Blog du Wren

Christmas Lights in Portland

Back in the day, I used to do up our house real nice with Christmas lights. Okay, so maybe not "real nice" but there were a lot of lights and that counts for something. Lately, however, I haven't been around Anacortes for the holidays so haven't had the chance to put up any lights. But opportunity would have it that I've found a new tradition.

This year is the second year that I've helped* Andrew put up lights on his house. we started from scratch and this year added a few more strings. By 2017, look out Griswalds!!

Here's hoping that the tradition continues!

Sunday November 28 2010

File under: holidays, misc

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FC 122 - Oh the Convenience

CAUTION! This week's comic is pretty tasteless. Or sacrilegious. Or in poor humor. Or all of the above. If you are the type of person who doesn't like hearing jokes that fit into any or all of the categories, you shouldn't read this week's comic.

The word about me and my comics is kind of getting around. I love it. I talked to a friend the other day and, out of the blue, she informed me she came up with an idea for a Friday Comic for me and went ahead and drew it. When I saw it, I definitely chuckled, albeit cautiously because I didn't know if I could post it on my blog. As the warning above says, it is a little on the tasteless side. But today is Thanksgiving and I didn't get around to doing a comic myself. Since I definitely want to get back into an every Friday posting schedule for comics, I decided to go for it.

So with as much in the way of disclaimers as I can muster, it is. I hope you get a chuckle out of it like I did.

Thursday November 25 2010

File under: comic

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Canvas Fun 2 - Map Lines

Here are some further adventures with HTML canvas. For this one, I was trying to recreate an Indiana Jones style map to give someone a brief overview of my travels. Again, I realize this is by no means groundbreaking in terms of its display or anything, but the fact it is all done through HTML gets me pretty excited. Anyway, have a look and tell me what you think. Version #1, version #2

(As for the last adventure with canvas, I think I've isolated some of the issues, so hopefully it should load up correctly now. So go ahead and give it another look too, if you like. )

Wednesday November 24 2010

File under: coding, travel

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The Height Wall

In your home growing up, did you have that one place on the wall that you marked all the kids' heights as they grew? Well, we did, and one of the great things about still living in the house I grew up in is that I get to glance at the height board every now and again.

Anyway, Punksto was up this weekend and it looked like she had grown another 17.5 inches since the last time I saw her. To the height wall! I got her to stand up straight, no slouching, but no tippie toes and I make the mark: 58 inches. That's a tall little girl.

Then I started looking at the and just about died laughing. Cora is the same height at 8 years old as Andrew was, with shoes, at 12.5. We all had a good laugh. But don't worry, Andrew, we were laughing with you, not at you. We all, Cora included, still love you!

Sunday November 21 2010

File under: misc

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FC 121 - Yum Yum Yum

So I know this is a little late in the day to be posting a Friday Comic*, but I really wanted to pick back up this week but couldn't get this comic done yesterday. Please forgive me.

So, as always, I'm sure glad to get Friday Comics back up and going after the latest travel induced hiatus. Not only does it provide at least one semi-decent post per week, but it also is a very necessary outlet for my creativity and groan-inducing humor (take today's comic as an example).

Anyway, hopefully by next week I will be back on my Thursday night/Friday morning posting schedule (although I hope no one will be at their desk on that Friday morning).

Friday November 19 2010

File under: comic

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Canvas Fun - New Kind of Slideshow

I've been playing with a new-to-me feature of HTML called canvas. It allows for new ways to draw, display pictures, do animations, etc. that HTML could never do before. Probably 95% of you will look at this and say "Big whoop. I've seen stuff like that (and better) on the web lots of times." Well, what you've probably seen before is all done in flash. The great thing about canvas is that it doesn't require external software to run. It is built into your browser. That said, it is only fancy modern browsers that support HTML 5.0 as yet. I've been told even Internet Explorer doesn't support it. So if things don't work, it might be your browser. (And I just found that it displays different in firefox than in chrome*, so consider this an alpha version.)

