell at them to turn it down - it rarely works.
I have taken to placing my own stereo speakers right up against the wall, popping in the Pixies and Nirvana, and cranking it to 30. That shuts them up for just that night.

Sigh and AAAARRRRRGGGHHH.

Last night, it started up again at like 10:30, and I was like PLEASE DIE.

I considered egging their balcony or their front door. Decided against it, as I’m sure I’d get it right back.
I decided instead to put a honkus large post it note on their mailbox in the foyer for everyone to see. In giant Jiffy Marker I wrote:
NOT EVERYONE IN THIS BUILDING IS INTERESTED IN JOINING YOUR TECHNO TWINK DANCE PARTIES EVERY NIGHT. HAVE SOME RESPECT! KEEP IT DOWN TO A DULL ROAR PLEASE!!”

Tee-hee.

Immature? Absolutely.

But fuck me runnin up a hill - I’ve had it with these idiots.

It was gone from the mailbox when I left for work this morning, so one of them obviously saw it and took it off. I hope they are embarrassed enough to either turn it down or move out.
I doubt it though.

We’ll see if retribution pays me a visit tonight. I’m expecting something from them for sure.
Bring it on bitchez.

Say Hello, Remain Close to Me

Some of the most meaningful moments in life occur when you are least expecting it.

As I was leaving work yesterday evening, I was debating whether or not I should get some household shopping out of the way. I really didn’t feel like it, but decided I’d better get it out of the way before old man winter blew in later in the night.
I got off work a bit late, and two of the stores I went to first were closed. This pissed me off. But I trudged along and decided to try one place I knew of that was kind of out of the way, but I new was open and had everything I needed. So off I went.

As I walked up to the entrance of the store, there was a very aggressive homeless man yelling obscenities at everyone that walked by that wouldn’t give him money, myself included. Eff that. I’ll decide where I feel my money is best donated.
I bypass him and go inside.
Shopping commences, I get all the items on my list as well as a few Christmas decorations for the house that were on sale (like you care).
I leave, and during the half an hour I was in there, the temperature had dropped what must have been 10 degrees. It’s late, dark, cold and I have at least another 35 minute trek home ahead of me. I kneel down on the sidewalk to consolidate my bags and get my gloves out, when I hear a very slight feminine voice behind me,

“Excuse me, I really don’t mean to bother you, do you have any change to spare?”

I turn around, half expecting something intimidating, and see a very petite native woman looking at me.

“I’m sorry, really, I am. But if you could spare a dollar, a quarter, I would be very grateful.”

She looks down at her shoes.

I say sure, yes no problem, and give her what cash I had left over - I think it was like 9 or 10 dollars total.
She thanks me up and down, and apologizes over and over again, all the while avoiding my eyes, looking at the ground.

Something told me to stick around a sec and just chat with her.

Me: “It’s pretty cold out here tonight. I hope you can get a cup of coffee with some of that change - something to warm your insides.”

Her: “Yes it’s very cold. No one has offered to give me any change today; they just call me a bum and tell me to get a job. It’s not that easy - I have no where to live. It’s cold. I don’t want to be outside all the time anymore.”

Me: “I can’t imagine how hard it must be to be down on your luck and on the streets. I know it’s probably pretty hard, but don’t pay any mind to idiots like that, they are just ignorant and have never had to face the things you must have in life to end up here.”

She makes eye contact, and I immediately notice that she is a very pretty woman. Her eyes were a beautiful chocolate brown, and as soon as she looked in my eyes, I could see that she was a sensitive, warm, caring person - underneath all her sadness and pain.

Her: “I have a problem with drugs and alcohol. I used to have it all, a home, a job, children, but somewhere along the way it just took over…
I lost it all, my kids were taken away, I got smoking crack, and then I ended up on the street.
My little sister lives here, and she says I can go there, but I don’t want her or her kids to see me this way. I am ugly, dirty, and I smell like booze. I don’t want to bring in that vibe to her home.”

First of all, I was glad to hear her say that she had a problem - that means she’s aware and probably wants to change her life at some point.
Secondly, as sad as I was to hear her say that she was ugly and dirty and, in her mind, unwelcome at her sister's, it told me she had a sense of responsibility in terms of exposing others to her lifestyle.
A lot of people in her situation are far beyond that and could care less about how they affect others.

Me: “Well, I’m glad you have some place to go besides the shelters. She says you’re welcome there? You should really consider going. It’s cold out - you'll get sick.”

Her: “She wants me to go to detox for alcohol though, and I am not ready yet.”

