Random Tid Bits

1. We've been binge watching Ozark. Have you watched it? My sister-in-law used to live in the Lake of the Ozarks. I asked her if the people that are depicted in the show how they really are there. She said, "For sure." I don't remember them being that wacky and back woodsy. 

2. The boys got done with school. That means no more dropping Isaak off, and picking him up. 

3. That also means I need to start going into work. I can't work with blabby boys around me. 

4. I only have a week left at work. I gave them my notice on Monday. Switching jobs again isn't what I wanted to do. I could think of a ton of reasons to stay, but also some major reasons to leave. In the end much of my work that I was happy with they weren't using. They wouldn't even talk about it. I kept doubting myself, and it wasn't healthy. 

More about the job I'm heading to in a week. 

5. My niece Margaret is doing really well. The only thing she's struggling with is solids. My sister has been trying for few months, and she's not into them. Kids with Trisomy 18 typically have weak necks and throats. She's holding her head up ok. I wish she'd take to food, so she doesn't have to get tube fed.  

Assignments for the Week

I thought I'd share these. I had an assignment this week. More about that later. 

I had to do an email blast about a new mobile app! 

+ a poster about a new sushi place being in Nashville. 

I was given fonts, images, and color swatches to use. I could use my own images with the things given to me, so I added one of my rainy images to the Nashville poster. 

Which image do you like better? They did not have to look the same. 

Frisson

Have you ever looked at art or listened to music and got goosebumps? Possibly one of the two art forms brought tears to your eyes. 

It's happened to me quite a few times. So much so I find it embarrassing when it happens. Someone typically asks, "Why are you crying?" Um, Because I was moved to. It's just kind of awkward. 

To make an audience feel is an artist's job. It doesn't always have to be that strong of an emotion. Storytelling should be in work that's created. 

Frisson ( French for "shiver"), also known as aesthetic chills or musical chills, is a psychophysiological response to rewarding auditory and/or visual stimuli. Apparently if frisson has happened to you, you have a special brain. Here's an article that talks all about it.

Do you have a special brain and are moved with frission? 

Happy Birthday Isaak

I now officially have two teenagers on the house! You turned 13 today. We’re a ball of emotions at the Apel house. Man it’s been a wild 12th year for you. Covid + remote learning was a struggle.

You get your first vaccine on the 25th of this month. You are afraid of needles. Aren’t you glad you don’t get three shots a month like I do? 

Big news: You got accepted to be on the anchor team, for morning announcements! It’s one thing you really wanted to do. You said it will be hard to go to school so early. I think that part is a blessing because it interferes with my day less. 😂 You were also nominated by your art teacher to be in a club called Aca Pinta. You don’t think you’ll get into that, but I think it’s a great thing that you were nominated. 

You also get your braces off next month! Note the no teeth smile below. You were so happy to get braces. Now...the happiness has worn off. I’ll be happy to have the sink looking less like a food trap, when you’re done brushing your teeth. I remember the feeling of my braces coming off. Too bad you don’t have that feeling on your birthday. 

Likes: 

•You like going to school more than being remote. 

•You formed a new friendship with a kid named David. He stood up for you, and you’ve stood up for him. 

•You like coffee. We only let you have a cup on the weekends, and on your birthday. 

•You like Sunny your gecko and Warhol my gecko. 

•You like tacos and pizza.

•You like wearing your piano socks every day. It’s too bad piano lessons went out the window with covid. 

•Practicing beat boxing is something you do all the time. 

•You like hiding in your room, but not as much as Mica does.

•You like hanging out with your cousins Evan and Elijah.

•Bike riding is an adventure. 

Dislikes: 

•You really don’t like mean, disrespectful kids. There are unfortunately too many kids out there like that. 

•Like any 12-13 year old, you dislike chores. 

•You dislike longer hair. Even in these photos your hair is too long, for your taste. I refuse to get your hair cut a lot in a pandemic. 

•Directions! You suck at going just a little away from home. 

•Being called Zeek. Sorry it was a given nick name from birth.

What you asked for, for your birthday: 

•For David to come over. 

•For a back massager. 

•For a new pair of shoes (would have gotten you those anyhow)

•For an office chair. You got a new desk too. 

Happy Birthday Sir Isaak Jaxon Apel! 

Birthday Party Cheesecake Jellybean Boom

Whenever it's any one's birthday I get the song, It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine..." by REM stuck in my head. There's some fast lyrics in there where he sings, "Birthday party cheese cake jellybean boom."

Isaak's going to be 13 on the 19th. 

He wanted 3 things:

1. A new office chair - If you remember Isaak built up a desk, so the office chair goes with that. Unlucky (because they are closing), but also lucky for me my old work of 18 years sold me a fairly unused office chair for $30. That's way better than the cost of them online. 

2. A new pair of shoes - I would have gotten him those anyhow. He wanted them for his birthday. I found a pair that looks just like a jacket he wears all the time that are ASICS. They were $20 cheaper on Amazon than they were in the store. Yay me.  

