Computer Migration Gone Awry

Computer rebuilds are in the near future at work and it will make my team inoperable.

Everything is going on serious lockdown and our software won't run.

The company solution is to put a few people on macs, since they won't support 2 Windows environments.

I was recently added to the Teams group on the laptop rebuild, which is stressful because I know I'll see that rebuild email any day now.

We were supposed to get our MacBook Pros in mid-October.

Yesterday, we finally got them.

I cancelled my day off and went into the office to see my manager and one other person on my team.

It was so nice to see them!!!

We got our computers and then sat and chatted for a while.

The tech people said first thing GO HOME because the internet in the office can't handle the setup.

I ran the update last night.

It took a long time.

HOURS.

Now I am having MAJOR issues since my project files didn't sync to my OneDrive and are stuck on my old computer.

My external hard drive access is active on the old computer and I thought we were supposed to have it on the Macs but we don't.

I got kicked off company resources IMMEDIATELY on my old computer; I was not expecting that.

I'm kinda screwed.

I have 37 gigs of project files- 5 months' worth- stuck on the old laptop.....

This is VERY stressful.... I was hoping to have everything done over the weekend and be up and running Monday.........

This has swallowed my whole day; needless to say I am not out painting!

Dance Pictures & Cat Discovery

Here are the three action shots from Move NYC.

Photos by Matt Karas

In other news, the cats have discovered the new futon.
Furball and Isis remain synchronized.

*********
There were layoffs at work this week and my team is ok but it is enormously stressful.

I feel weird in general and incredibly just burnt out.

Like my brain doesn't work anymore like it used to.

Maybe it is also that I'm at the end stage of a really long and intense life phase, and I'm feeling it very strongly.

2023 will be the biggest life transition I have had since Daya was born.

I feel really overwhelmed.

__PRESENT

USC and New Sits

Today the dance school of the University of Southern CA (USC) had an all-day info session event.

We went.

They have a really excellent dance program.

The kids spent all day in master classes, and parents got to hear all about the school from admissions, a couple of faculty, alumni, and alumni parents.

It's a great school but the main thing is Daya doesn't want to go, she knows it isn't a good fit for her and I agree.

The program is excellent but it isn't the environment she wants.

It doesn't "feel" like Daya.

Juilliard "felt" like Daya. I would say if it didn't but it does.

She is still applying and I have no idea why, and I think we need to discuss this more.  

Move NYC thinks she should apply.

Here's the thing though- after she submits the pre-screener (due Dec 1) the auditions are in LA. 

In January. 

Which means a 3 day trip out west.
If she had her heart set on it I guess I'd have to do it but it seems like a huge waste of time and a lot of money to me, and I'm not willing to do that. I already can't afford anything and I have a LOT of senior year expenses coming up. 

I'm drowning.

There was a mom at the USC event from Baltimore.

She was the most obnoxious dance mom I think I have ever met.

She would not. shut. up. about her kid.

Braggy Mc Braggerson, to anyone who even stood next to her.

OMG.

She made it a point to tell everyone all the things her daughter can do.

She name-dropped choreographers I have never heard of and also don't care.

She bragged about............

Ready?

Her daughter gets weekly private lessons with........

(once in person and 3 over zoom/month...)

......

A ROCKETTE!!!

!!!!!!!!!

No one even responded to this.

It isn't even worth mentioning to be honest.

I actually feel sorry for her if that is her kid's training-claim-to-fame.

I don't think she understands that saying that to LaGuardia and MoveNYC and Manhattan Youth Ballet people is pretty embarrassing.

We New Yorkers don't give a shit because we are the real deal so we have no need to respond.

Courtney (also Lag/Move/MYB) and I just looked at each other.

This lady also made sure the entire room knew she does not need nor qualifies for ANY financial aid.

It was so gross.

Who does that?

*******************

Um, ok, this is lame but I miss my old couch.

I know that is stupid and I know I had good reasons for getting rid of it (mainly the disgusting armrests that were also an actual safety issue) but still.

I can't have anyone over because there is nowhere to sit.

