Last week, I had major computer failure, so I wasn’t able to blog. Although I know the basics, I’m no genius when it comes to electronics. It took me a few days to figure out what the problem was, and fix it. I ended up reinstalling Windows 10, which, if you’ve ever done it, you’ll know what a chore it is. Believe me, it was my last resort. I tried everything to fix it, but there didn’t seem to be a straightforward answer.
I think I had a deeply rooted virus. One of those that is a time release bomb of sorts, and keeps coming back, no matter how many times you get rid of it. My virus protection never picked it up, which made things worse. I’m pretty sure it came from a word processing program I had downloaded a few months back called WPS Office. I’m not going to link to it because I don’t want anyone else downloading it by mistake.
I have learned my lesson. No more downloading anything without researching it first. The very first thing I found when I typed “WPS Office” into Google was info about the virus. If only I had done that before downloading it, it would have saved me weeks/months of trouble.
WIP – this one has changed a lot since I took this photo.
If you follow me on Instagram, you can see the finished painting.
Reinstalling windows wasn’t an easy decision to make because it erases all your programs/apps, and takes you back to factory settings. It will save your files, but you have to start over from scratch, and set everything up again. Not fun, but I had no other choice. My computer was either crashing/hanging/freezing solid, or giving me the blue screen of death every few minutes. It was unstable, and unusable.
I stared at my computer screen for days, trying to figure out what was wrong with it. In between, I looked at iMacs on my iphone, and drooled. I came thisclose to placing an order for one, but since my computer is still fairly new (2.5 years), I hated the thought of spending a couple thousand on another one right now. I will be getting a Mac, there is no doubt in my mind, but I figured I should run this hunk of junk Windoze into the ground first. Since it ran fine when I booted it in safe mode, I figured it could be fixed. I was right, but what a pain.
work table – playing with filters
The good that came out of it (there is always good in the bad, right?) was that somehow in the middle of trying to solve the mystery of Computer Gone Cray Cray, I had the sudden urge to paint in oils. It came to me out of the blue, as it does most of the time. I always listen to my muse when she speaks to me. Well, most of the time, anyway. She has some really wacky ideas sometimes that even I have to dismiss. ha!
I took painting breaks, which kept me positive, and moving forward. Always have to be moving forward, no matter what obstacles might be in the way. It’s something I learned many years ago about this business. I HAVE to keep moving forward, no matter what, so I started a new portrait series. It originally was going to be girls wearing sunglasses because I was thinking of summer coming to a close, finally..well, hopefully, although you wouldn’t know it by the hot stinking humid nasty weather here. Can you tell I’m ready for it to end? It would be nice to go outside again. Anyway, the series eventually changed into girls wearing glasses of any sort, not just sunnies.
The series will continue to change and evolve, no doubt. I’ve always liked painting glasses for some reason..the reflection is most difficult, and something I have to work on. I love a good challenge.
It all started with this one, and grew from there
And, just like that, after this long drawn out post, you’re up to speed on where things stand in my studio. I’m saving a few portraits for later this week, but you get the idea by now, I’m sure. 😉
I’m going to leave you with a couple finds from the past couple weeks..
I have an earworm that won’t go away no matter what I do. That song is addicting. Ugh.
They’re back!! When I saw new Bon Iver videos pop up in my youtube subscriptions a couple weeks ago, I shrieked..so exciting!! YAS!!!
And, now for some political humor that literally made me lol..Barack Obama accuses Donald trump of founding The Village People 😀 😀 D: It actually sounds like something Obama would say.
PowerBoy
Art journaling to music
I doubt the world will end
Like a spring bear – daily painting day 280 & 281