Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Hound and Co Custom Pet Portrait Shop

They always say not to put all your eggs in one basket. That applies to a lot of things. But in particular for me, it applies to selling digital custom pet portraits. It started with a display "gallery wall" at the Wagtime Shop on Capitol Hill. Then I opened an Etsy store and a personal website. I would also show artwork at the Library of Congress Art show where I worked and have since retired. I established a presence on Zazzle and Fine Art America, along with Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr pages. I've done a lot of silent auctions. Oh - then there's Pinterest, Twitter and Artyah! Last week I received an email from Hound and Co to join the website and open a store. It is all things pooches and is definitely a targeted audience. I'm not sure how I got on their list, but it was easy enough to get started and get at least four items listed. I submitted an application to Amazon Marketplace. They haven't started a shop for virtual digital products yet, but will let me know when they do. I've joined a couple of pet portrait Facebook groups and add completed commissions. Lately I've been getting a lot of repeat customers, which is the highest form of flattery. And when I'm not working on commissions, I'm constantly updating all these websites and digital connections. It's like having a full time job - and I really enjoy it. Thanks for noticing my work Hound and Co! It's another great option to get the word out. 








Monday, October 30, 2017

Library of Congress Chambers of Mystery

I worked at the Library of Congress for ten years and retired a few months ago. Before I left, I signed up to receive email notifications for upcoming events. Usually we go to a lot of the Middle Eastern lectures and once in awhile attend other various programs. The chambers of mystery for Halloween looked interesting, so we booked attendance on the Eventbrite app and walked over through the underground tunnels before lunch. The event was on display in the beautiful Jefferson Building. Of course our timing was just perfect - right behind a pack of school age children. So we dodged them as soon as we could and wandered around the exhibits. Neither my husband nor I have a particular interest in the subject, but it's always a treat to amble through the building. There were Harry Houdini photographs and such from a huge collection, a section about Halloween traditions, and old movies playing. It was "ok" as programs go. I used to take a lot of walks in this building on afternoon breaks. We decided to have lunch in the Cannon House Office building. It's always less busy on Mondays. So we ended up walking three and a half miles today. But it was an interesting way to pass the time. 
























Sunday, October 29, 2017

Halloween Spooks, Witches and Skeletons

Rather than take our usual route to the National Mall for a morning walk, we decided to go in the other direction. The forecast called for very rainy and dreary skies so we figured we better get going before it all started. It was the perfect overcast, wet day to scamper around the neighborhood in search of all things Halloween. The falling leaves were blowing around on the sidewalks. It seemed like there were more people out and about than is typical for a Sunday morning. All along the way there were ghouls and goblins hanging from trees, more pumpkins than in a patch, friendly scarecrows, and skeletons galore - several with their once furry friends with them. How about a giant spider web? It all probably looks all the more scary when the daylight turns to dusk, but we got the general idea. I have a tiny pumpkin and a few gourds inside the house. It's nice to have a little bit of the fun and colors of the season around. 






































Saturday, October 28, 2017

Apple Lightning Digital AV Adapter and HDMI Cable - IPad to TV

We have Apple TV in the unit we live in most of the day. We don't use it very much because we also have cable. In our other unit we have a tv that is not connected to anything. But when we have guests, that's the unit where we usually stay. So once in a while we need tv access - even just to watch local news. We used to subscribe to basic cable service, but it was not worth spending money on it for those rare occasions. We finally figured out that a digital antenna gets us about forty channels, which was the perfect solution.  But I wanted to see if I could connect my iPad to tv without buying another Apple TV, because the wifi connection in that unit is very weak. So I searched around for options and came across the Apple Lightning digital AV adapter that is paired with an HDMI cable. I ordered them on Amazon and immediately tried to figure out how it might work. After adding the power cord to the mix, all the cables were finally connected from the iPad to the tv - but there was no picture. It took awhile to figure out that I needed to connect via an EXTERNAL input rather than an internal input. So we tried a couple of things - photos, games, a saved movie. They all worked. Then I tried to connect to my saved Xfinity shows... no way! That was quite annoying. But we did find that there are ways to watch cable shows via the internet. So we will need to check that out the next time we feel the need. It seems we are entertained by a lot of the goofy old movies and shows that are available via the digital antenna. Who would have guessed? I suppose we could also rent movies via Amazon, but the wifi signal is too weak. But I'm thinking you tube might work, but you still need a good wifi signal and we don't have unlimited data on our phones unfortunately. Anyway, for people like us who aren't exactly digital geniuses this will have to do. And that's really not so bad after all. 

















