She's Alive!

Still sick, but not so bad now. I'm still slightly deaf and coughing but at least I'm not hacking out a lung. 

Even while I was sick, things kept happening around me. In one week I had three more design jobs but I've asked them to give me a few more days to recover. 

The good news is I can at least do some of the preliminary work (research) from the couch, all thanks to Greg. 

Last week, when I started to feel marginally better, I decided to hook up my laptop and read a few blogs from bed. Only my laptop was dead. Deader than dead. At first I thought it was the battery, but no, even the power cord wouldn't boot it up.

Frustrated, I got online to see what the tech wizards recommended (besides buying a new laptop). I tried all their suggestions but nothing worked. 

Greg comes home Thursday night and he takes a look at my laptop, checking all sorts of things with a voltage ohm meter. It's the power cord he says. Defeated, I start searching online for a replacement, wondering if whatever fried the cord also fried the laptop. 

Greg tells me to hold off as he scrounges through a box of orphaned electronic hardware and pulls out four other power adapters. He finds the one with the right pin and voltage, and voila, a working laptop.

The man is a genius. Do I know how to pick 'em or what? 

The other thing that happened and forgot to mention last week is that Darke Contour interviewed me on her blog. Oh, sure, roll your eyes at me! But have I ever been boring?

(Don't hurt my feelings. I'm still sick. :cough cough:)

Anyway, she interviewed me specifically about my cover art experience. So if you'd like to see publishing from another angle, go over and pay a visit.

It might be the middle of October but the weather is warm and pleasant here. The garden is going strong and the goats are singing their rendition of "Love is in the Air". There's a lot of grunting and vocalizing from the boys. I don't think they can impregnate any of the girls through a fence, but I've heard stories...

Things are starting to look up. I feel like the fog we've been under is lifting.

If you have any questions about cover art, go over to Darke's blog. I should start being able to visit more of your blogs this week.

So what's new with you? Who's celebrating Halloween this month? I love Halloween, but we live so far from any of the action it's always a quiet holiday for us. Do you dress up or decorate for Halloween?


Comments

DRC said…
Glad you're starting to feel better. It's never fun being ill. Your interview was very inspiring :) And as for Halloween? It's all about zombies this year. Not sure why...and certainly not blaming the TV series 'The Walking Dead'..uh uh...not at all :)
Maria Zannini said…
DRC: I'm so glad it was. Keep at it, DRC. You can always start with small jobs like banner design or blog badges to build up a following.

Re: zombies
I love to paint my face for Halloween. The last one I did was a cat, but I think my face is better suited for zombies today. :) Now if only there was a Halloween party nearby.
Melissa McClone said…
Very glad to hear you're improving, but please take it easy!

We have the Halloween lights out, a tombstone and skull in the front yard. My youngest's costume is all ready. Just need to buy candy!
Maria Zannini said…
Melissa: Our very favorite part of Halloween was giving out treats to the kids. I loved to see all their creative costumes, especially the babies. Some of them were too cute for words.

Anne Gallagher said…
I'm glad you're feeling better.

I had no idea you had done the cover for James Garcia. That is so beautiful.

And Nana, lovely lovely Nana. How's Tank?
Angela Brown said…
Glad you're able to lower the coughing-up-a-lung-alert to yellow, or is it pink? Anywho, I'm glad you're better.

Yep, you do know how to pick'em, Maria. Afterall, you two have weathered distance and time apart with your love as strong as ever and it's nice hubs has skills to resurrect electronic items from death lol!

As for the goats, determination can make many a thing possible :-)

And I checked out your interview and enjoyed it.

