Does anyone chat here anymore?

last modified: Sunday, November 08, 2009 (4:33:04 AM CST)

I was away for awhile due to being excessively busy, and it seems like the rubberslug chat is always empty now. When's a good time to catch up with people? I miss you all :-)

- Karen

Does my new main page work?

last modified: Saturday, March 14, 2009 (2:13:24 PM CST)

I got fancy with my gallery main page. Basically the left side images have a somewhat random layout and selection. Slayers cels show up more often than non-slayers cels, but that kind of reflects what's in the gallery. Can you see images on the left hand side? Do they look ok? Do they randomize for you? Do the image links seem to go to the right pages? I've tried ie7 and firefox 3, but any other browser input is appreciated!

Oh... I added more Slayers cels, too... enjoy!

Edit: I meant to say the images are on the left side of the page, not right. Also, this is done using javascript hosted externally from rubberslug.

Thanks!

- Karen

9th Year Anniversary

last modified: Wednesday, November 05, 2008 (10:09:08 PM CST)

I bought my first cel on November 3rd, 1999. It was of Xelloss, of course ;-) At the time I firmly believed I'd never fill an entire book with cels. I really need to learn to stop saying I'll never be able to do something ^^; I uploaded 90 items in celebration over the last couple weeks.

My new sign language classes are going ok, but I'm having trouble thinking of a good way to take notes in class. A lot of signs are covered in a short period of time, and it's really hard to capture hand and finger motion in words (ok, next to impossible so far). I don't have anyone to practice with outside of class, so I don't always realize if I'm signing correctly or not when I practice alone. I'm trying to find someone from class to meet up with to study, but that hasn't worked out so far. Gotta keep trying!

I'm not happy with my new hearing aids, I'm getting a ton of feedback which not only hurts my ears, but draws unwanted attention to myself in meetings. They are redoing the ear pieces for a 3rd time and I hope this helps, or I wasted nearly $7000 - they were even more expensive than previously estimated.

Work's been nutty busy but is still generally fun, which is a good thing. I haven't had much time for anything outside of work, but I'm working on improving my work/life balance.

- Karen

Hanging in there

last modified: Saturday, August 30, 2008 (2:27:41 AM CST)

Overall, things are going well. I try to be thankful for what I have every day. I've been board gaming with friends about once a week. I go to a craft party once a month. Work is generally going well, and I gave another lecture at a different game conference. Most of my major health issues are currently stable.

On the downside, my hearing is becoming an increasing problem. At my last lecture, I had a horrible time attempting to do Q&A. Although I knew the material inside and out, I couldn't understand the questions. I don't know if I'll be able to give lectures anymore... I'm trying to come up with some solution that doesn't overly rely on other people.

My hearing is also causing other issues... I tried to buy a cellphone this week. They didn't have a single phone in the verizon store that would work with my hearing aids, and couldn't offer or order any solution that would work for me. I have wanted a pda phone for such a long time, but if I got one, I wouldn't be able to answer it. The basic cell phone I have now I can still somewhat use with my existing hearing aids, but it's old and falling apart, plus getting increasingly too quiet for me. The headset I use with it isn't compatible with newer cellphone models. I'm considering getting bluetooth hearing aids, but they are $6000 and I've heard a lot of people complain about them... I'm hesitant to make the plunge. I don't really want a non-verizon phone because everyone I call has verizon, it makes my phone bills a lot cheaper.

What really worries me is the very real possibility I eventually won't be able to hear at all. I lip-read to fill in gaps, but I'm nowhere near good enough to replace sound entirely. I have to keep on coming up with ways to compensate so I can try to lead as full of a life as possible. I'm trying really hard not to let it take over my life, and I'm depressed how hard it's making things, both in terms of my career and general social interactions. I really, really hope that medical technology catches up soon and my inoperable nerve degeneration becomes fixable. I also hope that someday someone can figure out what's really wrong with me, overall.

Other than my increasingly deafness fears though... things really are going well. I hope to update my gallery soon, so stay tuned.

