emclements' Journal

4:34PM - Relocated

Zomg! An entry!

I'm just posting to tell y'alls that I've been blogging someplace else and that if you want to read my blog on LJ you can add this syndicated feed to your friends list. If you want to comment on entries, please do so on the original posts, not the ones on your friends list. A link always appears at the beginning of each post.

<3
Lizz

11:34AM - Art. Theft.

I think that this is, perhaps, the best possible time for me to be writing about something semi-important. It's April Fool's Day. There's a lot going on in the HP fandom. Jokes. Pranks. Everything in honor of Fred and George Weasley. As such, it's more likely that I'll get a clickthru to my blog than I would on a normal day.

I've been working in website design and commercial art for some time. I didn't go to school for it. I don't have a degree. I do, however, have years of experience designing labels, brochures, flyers, ads, business cards, even plates that cut tortilla chips into shapes. My family owns two food manufacturing businesses. I've made my mark on the labels, boxes, and materials associated with their production. Prior to that, we had two stores for which I designed websites. I've created more websites in the past 8 years than I could begin to count. In any case, when taking on a new project I have a few places I go to find artwork. They are mainly collections of graphics found on CDs, in books, and in folders from my computer. All of these items are dubbed "royalty free," they can be used anywhere (although usually no more than five from a single source at the same time), on anything, without advertising for the artist, and they have all been paid for.

Using even the tiniest bit of clipart on an item you intend to sell or even just distribute as "your own" is art theft.

I'm sure there are a handful of "artists" out there thinking to themselves, "Even if I do use this clipart in my design, like the original artist is ever going to come across it!" Admittedly, you're all probably right, but if you're distributing to a niche market this outlook is not only naive but disrespectful. I'll explain shortly.

In addition to all that design crap I just mentioned, I occasionally take photos. I study photography. I try really hard to be better at composition, lighting, etc., everyday. I read about photography. I do research. It's serious business to me. It's a way of expressing myself as well as a way of learning more about the world around me. I have respect for the things I take pictures of. I want to honor them, to give them a place in the world where others can enjoy them as much as I do.

Consequently, I felt absolutely stunned and insulted when I discovered some of my photos being used on a website without my permission and without credit. They were photos of a "niche" market performer on a similarly "niche" market website. In other words, the market itself is small, and it seems as if everyone is familiar with everyone else's business. The market was, of course, wizard rock, and those are all the details I can provide you with at this time.

Whether you consider yourself to be a "professional" website or otherwise, using art or photos created by someone else without consent from the artist makes you disreputable. This includes stealing photos from people on Facebook and MySpace out of peoples' personal albums. Said photo needn't be "artistic" to be considered "art."

If you think people are just going to be okay with you're taking from them, or that they'll be honored that you've chosen their work, you're in for something else entirely.

I am as careful as I can possibly be when contacting photographers about using their images on the Wizrocklopedia. I ask for written permission and be sure to inquire as to whether or not it's all right if we also put their work on Flickr. Some of them have expressed a desire for their work to remain out of our Flickr account. I obliged, no questions asked. We've had artists submit artwork to be considered for inclusion in our Fanart, Wallpaper, and Avatars sections. I reply to all new inquiries with questions about permissions. It's responsible. It's respectful. This way I don't get angry emails, nasty comments, or surprise lawsuits.

There are a number of reasons for my writing about this, most of which cannot be disclosed at this time due to a lack of confirmation from certain parties. My main concern is for those in search of art who receive images from individuals that are guilty of copyright infringement. Wizard rockers, your album artwork and t-shirt designs could be among them. There is absolutely no harm or insult in asking an artist if their source files are royalty free or original. Anyone seeking art that they will eventually use on an object they intend to sell owes it to themselves to do so. If you are an "artist" guilty of art plagiarism, please consider changing your ways. Not only could it wind up being damaging to your career, but also to the careers of others.

11:42AM - Pickity Place Preview

Originally uploaded by gingerbohemian.