Because I 1) am getting older and 2) I have too much stuff- almost all of it from many years ago- I have been in the years-long process of cleaning out my life. I do not have very much New Stuff (I am not a  Stuff Collector) but I do have too much Old Stuff.

I wanted to do this when I turned 40 and it is 5 years later but whatever.

It's been a slow ongoing process and I have a chaos pile where the old couch was because I brought everything out to go through it.

To my credit I have eliminated several- a lot- of garbage bags of i-dont-even-know-what and the pile never seems to diminish.  It's very discouraging.

Since I have been so slow about actually going thru the chaos pile and also I do want to have people visit, I thought getting a New Thing to Sit On would help motivate me.

so I did it.

But funds are so tight and so is space so instead of another sleeper bed couch I got a futon-couch.

This is the stock photo.
I had to cat-proof it.

It is not anywhere near as comfy as my old loveseat couch.

HOWEVER... it works. (I think??)

I think it is a temporary thing, maybe I will upgrade again in a few years.

I want another Comfy Couch, and this isn't it.

It is not as comfy, it is lower to the floor... but it is Something and 2 people can sit on it.

I can also have an overnight visitor (Dru??)

It is also lightweight enough for me to move around, and extra bonus, IT DOES NOT BLOCK MY PAPER CABINET.

The cats are not obsessed with it like they really were with the couch and I find that to be strange.

Also I would like to know how can I make Pebbles less annoying?????

Immersive Frida Left me Flat

Today I visited my friend Georgina and we went to the immersive Frida Kahlo exhibit in Brooklyn.
Beforehand I hung out with Georgina at her place.  She lives on the Lower East Side and can go on the roof of her building.

The views are pretty fantastic.

Putting this here so I don't forget because it is AMAZING and I need to find some... I'm sure I can get it in my neighborhood. 

Georgina has 2 cats and here is one of them.  The other is orange and they are brothers.

We went to the Frida exhibit in DUMBO.

I love Frida and was expecting good things.

Also, this exhibit was done by the Frida Kahlo estate so it leaves a big question..............

Ok what's missing?

THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE IMAGE OF ANY PAINTING IN THE WHOLE EXHIBIT.

I know Frida was very political, and I know her horrific injury overshadowed her life (and Diego) but..... you cannot separate Frida from her paintings.

You just can't.

Nothing about her makes sense without them.

I told Georgina the exhibit was like a soup with all your favorite things in it but no salt.

She agreed.

If the exhibit was a biographical exhibit about a non-painter it would have been perfect.

We took pictures....

Both of us in the mirror...

There was a retro-photo booth thing that Frida-ized your picture. Here is mine:

I just can't get over the complete absence of any paintings.

Painting the Pratt Library Again

I went to Pratt to paint the library, and to say hi to Jason.

It was really warm today and our fall foliage looks good.

Also, it has been 4 years since I painted the library and I wanted to compare.

(I can't believe it has been 4 years)

8x10 oil, 2 hours 40 mins or thereabouts

I think I have improved a lot.

This is my painting from 4 years ago in the same spot.

(It was COLD and after fall foliage)

******************

There is a lot of construction on campus.

There is an ugly chain link fence around the fountain in the courtyard.

It feels really different, kind of weird to be honest.

There are swipey things on the doors, which is kind of dumb because you can still just walk in through Willoughby and all the buildings are connected.

Jason is still working at the Pratt Library.

He worked there when I worked there, last century.
It was so nice to see him today.

He looks great.

He says I look great but I think he looks better.

The library has changed a lot.
There are doors where there were never doors and also swipey turnstiles so alumni like me can't just walk in anymore.

And I definitely can't go in through the window anymore like I used to.

That kind of sucks.

They finally got rid of the dreadful ugly painting monstrosity that was hanging on the wall right when you walk in.

They got more serious about keeping people off the roof of the main building.

You can't go into the sub-basement of the Engineering building without getting caught by sensors.

Jason says the tunnels under the library are also closed.

(I don't think I was ever in those tunnels but now I want to go.)

Life is no fun anymore for anyone.

2 Things Spoken for the Very First Time

THING 1:

Baclava is blocking the tv.

I went to Brooklyn to visit Kedrin.

Bitz joined.

