Willo O'Brien

Yesterday I finally met Jeff from DCResource / DVSpot. He put up a blog a couple months back, so it was great to put a face w/ the name (and all the stories of his life).

Afterwards I went over to Rose Quartz where I had a credit from almost a year ago! They have some beautiful jewelry… but Gallery of Jewels is still my favorite. I’m sooo into jewelry I should start a small website… I am a big fan of Catherine Weitzman and Melissa Musinski (photo) < If you've ever spent any time around me, you'll most likely have seen one of their pieces on me. So after my Noe Valley morning, I headed down and had lunch w/ my friend Abbie who’s working at the Gift Center, working for a rep who sells baby clothing. Right up my alley for my new biz and it was great to brainstorm w/ Abbie on ideas for marketing it – as well as even contacting the baby lines they rep & seeing about doing illustration for them.

Speaking of, I applied for a job at Gymboree awhile back, but I think I should have showed them more of my baby designs, as I actually don’t have that much on the site. But I figure my style so obviously lends itself in that direction.

Lastnight after BAM, I went & picked up a care package Matt gave me for Kazoo. It’s sooo sweet of him to help out… it’s kinda like child support :) Then I headed over to my friend Kristin’s and got to meet her wonderful roomates, Claire & Holly. Kristin set me up with a ton of great new music, I’m so psyched!!! Spoon (who we went & saw last month), Calexico, Fountains of Wayne (who, again, I saw last month) and the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs – who my friend Brendan loves, too – but I haven’t gotten into em yet. I heard them on a Heavy mix some time early this year and just didn’t care to hear more. Maybe after a few more listens I will see the light.

Today I have a TON to do so I gotta stop bloggin & start working!!!!

Man this week is flying by already. I have a lot goin on – some things I haven’t posted here… I mean, really, I can’t reveal all my secrets!! :)

Saturday night I had a little BBQ at my place and it was such a blast. (update: photos posted!) At one point this sweet mixed CD (I made) was playin – and you know how you get to know a CD so well you know the next song after it and can start singing it before it even starts? Well after a Hot, Hot Heat song I totally started singing every word to the next one (err, that usually comes after it). My friend was crackin up. I actually impressed myself a little. It’s no wonder I know every word to all their songs, I’ve listened to the CD probably 400 times.

That story (a very boring ‘you had to be there’ type story as it were) is actually just segwaying into telling you that Hot, Hot Heat just made a new video. They had it produced by MK12, who are a great team of motion graphic artist punks that kick out some pretty sweet ass shit. (and yes, that’s a technical term) If I was REALLY cool, I’d be doing stuff like that. Alas, it gives me something to work towards :)

Sunday, I met up with a new friend at Canvas Cafe and I had my favorite cold drink on a hot day, a yummy “Arnie Palmer” (now apparently marketed as such). Afterwards, we strolled through Golden Gate Park for a few hours. It was SUCH a beautiful hot day (90°!) and I was psyched to discover new parts of the park I had never been to! I thought I had covered all of the botanical gardens – but we were in a whole new area I somehow hadn’t seen. Then (for my first time) we went on ‘the island’ and saw the waterfall up there… and a great hike & view too. GGPark rocks!!

Sunday night Jane had a lil’ BBQ of her own. However sans grill made it a George Foreman grill night instead. Jane had Jessa & Kristin over… and Sarah had a few friends in town, too. Then Helena brought over some guys in town from Boston. One of em hit my “oh man is that guy hot!” button… he kinda reminded me of Matt Nathanson. I should go visit Boston. :p

Lastnight I watched ‘Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams‘. Beautiful cinematography and story telling. I unfortunately fell asleep by the end, and now just have to send it back so I can watch my next DVD, Laurel Canyon. (which I’ve wanted to see for so long!) However, I’m borrowing Netflix‘s from friends these days, so I have to hurry & watch them & get them sent back to keep the flow goin!

I’m a big fan of toast. If you are too – this site is right for you.

I awoke to find a long stretch of ants making their way from my front door to Kazoo’s dish. Little did they know that trip was going to end in mass genocide. I’m sure ants far and wide heard their faint little screams as they all got sucked up into my vaccum and/or stickily picked up with my handy roll of tape.

Insert image here of pissed off Willo holding a sign that says “No Ants Allowed” and hearing her Dirty Harry voice say “tell your friends” as she blows the smoke from her trusty Eureka.

I really need a cup of coffee.

Today I won’t be online much, but while I sat & sipped my morning coffee, I got caught up on some of the blogs I read. There’s a few that make me laugh out loud.

Here’s some new business cards I made up yesterday for my new business.

I caught a little bit of Reno 911 lastnight and it’s really funny!

Oh – and I keep meaning to update, the sweet older man at the Cafe, is from Jordan.

I’m so glad it’s nice out! What a beautiful day for a BBQ, huh? :)

life is good. I’m having a great week :) and it’s Friday!

I’ve got a few great projects coming up, and as I mentioned before, I’ve started a new little business: Custom Wall Painting. It’s already going well, I’m preparing designs for a preschool where I have big wonderful white canvases [fences and walls]. yay!