Halloween is for Chipmunk. She has gone from wanting to be Luigi of Super Mario Bros to Toothless from How to Train a Dragon to just wanting bat wings. Oy!
Mike Keyton said…
I think my wife would like a husband like Greg :)

Real glad you're feeling better, Maria
Sorry you've been sick. I remember a few times I was feeling awful and blogging from bed was the only thing that made me feel better LOL. It's productive but not very demanding.
Maria Zannini said…
Anne: Yup. It's one of mine. Jimmy always gives me a lot of creative freedom so I'm especially fond of the work I've done for him.
Maria Zannini said…
Angela: Those goats are making me nervous. Other goat people tell me even fences can't keep them apart. I think the boys are still too "short" to reach the target, but they're awfully flexible.
Maria Zannini said…
Mike: I'm sure Bernadette prefers a mandolin-playing crooner. :)
Maria Zannini said…
Karen: I enjoy reading blogs. When I started to feel better I really wanted to sit back and catch up but my dead laptop changed my plans. At least it works now.
Stacy McKitrick said…
Glad you're feeling better. Being sick is the pits (and I certainly hope nothing hits me until AFTER my vacation--heck, I don't want anything to hit me at all!).

I enjoyed the article and can't wait to work with you on my book cover. I feel like I'm in good hands. :)

As for Halloween... We'll be driving home from our vacation, hoping to make it to the HS football game before kickoff (game will decide conference champs and we're playing our rivals!). So, no trick-or-treating for us. Not that we get many visitors. When you live on a cul-de-sac off another cul-de-sac, it kind of limits the amount of kids.
Marian Perera said…
Good to hear you're feeling better, and I enjoyed that interview.

Creating cover art is a fascinating process, and every artist seems to have their own way of tackling it (like writing). So it doesn't matter how many times I read a behind-the-scenes perspective, I always take away something new. :)
Maria Zannini said…
Stacy: I'm looking forward to doing your cover. The gears are already working. :)

Re: vacation
I hope you have a great time. Keep the Wet Wipes near by! After this last bout, I'm constantly disinfecting my hands.
Maria Zannini said…
Marian: This is so true. All creatives have their own way of doing things--and in a certain order.

I start with a glimmer and let it percolate until I can see the whole thing.

Putting it together isn't the time consuming part. It's the research and doodling that takes the longest.
I will decorate if I can find my decorations.

Good to know you're feeling better. Don't try and do too much too soon, or the sickness will lay you low again. Promise?

Maria Zannini said…
Barbara: LOL. You sound like my husband!

I still tire out fast so my body is forcing me to take it easy or else.

Re: decorating
It'll be fun to decorate your NEW house. If you do, post some pictures.
LD Masterson said…
Keep feeling better.

Do you plan on allowing any hanky panky with the goats or is it not time?

Our silly neighborhood is holding Trick or Treat on Friday (yes, I know that's Halloween) and I'll be at the football game so handing out candy for me. Bummer.
Sarah Ahiers said…
we had some really cold nights last week, so our garden is no more. Le sigh.
Now we just got to clean it up and plant the garlic for the spring!
Maria Zannini said…
Linda: I don't think the girls are in heat yet. The boys might just be practicing their love calls.

Sorry you'll miss the trick or treaters. They always bring a smile to my face.
Maria Zannini said…
Sarah: My garlic is in and I put it in a new location too so I'll be interested to see if it increases their yield.

I think my fall garden is looking better than the spring garden.
Jenny Schwartz said…
Thank goodness you're feeling better -- and that Greg rescued your laptop :)

Can't comment any longer, must dash off and learn about cover art. You're the guru!
Maria Zannini said…
Jenny: I wasn't relishing the thought of having to buy a new laptop. Greg's my hero.
Shelley Munro said…
I'm glad you're feeling a little bit better. Look after yourself!
Maria Zannini said…
Hi Shelley! I'll have to pop by and visit. I know you've been on holiday. Sadly, Feedly still won't show your blog feed.
Crystal Collier said…
I'm glad you're starting to feel better! I totally have the same deal with my hubby. Tech genius. Couldn't survive without him. (Or at least the computer wouldn't.)

Unleashing the Dreamworld
Maria Zannini said…
Crystal: When I first met my husband I was immediately attracted to how smart and handy he was. I'd never known anyone who was so mechanically gifted. --which tells you what kind of family I had. LOL!