I'll be telling you about my new favorite restaurant very soon. In the meantime, here's a photo of the deliciousness that is their mocha tea. Oh, and a sampling of the atmosphere. It's an amazing place and the food is phenomenal. Anyway. Enjoy this little tease of a picture.

2:18PM - The Travel Bug

Last night I found myself actually attempting to write something resembling an article, something that probably hasn't happened in ages (possibly since I wrote the History of Wizard Rock for the Wizrocklopedia). Two of my friends and I have been making monthly trips to this little restaurant in Mason, NH, about an hour from my house. It's a wonderful place with fantastic food and atmosphere. Since our initial jaunt, we've tried capturing the experience in photos. My camera was still a bit broken in January, but I've taken pictures the last two times we've gone. Anyway, I have been meaning to pen a couple write-ups for this very blog. Last night I finally sat down to start.

After getting a few pages of notes out, I migrated downstairs to sit somewhere vastly more comfortable. I brought my iPod and notebook so when I was done with a draft of my write-up I could move on to reviewing a CD or two for the 'pedia (as it were).

Then the phone rang. I found my cousin Carissa's voice on the other end. Asking me if I'd be interested in accompanying her on a 34-47 day European tour practically a month from now.

...

I have to admit that that was the absolute last thing I expected to hear last night. Of course, May is not a good time for me, since I'm already planning on going somewhere from the 17th through the 21st. But she mentioned June and September as possibilities. As much as I would like to spend my birthday in, I don't know, FRANCE, at the present time my plan is to call her back and hope we can plan for September. Then it's work-as-much-as-possible time so that I can afford the $4,000 tour budget.

I'm still in "wow" mode. I've always wanted to do this. Apparently she's 100% ready to go. It's just dependent upon me. I should start taking up a collection.

In any case, just the thought of being able to go has lit another fire under my butt. I spent hours last night going through photos and removing them from our shared PC. While it's unrealistic to think that delving into writing and photography will immediately start generating income (so I can go, gosh darnit) it wouldn't hurt to try.

I therefore got about four hours of sleep and am essentially unable to concentrate at work. It's, like, awful, as I'm supposed to get all of our site renovations completed by tomorrow afternoon for a relaunch on Saturday. And, no, that's not an April Fool's joke!

Ahhh, back to trying to work.
Lizz

5:04PM - VisualDNA Widget

LiveJournal doesn't like it, so here's a link. I think it's kind of cool.

3:30PM - Snowball 1

Originally uploaded by gingerbohemian.

Because he's a handsome, handsome man.

1:20AM

I'm pretty sure almost everyone in the world is annoyed with me right now.

12:08PM - I Miss the Fun

Originally uploaded by gingerbohemian.

Wizard rock is a drug and I'm going through withdrawals.

2:28AM - Lumos Pics Vol. 2: Las Vegas Funness

(pictures of our adventures 7/24-7/26 and 7/30)

11:03PM

someone broke my fucking headphones!

6:13PM - Lumos Pics Vol. 1: The Flight

(a handful of photos in the scrapbook)

9:42PM - Goodnight & Goodbye

It's quarter of 10 and I'm about ready for bed. I've printed directions and confirmations, packed my clothes and electronics, and have some coffee flavored soymilk becoming nice and chilly in the fridge for when I awake at 3:30AM. I just have a few more things to scramble together before I hit the proverbial hay and the next you'll hear from me I'll be out of state.

1:00PM

Everyone cross their fingers and hope that my contacts are on the delivery truck today!!

Edit: They came. YES!! Am so excited. Mom and I are going to Wal-Mart to pick them up, as well as additional travel supplies. Oh joy of joys :D

12:08PM - Lalala I Leave On Monday

So, I haven't been up to a whole lot. For the most part, I've been trying to distract myself from the impending vacation. I am far too excited and nervous to think about anything else, therefore amusing myself with a myriad of other things keeps it fairly distant from my mind.

We cooked on Monday and yesterday. Nothing too exciting, just really hot and exhausting as a result. I drank lots of water and took a nap on the heating pad both times once we were done.

I had a lot of fun bringing Sean to and from the train station over the weekend. On the way home last Thursday night I bought three vegan chocolate chip cookies from Wild Oats in Andover on the way home. They were gone the next day. Yummy yummy cookies.

