Thanks in no small part to about twenty of the coolest folks around, I'm back online. I owe you guys bigtime!
Thank you.
(I'll try not to be too much of a pain in the ass here...at least for awhile. In the meantime, think I saw a mac question I need to jump onto.)
Posted by Del Badry (Member # 114) on :
Hi Don,,,, i was mia also,,, nice to see and hear from ya!
Posted by Dale Manor (Member # 4858) on :
Hey Don,
Good to see you back up and running again...hope all is moving forward for ya down there.
Posted by Jeff Ogden (Member # 3184) on :
Hi Don...glad you made it.
Hope you're doing alright down there. I'm sure getting back online will improve things tremendously.
btw, if you need a getaway you can come up here for awhile...
Posted by timi NC (Member # 576) on :
Well go ahead,...make my day!
Posted by Mike Barnes (Member # 2277) on :
Glad to see you're back. I hope that things are getting back on track.
Posted by Rick Beisiegel (Member # 3723) on :
Good wishes for you Don, Hope 2005 is a year to remember, (in a good way).
Posted by Jillbeans (Member # 1912) on :
I missed your input too, Big Guy. Love....Jill
Posted by Doug Allan (Member # 2247) on :
welcome back!
Posted by Kissymatina (Member # 2028) on :
Bout time
Posted by Jon Aston (Member # 1725) on :
Welcome back!
Posted by Desire Rusovsky (Member # 2876) on :
Glad to see you back Don!
Posted by Catharine C. Kennedy (Member # 4459) on :
HUZZAH! BTW, you did an awfully nice job on the trilogy cds! Whey cool!(cheese maker's term!)
Posted by Si Allen (Member # 420) on :
Welcome back Don...don't ferget to get on Chat tonite!
Posted by Monte Jumper (Member # 1106) on :
welcome home Don Posted by William Holohan (Member # 2514) on :
Don, Glad to see you back. Need someone to keep an eye on my ethics... :-)
Posted by Ray Rheaume (Member # 3794) on :
Welcome home, Don. We missed ya!
Rapid
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
Don,
It is so good to see you back! I've been worried about you. Sitting on my monitor are the Illustrator notes from the impromptu workshop you gave me last January. Maybe one of these days we'll get to finish that lesson when I don't have a plane to catch.
Posted by Cheryl Lucas (Member # 1656) on :
Welcome Back, Don!
Cher.
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
Welcome back Don!!
-grampa dan
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Don, you don't need to duck through this doorway! Just walk tall and know you're loved.
Fill us in on the latest with you. WHere are you living? Working? Settlements from your losses? How are you faring in general?
Posted by jimmy chatham (Member # 525) on :
welcome back my friend.
Posted by Don Coplen (Member # 127) on :
I'm living in a 28 foot x 6'6" travel trailor in one of the many FEMA "villages" throughout the state. Ducking when I come in the door is mandatory...as is ducking when I stand up here at all. It's not horrible. It's a 2005 fleetwood travel trailor. (graphics are from one of the companies I used to work for...ironic).It will be nice to sleep in a bed that fits again, though. Flush toilet will be nice, as a closet to put my clothes. But bitching isn't appropriate, I'm not living in a shelter, so it could be much worse. They're still finding 100 homeless people a day here, or were as of the article in the paper last month. Families living in their cars, and in uninhabitable homes (as I was, the first 8 weeks after the storm)
Hint to everybody who rents...get renter's insurance. I threw out about 3/4 of my belongings from water and mold damage, which is about average here. Anybody who lost roofing during the storm had to throw out all or most of their furniture. No insurance except for car insurance. All my car damage was cosmetic, so I've been living on the insurance check instead of fixing the car. Other than scratches and dents on every panel, the only mechanical damage, if you can call it that, was the side mirror was broken off and hanging. I picked up a two part epoxy and glued it back on. Works for what it was intended, even if it isn't pretty.
I'm doing some freelance work for a print shop about ten miles down the road. Internet should help on freelance until I can get back on my feet. They've been giving me about 3-5 hours of work a week and driving back and forth to pick up and deliver was a pain in the butt.
I'd like to relocate somewhere still on the coast. (Not much if any reason to live in FL if ya can't be near the water.) Trouble is moving expenses once I find something...u-haul, first last and deposit for an apt, utilities hook up, plus waiting two pay periods for a first check. When I moved to florida in the first place, I got moving reimbursement and $1000 sign on bonus, or I wouldn't have been able to swing it. BTW, I'm not askin for help on that, just trying to explain why I would seem to be stubborn in staying here for now. I'm not crazy, just poor.
As far as in general, I'm trying to keep my chin up and convince myself this is temporary. That tidal wave mess makes these problems seem pretty insignificant.
Posted by Jane Diaz (Member # 595) on :
Glad your back! Keep your chin up! Posted by Nancie W. Phillips (Member # 3484) on :
Hey Don... It IS good to see you back! And you're right. Comparing the Tsunami tragedy does dwarf alot of what our country's suffered come lately. Keep up the good attitude! Hey, maybe when the time comes for you to be moving some of us can help out...Don't be shy askin'- We're "family".
Posted by PKing (Member # 337) on :
Did I here someone talking about Ducks???
It is ALL "up hill" now! When one door closes,another opens up! BEST designer in Florida!
Welcome Back Don
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
Pat, I once heard someone say that when one door is closed another one opens, but it is the hallway that's hell.
Posted by Tony McDonald (Member # 1158) on :
Welcome back Don.
Posted by Sheila Ferrell (Member # 3741) on :
Poor Don . . .he cain't have no ceilin' fan in a trailer cause it will beat his brains out . . .bap-bap-bap-bap . . .
Bear in mind sign people, when hirin' a new hand, look for these tall guys . . .because they ARE scaffolding and ladders included...
I was SO priviledged to get to meet Don in Gainesville. Having been torn away for some time from his brushes by that hurricaine did not slow him down a bit when he got brush-in-hand, he just took off with it!!
Glad to see you back in Letterville Don!! Posted by Judy Pate (Member # 237) on :
Welcome home Don! Judy
Posted by Frank Magoo (Member # 3950) on :
At last !!! Progress !!! Maybe cost of phone will come down now....still can't imagine card costs you alluded to, damn...
Glad you're online again, we'll chat some night. Now, go get a job, boy, think you're a surf bum or something?
Thanks for call earlier, HNY to you...got portrait framed, thank you... Posted by Dan Antonelli (Member # 86) on :
Hey Don -
I dont know if you're still looking for a job - but my client in FL who has a sign shop is looking for help--
www.signeffex.com - his numbers are there - call and ask for Oren -- he's a good guy.
Not sure how far away it is, but he needs help big time.
Posted by David Fisher (Member # 107) on :
In the interest of your swift repatriation, I hereby relinquish all debt - you no longer owe me a bottle shop. Sigh... there goes my retirement.
David
Posted by Raymond Chapman (Member # 361) on :
It's good to see you back. My best wishes for putting your life back together again. I can only imagine how tough it must be.
By the way, I was going through some old photos a few days ago and came across the one where you had switched our heads in the photo from Orlando. It still looks scary.
Also, you were right about the Wacom - it's a great tool. Takes a little while to get used to, but very useful after that.
Posted by Michael Latham (Member # 4477) on :
Best wishes in recovery. I couldn't take a hit like you and the Floridians have last year. My priorities have changed, a nest egg needs to be started. (I'm still looking for my golden goose though!)I can take a slow month, but not no shop or equipment! Good luck, the right door will open soon.
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