- Karen

64 more items, 124 in last 10 days

last modified: Thursday, March 13, 2008 (12:55:21 PM CST)

I've been busy scanning and updating... lots of new stuff to see. Lots more to still add, but not sure when I'll get to it. I love my new lost universe hanken cels... they are so cute *^_^*

- Karen

60 item update, lots of newness

last modified: Thursday, March 06, 2008 (1:29:30 AM CST)

I took a break from unpacking to update my gallery. After 60 items, I ran out of steam. I'll do the rest later ^^;

The conference I went to went great. My lecture was delivered to a very packed room (hundreds of people) and seemed well-received. So that piece of stress is out of the way, lol. I did go to the video games live concert when I was there, and it was a blast. They had the guy from youtube who can play mario brothers blindfolded on a piano, and he was awesome in person.

I started my new job and like it so far. I'm looking forward to have a clearer idea on everything the group is doing, but that will take time, and some planning on their part. It is a brand new team, so we are all in the same boat.

My unpacking in my new apartment is going ok. I've still got quite a lot of work to do and one room yet that is still in a near-disaster state. I'd update more but I've got to get some stuff done... so once this is all more under control I'll get back to it. My cousins are coming to stay with me in a few weeks, so I have to be ready for them - it should be fun.

Also new is my bed and my car. I finally upgraded from my old full bed to a new queen bed, and my back is thanking me. I also traded in my 2005 Chevy Trailblazer LT for a 2008 Saturn Vue Redline... it's a lot of fun to drive :-)

That's about it with me... I might try to catch up more on the cel update front in about a month.

- Karen

Real-life Reset button

last modified: Monday, February 11, 2008 (1:15:57 AM CST)

Sometimes things go back to where they started... sometimes for the better.

A couple of years ago I was doing development work for a group known as Windows Gaming and Graphics Technologies. I got reorganized into a pure test role... and it wasn't a good fit. I felt lost because my hearing and health problems were ruining my chances to move out of test, and I didn't know what to do. A couple months ago I found about a service at work that basically allows live captioning at meetings/interviews. Basically someone comes in with a court stenography set and blazingly fast types in what everyone was saying. As soon as I got to use the service, I was able to get the next job I interviewed for... which ended up being on the Windows Gaming Experience team (formed more or less to replace the old Windows gaming group that I originally was on, before it was dissolved) and I got a title change to a full development position, so it is unlikely I'll ever end up in test again. The new position looks fun, too. Basically I'll get to work on future versions of the Windows Game Explorer that originally came out with Windows Vista. I'll also get to update the games that come with Windows – including Minesweeper and Solitaire. The newer versions all use 3d effects too, so it should be interesting ^_^ Also, now I can use the captioning service at meetings... so I no longer have to fake that I know what's going on. I am very grateful that it no longer feels like my career hit a brick wall for reasons out of my control, especially when I’m not healthy enough to be much good for anything else. That was depressing me to no end.

On a mixed note, my boyfriend and I broke up and I moved out. It is probably for the best this way… he wants to lead a very active lifestyle with lots of intense activities (mountain climbing, motorcycle racing, etc) and I just couldn’t keep up. At least now I can stay in bed all weekend and rest without someone making me feel guilty over it. It’s not like I wanted to be born this way. I think what gets me the most about my health issues is when people pity me. I don’t want pity, I just don’t want them to take it out on me when I can’t keep up or don’t understand the words they are saying. I’m trying the best I can… work with me a little ^^;

I actually overdid it with being outside and physical activity when I was moving… my asthma got so bad that I had some pretty dangerous attacks, and my heart felt about to give out. At least the weekend of bed rest got me out of the worse of it, so at least I don’t really sound sick anymore. The really funny part about the new apartment… it is exactly the same apartment complex and unit I was in before I moved in with my now-ex boyfriend. Talk about a time warp. It’s kind of nice, it already feels like home.

[continued in next entry below]

Real-life Reset button [cont]

last modified: Monday, February 11, 2008 (1:15:49 AM CST)

[continued from entry above]

I’m going to a game development conference in a week in San Francisco to give a lecture on game debugging – I’m nervous but it should be fun. I’m also going to be gathering product information for my old team and recruiting for my new team. I’m also going to the Video Games Live concert while there. I saw Play! A Video Game Symphony recently, so it will be interesting to see how it will compare.

My life should settle down by mid-March… so I hope to have a massive gallery update by then. I’m so far behind! I’m also looking forward to have more time for art and video games… and I am toying with the idea of signing up for a sign language class. It will be years before I’m fluent in sign language to actually be able to keep up with a signing interpreter… but that’s no excuse not to start. I’m not happy that I’ve lost most of my hearing, but am grateful that at least currently I still have some left. I’m going to keep going to concerts and make the most of it for as long as I can.