On Saturday Alli and I drove 3 1/2 hours through Massachusetts and Connecticut to Mt. Kisco, New York to see the Remus Lupins at the public library. It was fun :D I woke up at 5:45 to get ready and then the show didn't start until an hour later than scheduled. We were both really tired, but we enjoyed it immensely. Nina and Lauren from the Moaning Myrtles also came by. They were great as well. Afterward we ate at Olive Garden and headed home. On the way we stopped at Ben & Jerry's and got Cappuchillos. I was wired all night.

I might meet up with the girls making the Wizard Rockumentary for a fan interview whilst in Vegas, which would be fun.

Let's see. I'm finishing listening to an episode of MuggleCast so I'm going to keep writing. Lemme share with you my tentative itinerary for the trip.

On Monday we leave at 5:45AM from Manchester Airport. We have a stop in Cincinnati which arrives at about 8:00AM. Our second flight leaves Ohio at 10:30AM and finally arrives in Las Vegas at 11:33AM. The trip, all in all, is about 8-10 hours, but thanks to differences in time zones the travel time is only sort of 6 hours.

We're staying at the Gold Coast Casino. Yeah, I'm making it pretty easy for you to stalk me :P I'm looking forward to eating at Ping Pang Pong which is on site at the hotel. The Hard Rock Cafe is supposedly across the street. So we're definitely going there. I expect to stop at Jamba Juice on the way to the JW Marriot in the mornings. And we will most likely be dining at one of Wolfgang Puck's restaurants (as per my mother's request).

We will be trying to go to the Beatles: LOVE show, but that all depends on our budget. We'll be walking around and checking out all the free stuff, like the synchronized fountain show, the pirate and siren shows, etc. In reality, we haven't really decided on anything yet.

As far as presentations and such at Lumos, you can expect to see me at Emily Drake's lecture as well as those that deal with Harry Potter and real witchcraft/religoin in general. I might check out the live chess and will most certainly be at the Harry and the Potters concert Thursday night. I am so watching the water quidditch games and will definitely be one of the first people in line for the LeakyMug podcast. For night classes, I'm interested in Arithmancy, Herbology, and History of Magic.

Our flight back will be an adventure. We leave on Monday at 11:00AM and arrive in Atlanta (that's right, Georgia) at 6:00PM. We then have to wait 3 1/2 hours to leave on our next plane which departs at 9:30PM. We should be home by midnight.

I have decided that I would much rather buy a cell phone than a house sweater and tie while at Lumos, so I'll be opening text messaging from my blog so everyone can say hello while I'm there.

My podcast is finished so I'm going to download the most recent one and go walk on the treadmill for awhile.

Later,
Liz

12:07PM - My Meez

yay, taking pictures

4:50PM - So FUNNY Story Involving Fire and MySpace

(x-posted on myspace)

Last year when we were living in the condo near Hood School I started making something for dinner with the stove. I accidentally turned on the wrong burner and a potholder I left next to the stove caught on fire as a result. I would have caught it, too, but for the fact that I'd gone into the living room to do something (I don't remember what). My brother walked into the kitchen to find it there and promptly threw it in the sink where he doused it with water. Everyone joked about me almost setting the house on fire and it was funny.

I've been ever-conscious since that time about keeping potholders away from the stove (as I am still guilty of occasionally putting on the wrong burner). Apparently, however, that was not the lesson I was meant to learn! The thing I was SUPPOSED to realize was that it's stupid to leave the stove unattended.

A few minutes ago I set about cooking up some nice fake chicken strips for lunch/dinner. I had my non-stick frying pan all set with a bit of olive oil and a cover because they're putting down flooring upstairs and I didn't want a bunch of icky wood particles to get in it.

I went into the living room to check MySpace stuff for a MINUTE and return to the kitchen to find the olive oil on fire.

Of course, I don't know what to do exactly, so I just slide it off of the burner while I yell for mom to come and save me. =P

And now I know what to do in case it ever happens again; bring the pan outside and dump the flaming oil onto the pavement. Or at least that's what they did.

