Freshen up

Does this economy have you down? Are there less emails flowing through your inbox these days? Is the winter weather giving you cabin fever? Do you, as a freelancer feel like you're ready to hang yourself?

Sometimes working from home as a graphic designer can be the most rewarding job imaginable but other times it can be lonely and a little depressing. There aren't other coworkers pushing you along. It's just you, all day every day and sometimes that just isn't enough to keep you motivated.

I'm the same, of course. But Jaden over at Freelance Switch has some great tips on how to keep you, the freelancer, chugging along. Things like, "Don’t let the naysayers weigh you down," and, "Eat healthy." She also wisely advises you to watch less television and have more sex, both will get your brain working again.

Good luck and get back on the wagon!

Slow start

Somehow nobody in this home woke up before 9:08 am today. It's cold and dark and blustery outside. While we, the humans, had our morning cup of tea Lola decided to snuggle in for a I've-just-woken-up nap complete with dreams and cuteness.

They're Californian and they don't like the rain either

This post started out as a whine-fest about how we've been sick for a total of ten days and it's been raining for that many days too. And how tonight was supposed to be our first night out together to have a romantic stroll around Carlsbad but now it's pouring and we probably won't go out but instead sit at home and watch another random movie from our Netflix queue. But then I remembered how most of my family and friends have been living in an arctic air blast for much of the last two months and it made me giggle so I thought I'd stop whining and just let you know the dogs are bored.

Who knew they were capable?

I don't know what got in the water in Washington but the government is suddenly acting like it's the 21st Century. Republicans and Democrats alike are everywhere, on YouTube, on Facebook and now they're all over Twitter. (If you don't know, Twitter is an online messaging system that lets you stay connected to your friends in 140 characters or less.) Congress is really getting in on the fun. Via a new website, tweetcongress.org, I was able to find and follow one of California's Senators, Barbara Boxer. But the other Senator and my local Representative were mockingly labeled with silly speech bubbles. Get with the times Feinstein!

Click here to find your representatives.

Millions of Peaches

February showers bring Spring flowers, or at least that's how it goes in Southern California.

Meet Peachy. He's so adorable. This is his third year in my yard and every time I look at him I swoon with adoration. He has been through some of the toughest times in my garden. Like when I didn't think I had to water more than once every two weeks because I grew up on the East Coast and you didn't really have to water except in the brutal August heat. It wasn't August, so why water? It's only 18% humidity and we get a maximum of 9 inches of rain per year? Why would I water?

Then he survived my oldest sister trying to kill him. (That's right, Jen, I went right for the jugular with that one. Oldest sister.) Peachy was weak and frail but I insisted he would be great if we could just get him in the ground. Reluctantly Jen planted him but then as soon as I turned my back she kicked him! With a full-force karate-style kickboxing move unleashed from the depths of the earth she spun around and HI-YA!

Peachy held strong unlike so many before him and today he is a beautiful young lad and I hope lots of honeybees come smooch his flowers for Valentine's Day.