Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Mockingbird Hill Cottage

Yes, It’s My 3rd PicMonkey Post

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I originally wrote a post extolling the virtues of PicMonkey on March 14th – almost a month ago. At that time, I told you that it was becoming my favorite photo editing site. I wrote about it again on March 28th and included a link to an interview with one of the site’s developers, who originally worked for Picnik.

Time for another update. I see more features added nearly every day. PicMonkey is adding more fonts, more effects, and more textures. And I know a collage feature is on the way.

I noodled around with some of the new features today, starting with this photo of Scout:

I just added one effect – Burst – and came up with:

Burst intensifies color and is a lot of fun.

This shot of Scout (who was quite agitated because a squirrel was running around right outside the corral) was changed to:

I used the Film Stock effect, added a geometric shape and used a font to give the photo a title.

I cropped this photo, used the Sepia effect and then added photo corners.

And finally, I started with this photo:

Scoutie was running and she ended up way to the left in the photo. So I cropped it.

I sharpened it and used Focal Zoom. It really highlighted her heart-shaped spot. I also added a drop shadow.

There is so much happening every day on the PicMonkey site. Stop by and play a bit. You’ll love it. I will, of course, keep you informed on any other changes.

I don’t even use Picnik anymore.

Edited to add: iPiccy’s collage feature is up and running. I haven’t tried it yet. With all the competition out there, I’m sure this means PicMonkey’s will be available very soon.

Settling In

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As usual when I’m working away from home, it takes me about 24 hours to accept being away from my home and family. Then I’m okay. Monday I coached for about 3 hours. I get such satisfaction from the coaching process. I love nothing more than delving into Shakespeare’s text, figuring out how to make the meaning clear and helping an actor bring the text to life. If you told me I could only coach Shakespeare for the rest of my career, I would be just fine with that. It never gets old.

Today, we officially start rehearsals. All of the cast will gather, there will be presentations of the set and costume designs and we will read through the script. I’ll get to hear all of the actors for the first time. It’s always exciting. My friend Mary is the Stage Manager. I got to know her when she was stage managing at the Old Globe and she is the best. It’s great to work with her again. She even stopped by my hotel on Sunday to say hello as we were checking in.

Monday was windy, cold and overcast. I managed to snap a few photos with the iPhone, but I was too cold to do more than that. Hartford has some lovely old buildings that have been lovingly preserved.

This is the building that houses the theater’s offices and rehearsal space. I love this style of architecture.

This is the original State House, supposedly designed by the famous Charles Bulfinch of Boston, built in 1796. I hope to get inside this building while I’m here.

This building is just down the street from my hotel. It’s huge and beautiful.

Beautifully carved, huge wooden doors.

On another note: further proof that Don and I need a new mattress – I woke up this morning without any aches and pains. I’ll have to check out the brand of mattress the hotel is using.

Okay, I’m going to eat some breakfast and head to rehearsal. Have a great day.

Hartford

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I’m in Hartford. Don drove me here yesterday morning and helped me haul everything up to my room. Then he left and I got sad. Thankfully, I had to hightail it to the rehearsal space for a short rehearsal with one of the young actors in the show. As I walked down the street, hauling my bag full of scripts and reference books, I ran into my friend, Darko, who is the director of The Tempest and the Artistic Director of The Hartford Stage. Seeing my old friend again helped take my mind off seeing my husband drive off.

But now I’m back at the hotel and I’m homesick. I’m staying at the Homewood Suites, which are very nice. Everyone is very helpful and friendly and my suite is a a nice size. It’s done in greens and a lot of brown, which could become depressing after a week or two. I think I need to bring a quilt from home the next time I go home for a couple of days. There is a television in the living room and one in the bedroom, The cable has a very limited amount of channels and no Turner Classic Movies (sob) but I did get to see my Red Sox play on the New England Sports Network, which we don’t get back home. They lost.

I edited all of these photos in PicMonkey with the Papyrus texture. It makes a blah hotel room look a little romantic and a little old worldish.

I spent part of the afternoon watching my friend, Jim Parsons, on The Big Bang Theory. My colleague, Rick, and I auditioned him for the graduate acting program at the University of San Diego/Old Globe Theatre and thought he was very talented. So we accepted him into the program. I was his teacher and now he’s my friend. His class traveled to London in 2001 as part of their training and I was their faculty advisor. Jim and I ended up on a Virgin Atlantic Flight together and laughed ourselves silly.

See how this texture makes the room look much more interesting than it is? I bought the fresh flowers at Trader Joe’s – fresh flowers can really help make a room look like home.

Bringing hot chocolate from home helps, too.
Flannel pajamas on the bed. Comforting.
This photo is shot with the Hipstamatic App. I’ve since moved the sofa to the right about a foot.
I miss my doggies. I miss my husband. I miss my garden. I have another short rehearsal today and then on Tuesday we officially start rehearsals with the whole cast.
I forgot an umbrella and it’s supposed to rain this week. I forgot a book that I’m supposed to review in a week or two. I forgot my favorite yoga pants. Oh well.
As the week goes on, I’ll share some photos of downtown Hartford with you.
Happy Monday!

Lambs Like to Party

Lambs Like to Party

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