Me: “I understand that. It will be hard, no doubt, but maybe you could look at it as a stepping stone - a starting point. A warm, safe place to be while you work on a plan to get your life back on track?”

Her: “It will be so hard.”

Me: “I can’t imagine how hard it would be. But look at it this way - THIS, how you’re living right now is hard, and always will be if you don’t try and make things better for yourself. Detox will be hard too - but only for a short period. And eventually you could start a new life - make things better. You deserve happiness just as much as anyone else, remember that. You are human.
Either road is hard, but which choice will be harder for a shorter length of time?”

Her: “That makes sense. But I am not ready to go, I’m scared.”

Me: “I know you are - it probably seems terrifying.
I’m not telling you to go. I know just as well as you that if you are not really ready, on your own terms, you won’t get through it. No one else can tell you when you are ready. But I do know that you will make it - when you decide to make a change - I can see it in your eyes. You haven’t given up hope - there’s a chance for you, I know it.”

She begins to cry.

She tells me she cries all the time. She tells me she doesn’t want to cry anymore. She says she is in so much pain. She tells me she bleeds when she cries. I ask her if she is hurt, a cut, an injury. She says no. Her heart bleeds when she cries.
A lump wells up in my throat, I try not to cry.

Me: “I know it’s hard to believe, but you ARE worthwhile, you ARE important, and you DESERVE better than this. There are people out there who care and want to help, please keep this in mind when you’re ready.
You're human and deserve the same shot in life as me or anyone else - life’s just dealt you a shitty hand, and that sucks, and it’s unfair, but it’s what you’ve been given. You HAVE the strength in you to turn things around, it’s just been buried for a while, that’s all. But it’s still in there. Remember that. It takes a lot of strength to live like this everyday, and it will take a lot of strength to get out of it, but I can see it in you - you can do it.”

Her: “You are an angel. You probably think I’m drunk, don’t know what I’m talking about, but I am a sister, a native, and I see things in people. You are an angel. My angel.”

Me: “I am no angel, just human, just like you.”

She cries.
She says she tired of crying all the time.

She tells me she almost died during the summer - she was involved in a pedestrian accident with a C-Train downtown. A man she was with lost his legs in the accident. Her arm was badly broken. She takes my hand and places it on her upper arm.
A mass. A growth? I don’t know what it is, but it startles me. I ask her what it is. She says that’s the best they could do to fix her arm. And it’s cold outside. And her arm hurts when it’s cold outside.
The lump in my throat comes back, I try not to cry.

I tell her to really consider going to her sisters place tonight, think about step 2 in the morning.
She says she’s too ugly to go there. She doesn’t want to be seen like this.
I know I can’t make her go, but I tell her to consider it strongly, there’s a winter storm coming in.

She says she will. She says thank you for your time, god bless you. I pick up my bags to leave.

She cries.
She hugs me and she cries. She cries and cries.
I must have stood there hugging her for a good 5 minutes before she let go. She hung on for dear life, and I could tell, no matter how much money I had have offered her, this one moment - this connection, this understanding, this human interaction, this human touch, was worth more than any amount of money in the world to her.

"I’m Jackie" she says.
"I’m Debbie", I say. "It’s nice to meet you."

Jackie: “I’m sorry if you have nightmares about me tonight, I know I’m scary.”

Me: “You are not scary - you are a beautiful human being that’s just had some hard luck. I most certainly won’t have nightmares about you…”

Jackie: “Thank you so much, have a good night - please pray for me - I want to make it”

Me: “I am not religious, but I will wish good things and strength for you - you WILL make it. This is temporary - you want out - you’ll get out when you’re ready and not a minute sooner.”

I hand her my gloves, and turn to head home.

Was it cold? Hell to the yes.
Did my hands effen freeze? Yessur.
But I didn’t feel it, and I didn’t care, because I knew I had a home to go to, warm food, a warm bed, a shower. Things I take for granted everyday.

What a surreal experience. That’s the main thing I remember about it - totally surreal.

Here I am, all pissy about having to go out of my way after work to go shopping for toilet paper and milk, and I end up getting my head and heart put in check by a woman who has lost everything and is reduced to living on the streets, literally feeling like garbage.

Things aren’t so bad over here guys, really.

I don’t think I’ll forget last night. I don’t think I’ll ever forget Jackie.

I hope wherever she is, she’s warm right now.

Release That Air

Update time.
I know, I know I’m totally slacking with posts lately. Thing is, I just can’t find the motivation to write anything. Or paint. Or photograph. My creativity button is set on snooze it seems.
Just waiting on the inspiration fairy to pay me a little visit.

