Sunday night, ouch!!

Where the heck did my week go?? I really can't remember it flying away, but it did. At least tomorrow is a day off and I don't have too much on my plate. I hope to be creative at least a few hours.

The pain from yesterday's fall hit me about an hour into my day at work. My neck is kind of stiff and sore, and my lower back is really uncomfortable. The worst annoyance is my left arm, the one I use my cane with. Of course it hurts on my right wrist, too since that is the one I broke this summer. AARRGGHH!! Why did I have to get hurt again? I don't do pain well. I have chronic pain every day so I should be used to it, but new pains just put me over the edge. I am already at about max without the extra. I hope I will be able to paint this week, but I am not going to bet on it. I don't know if I will be able to sit that long. I am pretty happy with the progress I have made since my broken arm. I was worried I would have a major artistic setback, but that seems to be unfounded.

Tess and Athena and I had a great time at the bead store last week, and have several unfinished projects apiece. Now we just need to order the silver and Swarovskis we need, and get cracking on them. Tess is designing some really cool purses, I think Athena has the beads to do at least one necklace and a bracelet or two. I didn't get that many things, just some beads for a challenge featuring fun colors and whatever we deem to be fun at the moment. I have started a couple of bracelets and have taken them back apart. Haven't got the clear vision yet, so may have to go pick up some seed beads to add to what I have so I can do more what I see in my head. I have a wrapped and twisted image in my mind, but haven't exactly worked it all out yet. I will post a shot of it when I get it done.

At work today I was showing my friend, Ed, this cool centrifuge and we were both wondering what the original use was. He said, why don't you try looking it up on the internet. I had one of those Homer Simpson moments where I should have slapped myself on the forehead and said, "D'oh!!!" I looked on the centrifuge and it had the words Babcock Tester on it. I discovered a picture of it in an ad from 1904. Babcock used the thing to test the amount of butterfat/cream in his cow's milk. He patented it in 1903, but he wasn't the first. He wrote about it in a paper in 1890. The test became known at the Babcock Test. Someone else held a patent on a similar device, too. Pretty cool what you can find on the internet. More information than you probably ever wanted to know.

I am excited about Antique Week. It is held here every February. Harry Rinker, "The Collector Inspector," will be in our store on Saturday. He is alway interesting, and very entertaining. He is doing art appraisals, and antique appraisals in other locations, too. It kind of kicks off the new year's buying season. I hope things pick up.

We are also getting some cool new equipment at work on the printing side of the business. The first is a plotter-style vinyl cutting machine. It will cut vinyl for signs, and a special vinyl material which is heat-pressed onto clothing, like athletic jerseys. The second prints in full color directly on garments. I think that will be a big seller for us. I can imagine there being businesses and people who will buy 10 or 20 shirts instead of one or two, just because they are so "pretty." I know I will put some of my artwork on shirts and probably on bags, too. I love being able to promote myself with things people will actually use.

I have to get started on the design for my public art project. It is huge and I know it will be a big pain in the butt, but I hope it will also be good exposure for my artwork.

I will probably check in here again tomorrow. If for no other reason than to say Hi! and to give an update on my pain level. Today it is probably a 4 if I don't move and a 6 if I do.