It didn't take long for everyone to go back to what they were doing, which left me fanning out the smoke filled living room. It seems I overexerted myself on top of the excitement and ended up having an episode of rapid heartrate. Now I'm exhausted and still don't have anything to eat.

But at least I can bump up the list of times I've almost burned the house down to two!

11:49AM

Yay, we didn't work today!

9:57PM - Yay, Alex in Mt. Kisco

photo taken by my lovely friend khittie

10:27PM - Hey Look! I'm Actually Writing About Something!

I have spent today being almost indescribably bored. And it isn’t like I’ve done absolutely nothing, either. I wrote some messages online, I worked for about an hour and a half, I’ve done laundry and the dishes, made and ate food, exercised, tidied my room, read, and gone shopping. But despite all this, the feeling of disinterest has lingered since I awoke at 8:30. And, when I’m bored (as well as during many other times) I find myself analyzing why I am bored as well as what I would much rather be doing.

We’re all guilty of that, but I’m of the opinion that I analyze myself and my life too much. The hours that I spend thinking over this or that aspect of my existence could probably be put to better use living my life instead.

Every time I do this I get closer and closer to understanding why it is I haven’t achieved what I want to achieve. Finally today I realized that it’s because I’m scared, shy, apprehensive. The stuff I want to do is going to take me away from home and, while I know that that really doesn’t mean anything, it’s just one of those things that makes you afraid of going for it. But if I keep letting that happen I’ll never accomplish anything that means anything to me.

Whether or not work picks up at the kitchen after we get back from Las Vegas is irrelevant to what’s obvious. Working for my family is not working out. Physically I should not be doing the job that I do. I have a freaking spinal fusion. The tension caused by the repetitive motion and standing all day is doing a lot of damage. I know it. And while it isn’t painful all of the time, it’s clear that it’s because of the job. I rarely, rarely had any back pain prior to working on the line full time. I mean, there was that one time I was holding my hamster’s tank and pulled a muscle from sneezing, but that was it. Then I started doing the “general laborer” thing and I tore a goddamn muscle SITTING UP from a reclined position. I might be in denial about a lot of things, but I’m not that bad.

I love Richard, and my mother and brothers of course, and I don’t know what’s going to happen if I stop working for the company. I mean, I don’t have to stop working for them entirely. I do the Internet stuff. That is the very opposite of labor intensive. And it’s part time. I could very well just get a part time job somewhere else and still assist in establishing our empire. We’re not in a bad financial situation or anything, but we’re a small business. When you hire outside of the family it’s more expensive. It just is. They expect things that employees related to you will go without for the sake of “the unit’s” entire wellbeing. I honestly have no trouble going without things like health plans and 401Ks and the like, but I’ve been doing this for… two years? Furthermore, someone like me should not be without insurance.

Will a part time job offer insurance coverage? No, but with a steady income I can afford to pay for one myself. It will also mean traveling expenses for things like being in films, taking photos, and researching my travel guide (not to mention better food, clothes, and entertainment).

The problem is that I haven’t a clue where to work. I’ve been spoiled working in a factory. Very few people to deal with, you can listen to your iPod, and most of the time lunch is provided. Angry, bitter, arrogant, perverted, and generally strange people both anger and scare me. Working in retail is full of said such people. Working at the movie theater was hell. The “clientele” were rude, impatient, drunk, on drugs, sometimes violent, and I very often came across creepy guys whose main pastime was leering and the girls behind the concession counter. Needless to say, after the experiences I had at the theater I’m incredibly wary of finding additional employment.

Unfortunately it’s necessary. And again, I’m clueless as to where to start. I know where I want to end up, but getting there is going to take some time.

Alli is moving to Maine. Teresa works all the time. I know that I’m not going to stay in New Hampshire, but I don’t know where I’m going to end up. Maybe I’ll move closer to New York City first. I don’t know. My overly analytical mind has to stop somewhere for awhile and take a break!

6:43PM - Mike Conquers the Couch

( I put this on MySpace, but I might as well put it here, too. )