The most exciting news I can think of writing about is the glory of this handy dandy little contraption:

A warm air mist humidifier.

I know; my life is way too exciting these days.
Seriously though, this thing rocks my proverbial socks harder than anything I can remember.

The reason I bought it was that my optometrist recommended it for my eye irritation problem. I have been making regular visits to the money sucker for the past 3 weeks due to an extraordinarily dry cornea in my left eye, taking a handful of different prescription drops, ointments, and lubricants along with flax seed oil in my breakfast everyday. Gah.
Last week, after appointment number gazillion, there was no change/improvement in the irritation, so I was prescribed effen steroids to see if that would alleviate the problem.

Guess what? Nope. No change. Now I guess it's wait and see to find out if I grow facial hair and an adam's apple due to side affects.

So I went back late last week for further treatment options, and was told there’s nothing they can do.
I was like WTF?! FIX IT!! She said there’s nothing more they can do, come back when it feels better and we’ll get you a new lens prescription (what one has to do with the other I have no idea). Needless to say I was pretty frustrated. I said are you SERIOUSLY telling me I have to keep living with this pain??? She said, unfortunately yes, there’s nothing more we can do, blah, blah, blah.
She happened to mention a humidifier as something to try, so I figured what the eff. I’ve already spent my life savings on all these useless appointments and prescriptions that didn’t do squat, what’s one more purchase?
WELL. After the first night of having this bad boy running at home, I had no redness, no irritation, nothing. Who woulda thunk it. Seriously, this thing has cured meeeee!!!! I am so relieved, you have no idea.

So heads up kiddies, if you suffer from dry eyes, before you waste your moolah on useless eye drops, try some warm humidity first. Leave the fucker running all day/night…every once in a while, stand by it and place you eyes directly over the humidity vent even. It’s heaven I tells ya! You can almost hear your eyes slurping up the moisture! Er, that’s kinda gross, but you get my point.

Buy one. Live it. Love it.

Hmmm. What else.
Next week is the last week of November, and I haven’t even started making lists for Christmas shopping yet. Mainly because I have no idea what to get anyone this year. I have decided to keep it small, as I am planning on getting some hampers together for the less fortunate in the city, but I can’t come up with any ideas for those nearest and dearest. Panic will commence in T-minus 10 days if I don’t get on this and spend some time getting organized.
I don’t want to be running around like a freak on fire a week before Christmas. I want to actually ENJOY the holidays - like take in some events, walk in the snow, check out light displays, party with friends, etc. What it’s actually supposed to all be about.
Stress should be kept to a minimum I reckon.

Anywaaaaaaaaaaaaaays. What else?

Things have been kind of off in the blogosphere as of late, as some of my fave bloggers have decided to close down shop (for reasons totally understandable). That’s been kind of suckin because they really do become a big part of your daily routine. I miss my morning chuckles and knowing what’s up in the world of my friends.
Sigh.
I’ll get used to it soon enough.

Strange how we come to expect these online diaries to be around for our enjoyment forever. It’s a weird dynamic. I think in a lot of ways it has surpassed the desire to connect by phone or email - is that good or bad?
At any rate, I hope to remain in touch with those who have decided to call it a day in this realm.

That’s it, that’s all. I’m out.

Posting Time

I haven’t had much to write about recently, so haven’t bothered.
Just been busy with work as usual.

I was really looking forward to building a Habitat for Humanity home here in Calgary this past Friday, but despite good intentions, too many volunteers showed up and there was not enough work to keep all of us occupied for the duration of the day.
So myself and a friend from work decided to take the day off and go shopping - which was fun. She has two young kids, so I was able to tag along on with her to the toy stores to help her get a start on her Christmas shopping.
Now THAT was fun.
The toys they have out for kids nowadays are effen awesome! I could not believe the technology put into the dolls, stuffed animals, and video games for sale. Even the Lego sets were sweet…Star Wars themes, dinosaurs, ones that light up…oy. I wish I was a kid again in this day and age for the toy selection alone.

The weekend was pretty chill. Window shopped and brunched in Kensington, looked for Christmas decorations, etc.

That’s about it really.

Sandy’s been on the road for the better part of two weeks, so I’m kinda grouchy about that - although I really shouldn’t be considering what’s been going on in the lives of some friends of mine (hugs to all you guys).