Friday, October 27, 2017

A New Dentist

My dentist in the Midwest was very slow and in a single practice. When we moved to DC eleven years ago, we started going to Capitol Hill Dental Group. It's terribly convenient as it is one block from our house! And, it has three dentists, is very modern and up to date - and very busy. Our dentist is retiring this year and has been part time for at least the last year. So occasionally I have seen another dentist whenever I have needed "emergency" treatment, or something requiring little notice, like a crown replacement prior to going on vacation. What's interesting is that all three dentists in the practice are female. My husband has always said that female physicians are always better, so the same must go for female dentists. I think he is somewhat correct. And as a matter of fact I have preferred my female care givers more than the male counterparts. I guess it may depend on what the problem is, but in general, the ladies can associate with you more. So I had my first routine dental check with a very nice "younger than me" dentist yesterday. She was very professional and matter of fact, but still a good listener and cheerful at the same time. I have seen her before so she wasn't a complete stranger. It's just one of those things I don't need to worry about so much - a dentist a block away, easy to get to in this crazy town, with a modern and up to date facility. She knew I was no stranger to the dentist chair when she looked in my mouth! And having had TMJ surgery almost forty years ago puts a strain on my jaw. Luckily all went well and I left with my new toothbrush, toothpaste and floss. One of these days I need to get a new splint. I'll save that for the next time. 



Thursday, October 26, 2017

Sackler Cats, Bells, Buddhas and Persian Lux

We visit the Sackler Museum at least every year. The Smithsonian Freer and Sackler recently reopened after a long renovation. We saw the Freer galleries last week, so we decided to stop in the Sackler this week. We usually visit Smithsonian museums and other places when we are on our daily morning walkabouts on the National Mall. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are best if you want to avoid the crowds, but it really depends on the time of year. On entering the Sackler, one passes through the "terminal" made from brass containers connected with threads. We then ventured to the cats of Egypt which included a coffin for a special feline. I much preferred the dogs. There was a section for ancient Chinese bells. If you like Buddha, you won't be disappointed with this variety, including a temple filled with them. The last section we visited was luxury Iranian pieces. I wouldn't mind having a few of those! It was an interesting experience and there is a lot more to see if you are so inclined. The museums connect to each other underground so it makes for easy navigation. Usually we stay above ground and love the fountains and gardens - especially as the seasons change. There is something about natural beauty, but it doesn't hurt to see the other stuff every once in awhile. 






















Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Fall at the US Botanic Garden

The US Botanic Garden is one of our favorite places. We walk through the First Ladies garden and Bartholdi Park and fountain almost every morning. Every once in awhile we actually walk through the enclosed garden inside the building. It is usually to see how the gardens are arranged for special occasions or for seasonal updates. We last visited inside to see the stinky plants and we always go to see the trains at Christmas. Now with autumn upon us, we figured there must be some sort of fall display in the main entry room. And there were pumpkins and gourds and mums all around the beautiful pond that stretches from one end to the other. We also decided to walk through the rest of the space to revisit the regular items that are typically on display. There were several guided tours clogging up the paths, but in general, it was relatively easy to move about. There were a few dinosaurs and alligators in the tropical section, and a lot of prickly treats in the dessert area. It's always a beautiful walk through this place as there is always something interesting to note. It is never a disappointing walk inside. Maybe we should do it more frequently.