3. A back massager - An odd request for a 12 - soon to be 13 year old, but he wanted one. 

This back massager is fancy! I came in a cool case, with all kinds of attachments. Eight to be exact. 

The brand name: Trace Kasa

I've never heard of that brand name before, but it is rated well on Amazon. 

Where to get it: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08KCTMMFX

Cost: $69.98 

The cost I feel like is reasonable. I looked at their competition, and they sell them from $39 all the way up to $399!

Why Get a Back Massager?

On the Apel side, they have a history of having a bad back. Instead of paying for Chiropractic care it's good to maintain back care with exercises and a deep tissue massage. I already to Isaak that he's going to use this on his dad's back too.

Muscle Soreness Relaxation 

Trace Kasa percussion massage gun can relieve body stiffness and soreness with deep and powerful muscle massage after doing exercise, or for a warm-up before exercise.

It is suitable for personal use. 

Rechargeable Battery 

It does have a rechargeable battery. I kind of prefer a plug-in with most things. 

Do you have a back massager?

Disclaimer: I got this product for a discounted price in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Shampoo for My hair - Review

I have been looking for a shampoo that suits my hair growth + deals with dryness. I haven't gotten my hair cut, since well before the pandemic started. Even though I'm vaccinated, I still have this mindset that I shouldn't go to places unless I have to. Do you still feel like you shouldn't go out and about, while COVID is still a thing?

Along with my hair getting longer, I straighten it. It's not curly, more like very frizzy! It gets dry. 

I think I finally found the shampoo I've been looking for. 

It's called Pureauty Naturals Biotin Shampoo. 

You can get it here: https://pureautynaturals.com/products/biotin-shampoo. All Pureauty products are made in the USA, which I can stand behind.

This shampoo is for thinning hair and hair loss. My hair has always felt thin in comparison to my sister's thick hair. Biotin shampoo pairs with a conditioner to support healthier, fuller-looking hair. 

It came wrapped in plastic, to ensure there was no leaks in the shipping process. I'm not one for waisting packaging, but I have had liquid products leak so it's great they are careful with their product.

I've washed my hair(s) three times, since I got this shampoo. It makes my hair feel silky. I don't really feel the full feeling yet. Maybe that will come. I plan on using this shampoo after three washing of the other shampoo I have. Then it stays healthy, yet I use up product that's sitting around. 

I like that this shampoo is for guys and girls. It's annoying to have tons of products in the shower just because brands market to one sex or another. This shampoo doesn't seem girly or masculine. It's just great shampoo. 

What's in it?

Biotin oil, Pisum Sativum - Pea Sprout Extract and Pro-Vitamin B5

When I put it on my hand it's really clear. When I rub it into my hands it suds up a bit. Shampoos are actually best if they don't suds up a lot. If it does, that means that there's a lot of chemicals in it that are harmful. 

If your hair(s) feel thin, and/or get dried out then this product is for you. Biotin Shampoos are popular hair thickening products for women. Ditch the hair loss treatments for hair growth. Natural shampoos are going to be important for hair health. 

Cost: 

1 Bottle (Single Pack) - $26.45 per bottle | 3 Bottles (Recommended) - $21.50 per bottle | 6 Bottles (Super Saver) - $18.40 per bottle

I think that's a pretty good cost actually. 

What shampoo do you use? What hair type do you have?

Disclaimer: I got this product for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. 

Random Tid Bits

 1. Isaak’s been a swear word police. He keeps saying, “Language!” When I saw this t-toilet, I so wanted to get it. 

2. The kid’s school district sent an email saying they want all remote kids in class the last few weeks. Mica went back on Friday. 

One girl hasn’t seen Mica for a year. She said, “Mica what happened to your voice?” Yep he now sounds like his Dad. 

3. Isaak says he never wants an Adam’s apple, nor does he want his voice to drop like Mica’s did. Growing up is hard to do! 

4. I’m almost done with my Midland class. It was so easy. I’m not the biggest fan of Canvas though. It’s not super picture friendly. Considering it’s a visual class, it was a pain to not get pictures into the tests. It kept erroring out. 

Were you really judgy about anything when you were a teen? I remember being annoyed that my parents only listened to John Denver and Neil Diamond. 

5. Mica’s decided to be super judgmental when it comes to TV and movies.  

Together and Apart

Has anyone become a recluse with this pandemic? 

The idea of going out of the house makes me shutter. I’ve even been vaccinated. I can still be a carrier to my kids, that haven’t been vaccinated. Isaak going to school is much more of a risk than me going out, with a mask on, and a good hand washing when I get home. 

My husband has been on me about leaving more. I even went to work to donate some envelopes, and set up parking - it seemed like a big step to leave the house to do that. 

Last weekend we went hiking. A simple thing, low contraction rate, but it seemed like such a big task in my mind. Travis was all about getting me to leave the house. When we hiked he was also all about leaving the trail. Being at one with nature is ok, but I don’t need to break an ankle in doing so. I don’t know when I got to be such a wimp. I just am not a fan of heights. Apparently I’m now a recluse. 