All in all, things are looking up. I actually feel like I’ve a future at my current company for a change. I’m happy in my new home and know things will work out fine in the future. It’s too bad my relationship fell apart… but really, I’m fine with it. I know I’ll meet someone I’m better suited to in the future, and it will work out great ^_^

Also, it is really amusing that I ended up in such a similar group and the exact same home in which I started. Life really needs more giant reset buttons.

- Karen

Parental Visit was... fun?

last modified: Sunday, April 29, 2007 (4:32:10 PM CST)

My parents flew in from clear across the country, and spent all of Saturday with me. Usually seeing them leaves me stressed out, but honestly... it was a lot of fun this time :-) I'm also going to say two phrases that I never thought I'd say at this point of my life.

1. I let my mother cut my hair.
2. I love the way it turned out.

My hair was a sore point with my mother growing up... it's wavy/frizzy, breaks easily, and I insist on having it as long as possible. She prefers shorter. But after a series of bad haircuts at local shops (I think everyone universally wants my hair shorter than I do, and in a U-shape at the bottom, instead of straight) , I had let all the ends grow out past my waist... except it looked really tattered, and I really wanted it 4-6" shorter... but was afraid to have it professionally maimed again. So I took a leap of faith, set childhood aside, and handed my mother the scissors. It came out perfect ^_^ The funny thing is... I kinda doubt anyone's going to notice the difference... as now it is a few inches above my waist instead of below, but still really long... lol. As an added bonus, it saved me $60 from going to the places I usually go ^_^

We then went to the post office together (more cels in, hard to pick them up on the weekdays). We spent a few hours at costco, as I mooched off their membership, we then went to a bunch of cute local shops in a downtown area by a lake. After, I went back and picked up my boyfriend, and we all went out for dinner, then dessert and coffee.

All in all, it was a pretty good day :-)

On a slightly less positive note, I've been sick continously for about 8 weeks now -- and I've lost count of the number of secondary-type infections I've had. I managed to get through the fun day relatively ok, but now I'm totally wiped out... thank goodness for Sundays!

No Longer Completely Powerless

last modified: Monday, December 18, 2006 (2:32:25 PM CST)

And since the last post... I moved again (notice a trend?) got reorganized at work and switched jobs... and hope to find a way to switch back to something more similar to my original job soon. It is a mixed blessing... what I was doing before was more fulfilling, but it turned out to be destroying my failing hearing even more. The move was good for my ears, but not so good for my career. Hopefully it will all work out in the end.

My 7th anniversary of cel collecting has come and gone. My 100 xelloss cel mark has come and gone. I'm creeping up on 600 scans of original animation art on this site.

I just survived 3 days in freezing temperatures with no electricity due to the seattle area windstorm - although I'm still recovering from falling ill from this trial. My boyfriend is a survivalist and helped me make it through.

When I read these posts, my life sounds like some sort of wacky soap opera, and that's only part of the insane story.

Overall, doing OK... and am using this sick downtime to do some updating. Enjoy ^_^

Two steps forward, two steps back

last modified: Friday, December 30, 2005 (8:26:53 PM CST)

Well, my engagement fell apart about 6 months ago, I moved again, and my life is keeping me busy. I plan on a decent-sized update in January, as I'm currently on vacation. Looks like I'll need to pick up another cel book soon ^^;

Catching Up On Life

last modified: Wednesday, May 11, 2005 (7:32:08 PM CST)

Since my last update, I found a new job, quit my old job, moved from St Paul MN to Redmond WA, got a new car, got engaged, and a few other things ^^; It was starting to feel as if I'd never have time to update again.

5 Year Cel Anniversary - Thoughts

last modified: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 (10:26:01 PM CST)

Wow, where did the time go? In the last 5 years I graduated with a BS in CS, graduated again with a masters in software engineering, and have been working full-time ever since.

But it seems some things haven't changed. Just what is it about Slayers that keeps me into this so much? It's entertaining, but deep. Xelloss adds a certain chaos element to the series which makes it interesting. 5 years (and 300+ Slayers cels) later, and I'm still having as much fun as when I started :-)

It's also my birthday, which makes it easy to remember my cel anniversary date :-)

I wonder where I'll be 5 years from now ;-)

- Karen