Mac Users, go out and buy Leopard...now.

Jon
10.31.07 @ 01:06 PM CST

I just went through the relatively painless install on my MacBook Pro (which is missing a stick of RAM because of faulty airline equipment, thank you very much), and WOW it's a great thing. Spaces alone will make my user experience far more awesome. Stacks is very cool. Spotlight seems far more responsive. Coverflow and quickview are totally awesome. Especially for browsing some of my huge folders full of graphics files. The whole experience is just picked up a notch. I am so happy with it in the limited amount of time that I've had it installed.

Anyway. I am going to go play with my new computer. If you have questions, go here : http://www.apple.com/macosx/guidedtour/

your tires

Bernie
10.30.07 @ 03:43 PM CST

I wish you had mentioned that those crazy tires were making a lot of noise.....we found out the hard way that they have a right and wrong side for being mounted on the car. Something special about their design and dealing with water on the road.....Anyway, it doesn't matter now.

Bridal Shower

Nicole
10.28.07 @ 06:59 AM CST
feeling: relaxed

So I just want to take this blog to thank Joc for everything she did for the bridal shower. I know that you have been wanting to find a way to contribute to the wedding and I just can't believe how much you did (much less making the time to do it).

I also heard that Jon helped with the favors and you guys they were so cute! I got to keep a bunch because there were some leftovers - don't worry everyone left with a favor.

And if any of the other girls read this Thank You! And Al, I'm sorry that it wasn't a surprise.

The ER/DR Shirt is a hit, Part 2

Jon
10.25.07 @ 02:21 PM CST

So, I heard from Kris (my ACEP contact for the shirt) that one of the writers/producers for ER (the TV show) got one of the shirts from the ACEP Scientific Assembly, and they might be using it on the show as a prop. (C'mon Stamos, wear the shirt!)

So, although I won't see a dime from it, it's a tiny little bit of cosmic juice for me if it ends up being used on the show. Hopefully I'll get a heads up about an air date or something so I can TiVo it and put it on my web sites.

Maybe I should send the shirt to Scrubs. On the Scrubs PodCast The Todd said that he'll wear funny T-shirts on the show if people send them to him...so, although they aren't ER Docs, maybe he'll wear one anyway.

Weight and stress

Nicole
10.25.07 @ 11:48 AM CST
feeling: calm and relaxed

So I never really gave much thought to the way that stress changed my weight. I mean, I know that it makes certain people eat more when they are stressed and that Kevin's weight seems to melt off when he gets stressed. Anyway, I have been getting more and more stressed and I noticed that on Wed. I would typically weigh in heavy, recently I have struggled more and more to take off weight and I tried to work out more and eliminate the few bonuses that are in the plan and nothing. So I talked to the girl and we started talking about stress and the way my body has been acting. She told me to not work out and relax so that is what I am doing and since yesterday, I went from being 142 (at home) to 137 (at home). Just because last night I cleared my head and let my body just relax. I feel so great!!!

There's nothing that will keep me from losing those last 7 lbs (well except the food at the potential parties and gatherings that surround Halloween).

Photos

Nicole
10.24.07 @ 11:51 AM CST
feeling: not bad

So I tried to send everyone an email with a picture from the engagement photo shoot that Kevin and I had in fairmount park. Did anyone get the picture to show up? It might have gone into your spam or junk mailboxes so just take a peak and let me know.

If not I will see about getting the password restriction taken down so that people can view our pictures (they look nice).

Something Nice From a Client

Jon
10.23.07 @ 11:52 AM CST

A few of you may remember the ER/DR parody shirt I did for the American College of Emergency Physicians a little while back. A few fewer of you may remember the drama that surrounded the shirt and the controversial use of "ER," and the subsequent death and resurrection of the design. Anyway. The shirt lived on, got produced, and was used as a giveaway item for ACEP's Scientific Assembly (their annual get-together), despite the disapproval of a chief member of their board of directors.