Has this pandemic turned you into a home body? 

Random Tid Bits

I know I've been horrible about posting. I've been pretty much diving into work. I don't even know why. Maybe it's because I was a teacher handing over my ideas, and now I can put those ideas to use by creating them. Oh I wish that was it! It kind of is. Ok, so it's complicated. 

1. My work loves a look. It's kind of fun, but it's just shapes, and more shapes. No concepts, or bringing their idea of storytelling into their work. I opened up the file that was given to me, to utilize...it was all kinds of a mess. Shapes that didn't line up with other shapes. It was annoying because it was paid for work. Meaning they reached outside the office to pay for it. Rule number one when working in Illustrator: Use the Align tool! 

Back up! Anyhow I was so excited to design this ebook from the day I got the project. Like really excited! Ok beyond excited. I've taught how to create brand guides for years! I've only created a full book like this with SOFT. 

That excitement ended with to disappointment when I learned that the project wasn't just mine. A firm was going to do it. The one that aligned the shapes not so well. I got really excited again when I was told by the marketing head (who is now a contractor) to finish it. She meant only the writing. I got really excited again when my boss told me that they were going to try using me for it. She meant to use the outside firms look. I kept getting burnt. Really I just wanted to do it. So I decided to take my own advice I gave my students a long time ago...when they were more excited about a sketch that I didn't care for...I said to do the one I wanted + prove me wrong with the one they wanted to do. So...I did that. 

I thought for sure they'd pick mine. I put time into it. It was good. I got it critiqued by a designer that lives in Chicago. I made all the changes, but a few. I was planning on taking some type out because I know it's too much to read. I just haven't yet. Never did I think they'd pick the one I did in 2 hours, that had subpar photos, and no alignment. 

I had my meeting, and you probably guessed it, they didn't even talk about the one I cared about. I made sure it had their colors, their fonts, and some of their shapes within it. 

The moral of the story is...maybe Alissa (me) cares too much. Maybe I have a vision that's as strong as their mission. Maybe I suck, and just don't know it. But I do know that it's good. I showed people that love it. By now I know what good work is. I can't deny that, that gave me Imposter Syndrome AKA self doubt. I flat out cried. Why? Why in the heck did I care so much? It's not the change of life. It's more than that. 

By the way I'm not in this to bash my work. It's more about how I feel. I don't think they get it, get me. They are techy people, not creative people. I don't expect them to get it. I'm not mad, I'm hurt. It's a struggle because I actually like them. It's hard to be mad, when I like the people I want to be mad at.

Ok so it would have been nice, to at least mention, "Hey Alissa I like what you did there, but we can't use it because of x, y, and z." I'm tired of crickets. Tell me something. Then I know you're human. Tell me you hate my work. At least I know you're human. 

Just on Scribd it's messing up the quotes. I don't plan on presenting it this way, but dang that's annoying! It's not like that in InDesign, or as just a PDF. Odd!

Youth Book by alissa apel on Scribd

The crazy thing is, is these people are open minded with politics, religion, gays and more. They can't see me. They can't see how important this project was for me.

I felt odd crying. Like I wasn't supposed to be crying. Why do adults tell kids that it's ok to be sad, but when we're sad we feel like a sap, or like we're feeling emotions all wrong? 

I'm sad because I'm f-ing HUMAN! 

I found this article about how you can get your boss to support your personal brand. It hits home with how I feel, but I'd never be able to share this with my boss or bosses. I did share it on LinkedIn. That's probably as far as it will go. 

A few quotes that stood out:

"Q: Why would I want to invest in an employee’s brand instead of the company brand? 

A: Because they are one and the same." 

 "Want to attract the best talent? Invest in the personal brands of the talent you have. This is just one benefit of investing in your employees’ personal brands. Another is: Humanizing your company, which leads to better sales since people prefer to buy from people they know, like, and trust, rather than faceless corporations." 

"Investing in an employee's personal brand increases retention. Q: Won’t investing in the employee’s personal brand make her more attractive to outside offers? A: Yes, but it will also make her more likely to turn them down."

Anyhow I totally connected with that article. 

2. At least when I did a quick flyer for a youth program the next day, they loved it. The Imposter Syndrome feeling sort of went away. 

3. Isaak's made a strong friendship through that bully incident. Good came from bad. He's coming over for his birthday. We haven't had anyone over, since May - except for my parents, that's only because they invited themselves over. 

4. Isaak is a bit more peppy these days. He wants to try out for the morning announcements. He was excited a teacher nominated him for a club that gets a trip at the end of next year. Only 15 people were nominated out of his class. 

5. Mica's Mica. He's just so smart with his studies. But dang the kid is dingy at tasks. Can't win them all.

WW: Door {Linky}

I really like very old things, about as much as I like very new things.

I've only been to work in person 2 times. Once was to get my laptop, and the other time was because we were notified that our power was going to be shut off for the morning due to maintenance. This door was right by where I parked.

Would you say yay or nay to restoration? What do you like better, old or new?