I spent some wonderful time with ‘the Weingals‘ up in Sausalito. Marissa is a sweeetie pie and little baby Zach just melts my heart. He’s such a good baby!!

I came home and was really tired from my long day. I heated up some leftover tuna-mac and turned on the tv to ‘rest’. I’ve been watching the animated Spider-Man. I like it.

Some of these damn commercials tho’ – Whats up w/ that Old Navy Cargo Train commercial?

OK, in looking for a link to the video, I soon realized that I too have just been suckered by Old Navy. It took me to their site and now I want to shop!!!!

I have to clean, but I don’t feel like it. I think I’m just going to curl up in bed with a book. This one to be exact.

heh – and Eric thinks I need to add this booklist deal to my site. You sure you wanna see the books I read? ;)

Just kidding, besides that one I’m actually [still] trying to get through The Corrections. I won’t give up!! For a little while there it was painfully slow and I about gave up on it. But I really wanna see what happens w/ Chip next, so I gotta finish it. But it’s car-wreck like. I’m not sure I’d recommend it to anyone unfortunately.

Next I plan to read Secret Life of Bees and Fountainhead.. and I just got my issues of HOW and BUST too. Sounds like I need to take a beachy vacation to catch up on my reading :p ……she says as she dreams of Greece.

Hey! Wow, that’s the longest I’ve gone without posting in awhile, huh?! Well I’m here!

I’ve actually been busier than ever lately. I’m kickstarting a small business and getting all my ducks in a row. I’ll be releasing details soon!

The last year I’ve not been accepting new clients due to such a large FT and freelance workload, but now I’ve completed the one huge project I’d been working on… so I’m officially open for new business! Keep me in mind if you know someone who needs character design, illustration, animation, graphic design, web design or web maintenance done. I’m your woman!

This week has been fun – my friends came into town and stole me away on Sunday night & Monday. I got some work done, but it was fun to feel like I was on vacation with them a little… we even sat & watched some of my TIVO’d episodes of Insomniac on Monday before going to get ice cream – such a luxury in my work filled world! :)

Needless to say after they left I dove into work again. My house is suffering tho’ – and I’ll be doing a big cleaning on Saturday morning to prepare for some friends coming over Saturday afternoon.

Thanks to all of you who sent me awesome coffee recommendations. I told Sarah I’m going to look like a total dork reading them off my sticky note. It’s either that or I’ll be the dork practicing saying it in my car before I go in – hahhaa :) You guys and your big long coffee orders! I wanna be cool like you!!

Speaking of coffee, this morning while I was getting mine I ran into an ex (of sorts) of mine. He lives up the street and I’ve known that all the time I’ve lived in Bernal, but haven’t run into him yet. This was the guy I was sorta dating when I met Matt and had to call him and say “I’ve met someone”. He met someone shortly after that as well and they got married within the same year or so. Today I learned him & his wife just bought a house and are expecting! So wild how different paths take us! It was good to see him.

Ok – back to work, just wanted to check in!

Wahoo!!
Sept 25 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Hot, Hot Heat – w/ The French Kicks and Ima Robot

My friends are in town – so I’ve been busy hangin w/ them. Lastnight diner at Cesar in Berkeley – and today Just for You for breakfast then some afternoon Mitchell’s ice cream too!! mm!!

Tonite: sushi (ya, lastnight we got tapas instead)

I just got home from an amazing hike!

Brendan, Michelle & I hit the Dipsea Trail on Mt. Tam. We parked at Bootjack, hiked all the way to Stinson Beach and then back up the Dipsea and Steep Rivine trail (map). About 6.5 miles I think total. I’m beat!!

It was so beautiful though. I absolutely *get off* on being out in nature. The green all around me, the wind blowing on my face… the endorphins of a great hike. AWESOME!! We kicked ass too (kept a pretty good pace the whole way). Hiking is my favorite form of exercise. I love being outside… and Mt. Tam hikes are always such an amazing treat with the gorgeous views of the bay on one side and the ocean on the other. (and so close to the city!)

Today’s highlights were when we drove above the fog line and saw the billowy bed of clouds (nap on a cloud anyone? :) As well as when we climbed down and reached the top of the last hill to see the beautiful stretch of Stinson Beach below us. Very nice.

I’m so tired though… I just took a much needed shower and now I think it’s time for a nap!!

Tonite: Sushi! mmm!!!

a couple years later, another friend said to me:

…you are a most beautiful woman with a smile that could power the city of Dallas and eyes that show the possibilities of all things great in the world.

I’ll never ever forget these lovely words. What someone says means so much…

Today I thought of a time when I was about 8 years old: I was walking back from the pool with my babysitter and her friend (a boy) and out of the blue he gave me a really sweet compliment about how pretty I was, and how beautiful he was sure I’d grow up to be. I don’t even really remember exactly what he said… I just remember walking taller that day, feeling so pretty and happy to be noticed and complimented.

On the flip side I think we all can name memories from long ago of hurtful words, that no matter how hard we want to forget are burned in our memories (and possibly limiting ourselves from ever getting over some certain feature on our god-made bodies).

So say something nice to someone you know today. Even if you think they already know it or you’re shy to say something so forthright. If it’s genuine, it’s likely they’ll never forget such a sweet thing.