Brooklyn is pretty in the autumn,

I let Kedrin know I had arrived by texting her a pic of her front door.

Kedrin made birthday sushi for us and got birthday baclava at Costco.

Part of the baclava was birthday baclava; the rest is her annual stock-up.

There were boxes of baclava blocking the tv, which we weren't even watching.

We couldn't have even if we wanted to because it was blocked by baclava.

We were thinking about trying to connect my ipad to the tv but gave up because 1) we don't know how and it is an old tv so probably can't do it and 2) there was baclava blocking the tv anyhow.

Birthday baclava and a candle borrowed from the bathtub make for the best birthday wishes!

THING 2:

I miss having covid.

Spoken by Kedrin's neighbor.

Yeah, really.

We were leaving and her neighbor was walking the dog. (Link; he is gorgeous). 
We were talking about covid and loss of smell, and how it is an olfactory vacation from all the pot fumes.

That's when her neighbor said yeah I miss having covid.

45 at Pier 26

I am 45 today.
It is very weird.

I'm old to younger people and young to older people.

I'm definitely old enough to say how the hell did this happen.........

I am solidly GenX,
Actually, I'm in a sub-generation called the Xennials because I grew up analog like early GenX but I also grew up with computers and video games like the Millennials, but I am no Millennial.

I belong to a Transition Generation.

I'm glad I knew life before social media and cellphones.

I have still never had a cavity.

Nor do I intend to, ever.

Also, I'd really love to have a midlife crisis but it seems like such a luxury.

I refuse to ever stop wearing fun colors in my eyeshadow, especially green, even though these days I mostly never even get dressed.  I do get a lot of compliments on my eyeshadow so going by that it's probably pretty ok. I will wear literally ANY color eyeshadow and I do know how to do it properly.

Speaking of which, I did get the new Urban Decay palette:

On all the days I work from home (most days) I cycle for my workout.
I also swim but not every day or as much as I should... I have to...go... to the pool... I love it but I have to...go..... there...

Anyhow I'm up to 13 miles in 30 minutes on my stationery bike and I think that's pretty respectable.

I can be weirdly disciplined at certain things, like an on/off switch... and total crap at other things.

But my daily workout is non-negotiable.
I don't even really enjoy it to be honest, but my body needs it and I can tell the difference if I am off-schedule.

Aside from general health, I need my body to have the stamina to schlepp around painting gear.

********************

So anyhow, today............

I had no plans.

Daya said happy birthday and was nice to me, although she wouldn't give me a hug.
But she was nice to me. I love when Daya is nice to me.

And of course she had dance.

I had no other plans but there was a pumpkin carving thing at the boathouse (season is over but volunteers still hang out) so I thought I should go be around nice people and do something fun.

And I also thought maybe I should do a painting down at Pier 26.

This painting took over 3 1/2 hours and based on yesterday (weather was the same today) I DRESSED PROPERLY and I WAS SO HOT OMG!!

I took my jacket off and put on sunblock.

Ridiculous.

I was really exhausted by the end of this painting.

8x10 oil

Many people stopped by to say nice things and it felt good.

Sometimes I need cheerleaders.

I have to remember the positive energy I get from NYC when I get too grumpy.

(I am a grumpy Scorpio)

Because I just painted the Pier 26 sign and my head was exhausted, I made a Pier 26 pumpkin.

I messed it up twice but whatever.

All our pumpkins.

Kedrin made an equation pumpkin which is truly terrifying and also awesome.

Someone made a "zombie" sitting on the bench... I really thought he needed flotation but no one else thought so, since he wasn't going on the dock.

Whatever, he needs flotation because he is a Boathouse Zombie.

Oh, my commute home was so stupid.

I took the F but one of the doors broke in my car.
The conductor was SO ANGRY.

Like it was his very own personal F train.

He was yelling at us like we did it.

Asked if we saw anything.

The bum sleeping on an entire bench even woke up.

The train went out of service at Roosevelt Island and he YELLED into the intercom BEAUSE OF POSSIBLE VANDALISM.

I have never seen such an ANGRY conductor!!

At Roosevelt Ave I saw a rat with a huge snack so of course I immediately texted him to Dru.

And that's how I turned 45.