Anyway. Here's what the client had to say upon her return from the event:

"For the record, the ER/DR shirt is a great big giant hit! Everyone was clamoring for the shirt at SA. We’re thinking about using it for an incentive for our graduating residents. Now that it’s been such a huge success, with even our board members wanting to get their hands on one, I’m more than pleased that we stuck to our guns for this excellent design. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication."

And, in case you forgot, here's the design:

discounts

Nicole
10.22.07 @ 12:10 PM CST
feeling: fine

So, you know how when you work somewhere (retail) you sometimes get a discout (which kind people share with their friends). Well I wish I had a friend that worked at Crate and Barrel, becuase they have a vase called the ona vase and it would be perfect for the other centerpieces (since we needed 6 more) now kevin and I have "agreed" on something else but I really want these!!! The bad part is that they are 16 a piece and Kevin capped the price per vase at 10 so unless I can find them for 6 dollars cheaper (or if someone knows someone at Crate and Barrel ) then I guess I will have to go with plan B.

I know it will all be over soon and I won't even remember that they weren't the ones I wanted.

New Business Cards...

Jon
10.20.07 @ 01:23 PM CST

...are here. And, I am super pumped about them. Check them out in all their glory (if somewhat small and blurry) after the jump.

Photos from My Birthday and our Austin Trip...

Jon
10.18.07 @ 10:07 PM CST
listening to: Grey's Anatomy...which totally sucks lately, BTW
feeling: Fine.



So, we've been doing some stuff lately. First, I had a birthday party, and then we went to Austin for our Anniversary...which was also coincidentally the same weekend as the Austin Film Festival. Anyway, I posted photos of those two adventured in a brand new Flickr gallery, so check them out.

So...my tire blew out.

Jon
10.18.07 @ 12:49 PM CST
feeling: F***ing Great

As the title says, my tire blew out. So, I guess that decides the whole "what am I going to do about the noisy tires Dad gave me" conundrum...because I am sitting in a Subway having lunch while the fine folks at Discount Tire replace the offending equipment. Oh well.

On the way to the tire place, while driving on the donut, I noticed how much smoother and quieter the ride was...on the donut! So, perhaps the tires have been my problem all along. I guess we'll see soon enough.

[UPDATE] So, the tires, it seems, were the source and extent of my problems with my car...because the drive back to the office from the tire place was great. My car is SO quiet now, and it doesn't shudder during acceleration, and it doesn't sound like chitty-chitty-bang-bang.

Anyway. Way! My tire blew out and I had an excuse for buying new ones!

I think this would be a good look for me...

Jon
10.16.07 @ 11:07 AM CST

Imagine it's me, and the hair is fauxhawktastic, and orange.

Also - I would keep the goatee I have now, but I wouldn't dye it...so it'd be the brown color it is now. Just imagine it. It'll be awesome.

I would totally wear a suit every day if it would sell the look too. ;-)

dual flush toilets

Nicole
10.13.07 @ 06:26 PM CST
feeling: just fine

I noticed that Joc mentioned the toilets with the flusher for number one and number two, they are called dual flush toilets, they flush at different gallons per flush rates- the number one is only .8 gallons per flush where as the number two is 1.2 (or 1.1) gallons per flush. For LEED points you actually have to count them as though you had two seperate toilets (therefore they aren't always the best choice). There used to be an ultra-low flow toilet that only used .8 gallons per flush but that was done away with because of the problem with flushing number two.

Just thought I could share my college education with others!! After all it cost enough to receive I should put it to good use.

Design Quote...

Jon
10.10.07 @ 11:05 PM CST

"Designing pages in HTML is a lot like having sex in a bathtub. If you don't know anything about sex, it won't help to know a lot about bathtubs."

– Michael L. Kaufman

Losing Weight

Nicole
10.09.07 @ 04:21 PM CST
feeling: okay

So as some of you know I have started using the Pure weight loss system (formally LA weightloss- and apparently they have not changed their name everywhere just in some places). Anyway, yesterday was a weight in day (MWF are my days) and it was day 9 of the diet official starting (there is a 2 day detox- which they don't count as weeks) so anyway, in 9 days I have lost 6.8 lbs which is pretty amazing to me!

