The Blonde Leading the Blind


For Crying Out Loud
March 6, 2009, 10:44 pm
Filed under: The Adventures, The Blonde, The Job | Tags: ,

Ending your Friday in tears as you drive home is always a great way to start a weekend.

It’s been a really stressful few weeks, and by about 4:45 p.m. this afternoon, my strength had just waned too far.  Hi, my name is the Blonde, and I’m a crier.  OK, so that’s a lie.  Truthfully, I’m a loud, foul-mouthed, passive-aggressive, who when too stressed, really upset, or truly angry, would prefer to unleash a tidal-wave- sized tirade of snarky comments infused with lots of witty barbs and choice curse words that would make your always inappropriate cousin Earl totally blush.

But…of course, that’s just not how we do things in a quasi-civilized society.  So instead, I keep most of my emotions in check, and when the shell starts to crack, I cry.

I cry because I can’t remember to do anything anymore unless I write it down, which means a lot of things have just gone undone lately.

I cry because my workspace is in total chaos as I move from one location to another and can’t find anything I need anywhere, nor the couple hours of free time I need to just get it done.

I cry because things have been unsettled at work since Christmas, and I can’t remember what it feels like for things to be normal.

I cry because I’m neglecting my blog, my books, and other things that bring me peace, because I’m trying to live healthier and cook at home, and pack my breakfast and lunch, and take the dogs for walks, and workout every day.

I cry because I know if I don’t neglect these things, I’ll never have to the chance to do the one thing I want most.

I cry because my job responsibilities are changing, and while I’m excited to have new opportunities and to work with new colleagues on new projects, I’m heartbroken about no longer being a part of the team of people that have made my job rock for the past three years.

I cry because it’s only two months before we leave for our dream vacation, and I’ve not been disciplined enough to meet one single goal I set for myself.

I cry because I feel guilty at how my feeling overwhelmed and stressed out impacts my family.

I cry because I can’t stop crying.

And when I can no longer feel my heart flip-flopping like a fish in my chest, my pulse pounding in my temples, and my mind running through the virtually endless checklist of all the things I’ve left undone, I stop.

And tomorrow is a brand new day.

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Wiley Design Challenge
October 8, 2008, 11:50 am
Filed under: The Job | Tags: , , , ,

Calling all graphic designers, Photoshop fans, and budding artists…unless you’re my husband, siblings, or Mom.

The Tech Marketing team at Wiley just launched the Wiley Design Challenge as part of our Adobe CS4 promotion.  Photoshop users and designers will have a chance to win their way onto a Wiley book cover and  have their design featured on a nationally distributed book and in our book promotions.  Plus, there’s cash prizes, free books, and SmugMug memberships for other winners!

Think you have what it takes to design the next cover for author Al Ward’s Photoshop for Right-Brainers: The Art of Photomanipulation, 3rd Edition?  Looking for an outlet for all the pent up creativity?  Just like winning stuff? 

Then visit the Wiley Design Challenge website and check out the contest rules. 

What?  You don’t have a creative bone in your body?  You don’t even know what Photoshop is?  You’re my Mom and just like seeing pictures of your kid on the Internet?

Then take a look at the judges page to see The Blonde in all her ridiculous Photoshop glory.

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SIGGRAPH 2008
August 24, 2008, 6:50 pm
Filed under: The Job, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

I’m back at home after spending a week in Los Angeles at SIGGRAPH 2008, a huge 3D, game development, and animation conference, that I attend every summer to promote (and sell) several of the high-end graphics books that Wiley publishes in the 3D and animation space.  As the marketing manager assigned to SIGGRAPH, I’m responsible for planning our tradeshow booth, selecting the appropriate titles to stock at the show, booking advertising, organizing author events, and creating signage to display in the booth to showcase our books and generate sales.

It’s one of my biggest shows each year, but it’s also one of my favorites.

I get to hang with my West Coast coworkers – Mariann and Alison – that I usually only get to work with via conference calls and email. Here they are at the Wiley booth during this year’s show.

It’s also a chance to meet our rock star authors face-to-face.

Like Eric Keller, author of Introducing ZBrush…

And, Scott Spencer, author of ZBrush Character Creation: Advanced Digital Sculpting…

Who both made author appearances at the Wiley booth during the show along with Lee Lanier (Advanced Maya Texturing and Lighting) and Dariush Derakhshani (Introducing Maya 2008).  Several other authors were at the show and stopped by the booth to chat including: Jason van Gumster (Blender For Dummies), George Maestri (3ds Max at a Glance), and Don Seegmiller (Advanced Painter Techniques).

If you’re looking to learn how to use 3D and animation software or to improve your rigging, rendering, and modeling skills , these are definitely the guys you want helping you out.

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