Category Archive

8 days ago, I started my new job at Concur Technologies in Redmond. I am exceedingly thankful to my family and friends for the outpouring of support they have given me to get me where I am today. But in actuality, it is through them that God made it happen. I finally have a job that is using my talents in graphic design and it is exciting! But it’s not all easy, as I’m constantly facing new challenges daily, but I am eager to learn and really harness what I’ve learned from high school to today. Thank you for being on that journey with me.

I am currently in a short term contract working in Concur’s Marketing department. The staff are very warm, friendly, and helpful. I love it, and I’m not just saying that to kiss up (in case the powers that be are reading). I mean it! I hope to work hard and we’ll see where it goes from there.

One of my younger twin sisters have now graduated from college. I can tell from all my siblings and conversations with the parental unit that our upcoming vacation to Daytona Beach is something we are all really looking forward to. We all need that escape from the chaos and frustrations of normal life. I am really hoping for our adventure to be very low key, refreshing, and most importantly, stress free. My mother announced her retirement, to happen in about a month (Mom, I hope you don’t mind me mentioning that). I am proud of her for doing so, I feel like my career as an artist, designer, design consultant (whatever I end up being for this time in my life) is something worthwhile and worth meaning, to not only myself, but my family, friends, and the Kingdom.

Progress on the new version of Slipstream is coming along. I’ve updated the teaser page to reflect the logo which will be used in the next theme.  While excited, there is still much I have yet to learn (at least learning how to make it work!). So, if everything goes to plan, it will be a moderately content heavy site. It’s more than just a portfolio or blog this time.

As for the extra content, I would like to make this post an open invitation. If you consider yourself in one of the following categories: writers, copy editors, journalists, photojournalists, bloggers, trend setters, philosophers, theologians, web surfers, designers, web media moguls or have interest in posting links about technology, arts & entertainment, gaming (all types), faith & theology… contact me via email and let me know what you like doing or currently doing in your life. This can be both an extracurricular activity  or something that takes very little of your time, and I’m talking very little. In your email, please include a link to your blog, articles you’ve written, Flickr gallery or attach works you are proud of. This invitation for collaborators is open at least to the end of the year, so if you aren’t free now, you’ve got time to consider it. Lord knows you actually do have the time, but you just don’t want to admit it. Everyone can at least find ten minutes of Facebook stalking to cut out of their week. Heck yes, I went there!

I discovered widgets within the dashboard of WordPress that I was unaware of being available to me. Thusly, you may notice a search box, calendar, del.icio.us feed, categories, and tag cloud now added to the left. It may improve your visits to this blog, or they may not. But isn’t it swell to know they are there? Unfortunately, and someone please tell me if this is just a bug with the new WordPress or not… but as I’ve added said widgets, my blogroll list has now poofed. How do I get it back? I did nothing to make it go away.

In my CSS studies, I’m now learning the big kahuna: page layout! Oh this is fun.

Both my weekdays and weekends are really starting to look about the same. A lot of studying CSS, dvd watching, web surfing, and Skype chatting. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Happy New Year and all that cheesiness. I always thought the ball-drop stuff was rather lame. I watched Seattle’s version, showing the Space Needle being lit up from bottom to top as the countdown began, ending in the fireworks, yadda-yadda. Maybe I’m just in an apathetic time of my life when it comes to celebrations that overuse style, rather than provide actual substance.

Substance. It’s something I really learned to appreciate this Christmas holiday. I learned to really cherish the honest and open conversations over coffee with friends and family. Appreciating each other, life, Jesus. All of that. I felt refreshed and loved, and am immensely proud of the family I was born into.

I’m now back in Seattle, a few hours from hitting the sack and starting once again the weekly grind of which has been absent from my daily life since December 20th. The Lord has grace and has given me extended security and safety in a ridiculously easy position. It is one I moderately enjoy but otherwise long for something more… creative? exciting? challenging? Sure, I am accomplishing something for a company, as is any position, but my parents and I spent a great many hours and moneys on a certain degree that I would love to see fruit from. At least I’m not the only one in the world with a small clinch in their plan. But it is another example of God’s plan and sovereignty.

Newest to my blogroll is the journal of a fellow roommate I call John. He invites any and all to read and ponder. Is your blog not listed yet? Let me know and link it in the comments.

Also, in classic Slipstream fashion, a broken “promise” continues, almost like a looming “website update”. My computer upgrade has been pushed further due to how certain components of my old machine just don’t jive with new ones. Thus I had to make another visit to newegg this morning. I’ll spill the complete specs list of my new build once the time arrives. Like a wizard, this new build is neither early, nor late. It arrives precisely when it means to.

In other news, a recent Borders purchase spree let me come with some interesting films to reflect on. The first of which I watched and absorbed tonight is a film called Heima. It’s actually a documentary following the Icelandic band, Sigur Ros. I want to visit Iceland so bad right now, it hurts. I want to backpack there before I die. That, and New Zealand. If someone would like to fund said trip(s) and take me with them, please let me know. I’ll appreciate you (more).

I close with this: When in the darkest and loneliest time of your day, fervently seek Him. Read from your Bible. Daily. Then read some more.

I made the switch after a 5 year stint with Blogger. Sorry Blogger, you served me well, but things change as they say. The theme I selected is just temporary, but isn’t it interesting how that cloud swirl is so similar to my Slipstream logo?

To view my old blog, click here.