Anyway, I feel better, I look so much thinner and all I'm doing is walking a half an hour during lunch and we dance on Tuesdays (at the studio and when we can at home). Needless to say, that I'm not hungry all the time, the people that you check in with are nice and listen to me just talk about challenges or issues and everyday crap if you just want to talk. So yeah!!!

Really Totally Awesome Wine...

Jon
10.08.07 @ 03:42 PM CST
listening to: Mystery Science Theatre 3000 - The Magic Sword

So, this weekend, as you will read below, we had a birthday party for me. As part of that birthday party I bought myself a present to share with the inner circle, a bottle of 1999 Rodney Strong Symmetry Meritage. A Meritage is a blended wine. They use the word Meritage to differentiate it from the other "Red Table Wines" that people put out made of mixed grapes. I'll explain it better some other time if you need me to.

Anyway. The wine was amazing. I payed more for that bottle than I had thought I would ever justify paying for a bottle...but it was totally worth it, because it was a totally awesome bottle of wine.

Anyway, as I was preparing to make this blog entry I went to look up the label to make that fancy-assed graphic I put in the corner, and low and behold, I happened to find a couple of prices for the '99 Symmetry (by Rodney Strong)...$75!

Let's just say I didn't pay anywhere near that much. The exorbitant amount I paid for it wasn't nearly that. Not even half. So, I feel now like it was an even better purchase. It was an awesome wine, and at an awesome price.

Let this be a lesson to you all, dig through the bins at Sam's Club and see if you can find the odd bottle off-vintage. I found my '99 in with the '01s.

Jon's Slumber Party

Jocelyn
10.08.07 @ 11:20 AM CST

We had a birthday party for Jon Saturday night. The theme was a slumber party. Guest were invited to wear PJ's and the food was themed. It was all blankets, pillows or beds. Here is the list of food that Jon and I made:

Blankets:
-Stromboli Sleeping Bag
-Safety Blanket in a Blanket: A take off of our staple appetizer, asparagus, Boursin and prosciutto. We made that bundle and wrapped it again in a doughy blanket
-Pigs in a Blanket

Pillows:
-Spanikopillow
-Curry Veggie Pillow with a cilantro yogurt sauce
-Phyllo pillows with a cherry on top. Phyllo, Cherry Pecan Jam and a small dollop of a soft herby cheese

Beds:
-Cucumber beds with tarragon goat cheese topped with diced greenbeans
-Couch potato-Chip, herby sour cream, and a peice of bacon and chive artfully placed on top
-Endive bed with Wasabi-Broccoli Slaw and Mini-Maryland Crab Cake

Of course we had an ORANGE carrot cake for the birthday cake.

It was a great night. Our house feels great when it's full of people, food and wine.

New Work : Legacy Capital Group Booklet

Jon
10.04.07 @ 03:52 PM CST

I've been working on a project for a petroleum investing company, and it's yielded a pretty interesting graphic, so I thought I'd share it. What you're looking at is a photo of a Texan prairie landscape, superimposed with a conceptual illustration of radially enhanced drilling, and drawings that I did of oil rigs. So, it's a cut-out of a 3-D Model, a Photo, and a few illustrations all put together to illustrate a point. It's also unusually photographic for me, since you know I am apt to try and express things as simply as possible, which normally doesn't involve 3D Models or photo realistic geographical representations. Click it to see it bigger.

A question

Nicole
10.03.07 @ 12:24 PM CST
feeling: dandy

Jon and Joc----did you have a tasting for the food served at your wedding? and Joc was your mom freaking out over whether or not she could attend said tasting?

You can see where this is going----I love our mom but a note to her- the wedding is not in MD and not everyone is accomadating to other people's lives (I'm sorry but I will not feel guilty about picking the reception site that I really wanted).