Anyway, you should check it out. If it works and you like it, let me know in the comments. If it doesn't work, let me know that too (and preferably what OS and browser+version you are using). I'm hoping to roll out another travel based canvas project next week.

Wednesday November 17 2010

File under: travel, coding

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2011 Bellingham Circus Guild Calendar

It's that time of year again, time to start thinking about finding a new calendar to hang on your wall, to look at day after day, to entrust your appointments to*. I suggest, if I may, the 2011 Bellingham Circus Guild Calendar. It's got lots of pictures of pretty people doing amazing things, fun facts about the Guild, reminder about Vaudevililngham on the 15th of every month, and, best of all, the proceeds go to support the Guild, to keep the Cirque Lab open for teaching classes, giving awesome performance, and hosting a weekly juggling club* among other things.

Why am I shilling this masterpiece of monthly merriness? Well, just like last year's calendar, I am co-creator. This year, however, I was giving more creative license, and from my side of things, the process was much smoother, so no gripes at all. Just a fun calendar to support a fun group!

To obtain a calendar, come by the Cirque Lab during juggle club or December's Vaudevillingham, talk to a cirque guild member, or contact me. I'd be glad to work out the details (payment, shipping*, etc.). We are asking for a donation of $10-$20 per calendar, and again, the money goes to support the Guild.

To entice you further, here are a couple sample pages: July and May*.

Tuesday November 16 2010

File under: circus, misc

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Sketchy Dude

This past Halloween, I spent a good chunk of the day on a bus coming back from that fancy Rally that everyone has been so excited to hear about. Partially because of this and partly because I just didn't get my act together, I didn't do the whole costume thing. Luckily for me, however, some good friends threw their annual bash this weekend with a costumed theme: superheroes.

I went as Sketchy Guy. What, you've never heard of Sketchy Guy? Or maybe just not in superhero context? Well, let me tell you something, I've got all sorts of super powers. In fact, just come back to my place and I'll show you ;-) (Note to self: picking a costume that allows you to—nay, requires you to say sketchy things through the night is awesome. Awesome.)

Other notable costumes from the party: a spitting image of Mighty Mouse, Scotch Tape Woman*, Captain Hot Sauce, the Cupcake Kid, and possibly the best of all, Soroptimist Prime*.

Even though my costume failed me and I ended up going home alone*, I still had a great time. Costume parties are fun. Best of all, I've put together a costume that I can reuse next time I go out on the town*. Watch out, ladies!

Sunday November 14 2010

File under: misc, beard

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Smashed Pennies

You've all seen them around. They are at just about every hardcore tourist place you can think of: Disneyland, the Space Needle, Maryland rest areas. Penny smashing machines are practically ubiquitous these days, but also offer a great, cheap way of tellin' 'em where you been.

I really like having a mission when I am traveling, something to aim for when I am out meandering so I can objectively say that I had a successful day. Finding penny smashers in the various places I go has become that mission for me. In some places, it is all too easy*. Other places, it is quite a task*.

What do I do with my wallet full of smashed pennies when I get home? Just like any good souvenir, I pass them off to an unsuspecting family member. Jule's collection is actually pretty impressive. Perhaps I'll frame it all up as a photo shoot one day. Until then, I'm off to go find more penny smashers.

Friday November 12 2010

File under: misc

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Quote For Monday - Yum

I saw this outside a store in Toronto and took a picture because it just screamed Monday Quote

One of the great things about traveling is the access to (and an excuse to eat) great food. On this trip, I've been in some of the best cities for food. I've eaten sushi in San Francisco, in Toronto, in Montreal, possibly the fanciest meal of my life at a Jean George* NYC hotspot, real Southern food in D.C., and, of course, all over.

Experiencing (and greatly enjoying) all this great food doesn't need to be only for vacations. So I post this quote as a reminder to myself to eat well whenever I can because food is one of life's greatest pleasures.

Sunday November 7 2010

File under: quote, food

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