There has been some media attention brought to the blogs of some of them due to the disappearance/possible homicide of one of their friends, which is completely classless and ignorant on the media’s part.
Apparently, some of the information and images used in the news broadcasts have been freely taken by the media without permission, and of course, in search of information on the case, ppl have been seeking out and reading the blogs.
This has resulted in some unwanted attention and spotlight on the private lives of these people.
That in itself is bad enough.
But the other thing that comes to mind about airing pictures/blog addys/names of the people who knew the missing person is the unknown circumstances surrounding the crime. If, gawd forbid, it ends up being a homicide, than there could well be a killer out there somewhere. Watching the news, reading the blogs being referenced on TV, gathering personal information.
That is scary to even think about, but it should be considered.
Also - if this is being investigated as a crime, why is the privacy of those who knew the man not a concern by police if the investigation is still open?
Makes no sense...

First off, I understand that unless material is copyright protected, it is generally accepted as free for the taking - especially on the www.
I think, however, that there should be an exercise in compassion under circumstances such as these. It is hard enough to be concerned about the loss of a friend or family member without having people take advantage for their own benefit (clips for the news).
Privacy and respect should be of utmost importance in a situation like this, and I find it disgusting that the info taken from the blogs of the missing man’s friends is being plastered all over the news without so much as a “please may we”.
I suppose that’s the nature of the beast though. Sad to see…

To those involved - my thoughts are with all of you, and I sincerely hope the details of the case are brought to light sooner rather than later. I can’t even imagine the turmoil you must be experiencing with the unknown.

Take care guys. Be well.

Lego Thriller

This kicks...

A Helping Hand

I went on a big shopping trip to Wal-Mart on Saturday to buy items in need for CUPS.
I normally try my best to boycott Wal-mart, because I don’t agree in the least for what they stand for - how they treat their workers and how they displace Mom and Pop organizations all over the world.
But one thing can’t be denied - their shit is cheap.
So I swallowed my disdain and decided to spend a couple hundred dollars there to get more items for my money.

I was able to get:

- 24 pairs of women’s underwear
- 12 pairs of socks
- 6 pairs of women’s gloves
- 6 pairs of children’s wool mittens
- 4 newborn sleepers
- 6 pairs of baby socks
- 4 receiving blankets
- 120 pack of Pampers
- Flintstones vitamins
- Children’s cough syrup
- 6 bars of soap
- 6 toothbrushes
- 6 tubes of toothpaste
- 6 Bottles of deodorant
- 30 disposable razors
- 6 cans of shaving cream
- 12 bottles of shampoo
- 12 bottles of lotion
- 6 pack of Kleenex
- 4 packs of sanitary wipes
- Q-Tips
- 4 chapsticks

And I think that was it.
The total came to $230.00, which was awesome considering how many items I got. I also had a lot of fun doing it!

Sandy and I dropped the goods off at CUPS in the afternoon, and the lady who helped us take the stuff in was really grateful. Mainly because the stuff was all new, and most of the donations they have been receiving lately are second hand. Which is great too - I plan on bringing down some used clothes and things as well - but new items are always appreciated and definitely in short supply.

I am planning on getting some people together to help with a few Christmas hampers for the family’s in need that are looking for help from this organization. I already have a few people on board, some are going to donate money so I can buy the items on their behalf; some are bringing in used clothing that their kids have grown out of.
Whatever anyone can spare will be a great help.

I am also going to talk to my boss this week to see if our company will help me gather funds for this. They may not because we already do corporate donations to the United Way. If they decline, I think I’ll just ask around the office on a one to one basis to see if anyone is interested in helping out.

Muck-a-Flux

Yesterday afternoon and evening were great!

I bailed from work at lunch because, frankly, I didn't feel like working. Plus, I had finished my work for the day by noon, and was working out of a client's office, so I figured wtf? Why not take advantage, right? No one even knew I was gone, so I'd have to have been crazy not to take the opportunity for some me time.

So anyways, I got home, did some cleaning, had a nice nap, got up, opened a nice bottle of Schug sauvignon blanc, and started painting.

A couple of weeks ago, Sandy surprised me with a totally sweet artist easel that's fully collapsable, portable, and has room inside for paints, brushes, and a paint palette.

Check out the sweetness:

Pretty shlammin, yes? I heart it.

I figured I'd give the easel a try, with no real idea of wtf I wanted to paint. So I just started mixing colors and mucking about with it throughout the evening in between sips of wine and catching up on phone calls long over due:

And there you have it.

Not exactly a masterpiece, but I had fun doing it so that's all that matters I suppose.

I can't wait to set it all up again when I actually have a formed idea of what I want to paint.

Woot! Should be fun, especially now that winter is biting us all in the bum.